Infinix Mobile is a Hong Kong-based smartphone manufacturer that offers impressive Android smartphones in an affordable price range which is mostly targeted at the budget segment users. However, all the Infinix devices do come with XOS skin out of the box that may feel buggy or not so improved to most users. That’s why you should know How to Unlock the Bootloader on Infinix Smartphone and Relock It Back.
Well, if you’re not aware of the bootloader unlocking thing then don’t worry. Here we’ll gonna share with you all the necessary details and easy steps to perform bootloader unlocking on any of your Infinix devices. Due to the lack of optimization or not-so-attractive user interface unlike other Android smartphone brands, it may possible that you want to flash a custom firmware or enable root access on your Infinix device.
So, it’s worth mentioning that without unlocking the bootloader, you won’t gonna able to customize your Android device from the root level (system-level). Normal theme launchers or icons may not be useful that much if you’re interested to jump into the unlimited customizations of the Android world or if you’re already an Android geek. Now, you may ask what is actually a locked bootloader? Well, let’s take a brief look.
Also Read
Download Latest Infinix USB Drivers And Installation Guide
What is a Bootloader on Android?
A Bootloader on any Android device is software or a set of programs that actually commands or helps the device to boot into the operating system or the recovery mode. It basically depends on the user in which mode the device should start or power on. To understand it better, a Bootloader is a vendor-specific image file that loads up the device kernel and allows the hardware to run the system or recovery.
A locked device bootloader always verifies the secure boot state of the device and recognizes whether the device is trying to boot up the signed images from the manufacturer or not. That means if in case, you’re trying to flash or boot any third-party file on a locked bootloader, it won’t work.
It’s one of the security measures that has been provided by each Android device manufacturer to protect the system and its partitions from external items whatsoever that may affect the system files. Therefore, every Android smartphone manufacturer offers a locked bootloader state to their devices out of the box. But you can start customizing on Android by unlocking the bootloader very easily.
Advantages of Bootloader Unlocking
There are a couple of benefits of having an unlocked bootloader on your Infinix device such as you’ll be able to fully customize your handset from the system level. Additionally, you can flash any third-party firmware (aftermarket firmware) instead of using the stock ROM or XOS skin whatsoever.
Meanwhile, you can also enable root access on your Infinix handset, and then you’ll be able to install the Xposed Modules or Magisk Modules. The best part is that you can use rooted apps on your device after rooting which will offer you some advanced level performance or customizations that you won’t get on the non-rooted device.
Interested users can also install a custom recovery mode rather than using the stock recovery which will offer various options to go through. Another thing we should mention is that you can easily improve battery life, overclock hardware performance, uninstall bloatware or system applications using root access.
Disadvantages of Unlocking the Bootloader
Well, if there are good things then it should have bad things too, and so the Infinix device users may also experience some unexpected issues. Talking about the disadvantages of bootloader unlocking, your device may get bricked or stuck into the boot loop issue if you don’t follow the steps and requirements properly.
Alternatively, some unlucky users may find that their handset becomes much slower than before. Whereas unlocking the bootloader should void the official warranty on the device from the manufacturer (if applicable). The handset may start behaving weirdly if something conflicts with the system files because a device with an unlocked bootloader is more vulnerable to security risks or malware attacks.
Supported Infinix Devices
How to Unlock Bootloader on Infinix Smartphone
Here we’ve mentioned all the requirements and download links before jumping into the bootloader unlocking method. So, make sure to follow everything properly.
Pre-Requirements:
You’ll need to follow all the mentioned requirements below for a successful and hassle-free bootloader unlocking process.
1. Charge Your Device
Make sure to charge your device at least up to 60% or higher before doing anything else so that your handset won’t shut down during the bootloader unlocking process.
2. Take Backup of your device
We’ll always recommend you take a full backup of your device data before performing any system-level methods because of the bootloader unlocking process which will completely wipe out all the internal storage data and eventually you may lose your important files.
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3. Download ADB and Fastboot Binaries
ADB and Fastboot drivers or tools are really useful to run system-level commands on your connected device using the computer in a matter of seconds. Whether you want to run fastboot or adb commands on the device, or sideload OTA files, or remove programs, etc. You can grab ADB and Fastboot binaries here.
4. Download Google USB Drivers
USB Drivers are necessary enough to build a strong connection between the device and the computer via a USB cable for data transferring or flashing items. It ensures a smooth operation without any interruption. You can get Google USB Drivers here.
5. Requires a PC and a USB Cable
To perform the bootloader unlocking method on any of your Infinix smartphones, you’ll require a Windows computer and a USB cable to connect the device to the PC.
Steps to Unlock the Bootloader
- First of all, extract the Google USB Drivers folder on your PC and keep it on the desktop screen.
- Now, extract the ADB and Fastboot (zip) into a folder and move it to the root directory of C: drive.
Step 1: Enable Developer options
- Head over to your device and go to Settings > My phone.
Warning!
- You’ll see the Build number option > Tap on it for 7 times continuously to enable the Developer options menu.
Step 2: Enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking
Now, go back to the main Settings menu.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and tap on System.
Here you’ll find out the Developer options menu.
Tap on it to open > Next, Turn On the USB Debugging as well as OEM Unlocking toggle one by one. [If prompted, make sure to Allow everything]
Step 3: Execute Command to Unlock Bootloader
Now, head over to the extracted Platform Tools folder inside the C: drive where all the ADB and Fastboot files are placed.
Then click on the directory path > Type cmd on the bar and hit Enter to open the Command Prompt window.
Connect your Infinix handset to the PC using a USB cable that you’ve received out of the box.
Make sure that the USB Debugging option is enabled on your Infinix device. Just cross-check it again.
You should receive the ‘Allow USB Debugging’ popup on your device screen. Ensure to tap on the checkbox to select ‘Always allow from this computer’.
Next, tap on OK to continue.
Type the following command and hit Enter to check whether your computer has detected the connected Infinix handset as an ADB device or not:
adb devices
If connected and recognized as an ADB device, you’ll see a set of random code numbers on the command prompt window. If so, you’re good to go.
Now, run the following command to start your Infinix handset to the bootloader mode (Fastboot Mode):
adb reboot bootloader
Once booted into the Fastboot mode, you’ll see a USB icon on the device screen that shows Fastboot text.
Now, type the following command and hit Enter to use the Fastboot mode on your device:
fastboot devices
A. If Fastboot Device Not Detected:
If the Fastboot device is not detected and the set of random numbers didn’t appear on the command prompt window then do the following steps additionally.
Please Note: If the Fastboot device ID is detected normally then skip the following steps and directly jump into step 12 to continue following.
- Don’t close the command prompt window or unplug the USB cable yet.
- Press Windows + X keys to open the Quick Access Menu > Open Device Manager.
- Once the Device Manager interface opens, you’ll see the ‘Android’ option under the “Other devices” section.
- So, right-click on Android > Select Update driver > Click on Browse my computer for drivers.
- Click on ‘Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer’ > Select ‘Show All Devices’.
- Click on Next > Click on Have Disk > Select Browse > Click on android_winusb.inf file from the desktop interface to select it.
- Now, click on Open > Click on OK > Click to select Android Bootloader Interface from the list.
- Then click on Next > A ‘Update Driver Warning’ notice will appear on the screen > Just click on Yes to continue.
- Once Windows successfully updated the drivers, you’ll see a successful message on the screen.
- Click on Close to exit > Close the Device Manager window as well.
- Now, head over to the Command Prompt window again > Run the same command again and this time your connected device should show as a fastboot device.
B. Fastboot Device Detected:
If or once the Fastboot device ID is detected for your connected Infinix smartphone then continue following the steps below.
- Run the following command line on the command prompt window to unlock the bootloader on your Infinix smartphone:
fastboot flashing unlock
Immediately you’ll now see the confirmation popup screen on your Infinix device ‘Unlock Bootloader?’
Simply press the Volume UP button to confirm the Bootloader Unlocking process. [However, if you don’t want to unlock the bootloader then press the Volume Down button]
Voila! You’ve successfully unlocked the bootloader on your Infinix device easily.
Finally, run the final command on the command prompt window to restart your device in the system normally:
fastboot reboot
Wait for the device to boot into the system for the first time after unlocking the bootloader as it completely wipes out all the internal data.
Once rebooted into the system, just go through the initial setup process on the Infinix handset, and you’re done.
You can also check out our in-depth video tutorial on unlocking the bootloader for Infinix devices Below.
How to Relock Bootloader on Infinix Smartphone
If in case, you don’t want to continue using your Infinix handset with an unlocked bootloader due to certain reasons then you can go back to the factory locked bootloader state very easily. So, without wasting any more time, let’s jump into the steps below.
Please Note: For some similar steps, you can check out the above method for ease.
First of all, go to the device Settings menu > Tap on My phone.
Tap on the Build number 7 times continuously to enable Developer options (if not turned on yet).
Once enabled, go back to the previous Settings menu page and select System.
Here you’ll find out the Developer options menu > Just tap on it to open.
Enable the USB Debugging toggle and tap on OK to confirm.
Now, connect your Infinix device to the PC using a USB data cable.
Open the File Explorer (This PC) and head over to the ADB Platform Tools folder inside the C: drive.
From the Platform Tools folder where you can see a bunch of files, click on the path directory or bar.
Type cmd and hit Enter to open the Command Prompt window.
Now, the following command line and hit Enter to check whether your device is connected properly or not:
If connected, you’ll see a random code on the command prompt window.
Then run the following command line to restart your device into the Bootloader (Fastboot Mode):
Once your device will reboot into the Fastboot mode, the screen will show you a USB icon and Fastboot text.
Now, run the following command to check whether your device is connected in the Fastboot mode or not with the PC:
If detected and shows you a random device ID then you can jump into step 16. But if the Fastboot device isn’t detected then make sure to follow the additional steps that are mentioned in the A. If Fastboot Device Not Detected: section above.
Once fastboot devices ID is verified on the computer, you’re just two steps away to relock the bootloader.
Just execute the following command line on the command prompt window to completely relock the device bootloader again:
fastboot flashing lock
Now, you’ll see a confirmation message on the device screen that asks “Lock Bootloader?”
Simply press the Volume UP button to Lock the Bootloader. [If in case, you don’t want to relock the bootloader, then press the Volume Down button]
You’ve now successfully relocked the bootloader on your Infinix handset.
Finally, run the last command line to reboot your Infinix device into the system again:
Wait for the device to boot into the system as it may take some time. Please be patient.
Enjoy!
If you want a video tutorial on relocking the bootloader for any Infinix device then check out the video link below:
That’s it, guys. We assume this in-depth guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.
