How to check if bootloader is unlocked or locked on Android

The great thing about an Android phone is that you can root it and make it work the way you want it to. If you’re on an older version of Android that isn’t getting any more updates, you can find a custom ROM to flash and get the next version, or at the very least, add some of its features. You can customize almost anything on a rooted Android phone but you can also tweak it a bit if your bootloader is unlocked.

Unlocking the bootloader takes very little skill and you can do a lot with it. If you need to check if your bootloader is unlocked or not, it’s pretty easy.

Android Phone

You can check if your bootloader is unlocked or not from your Android phone. This method should work on most mainstream, and a good number of obscure phones. There will be some exceptions and if this doesn’t work on your Android phone, you can always go with the PC solution.

On your Android phone, open the Phone/dialer app, and enter the code below.

*#*#7378423#*#*

This will open a new window. On this window, go to Service info>Configuration. If you see a message that says Bootloader unlock and there is ‘Yes’ written in front of it, it means the bootloader is unlocked.

PC

If you don’t get a window when you enter the code given in the previous section, you can check your bootloader’s lock status from your PC. It’s pretty simple but you need to download adb and fastboot tools  from Google first.

Download and extract the folder and then open Command Prompt in that folder. You can do this by typing cmd in the location bar on Windows 10.

Next, you need to put your phone in Fastboot mode. To do this, turn your phone off. Then, hold down the Volume Down and Power buttons until your device starts again. Once it turns on, release the Power button but keep holding down the Volume down key until you see the bootloader screen. It’s the one with the little Android bot on its back.

Connect your phone to your PC via its data cable. Once connected, run the following command. If it returns a code, that means your device has been detected.

fastboot devices

Once your device has been detected, run the following command and look for bootloader information. The bootloader for the Nexus 6P that I ran the command on is locked.

fastboot oem device-info

It’s relatively easy to unlock a bootloader if the device manufacturer allows you to. If it doesn’t, it can get pretty tricky.

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Fatima Wahab

Fatima has been writing for AddictiveTips for six years. She began as a junior writer and has been working as the Editor in Chief since 2014. Fatima gets an adrenaline rush from figuring out how technology works, and how to manipulate it. A well-designed app, something that solves a common everyday problem and looks

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