commit 92c892b35ec51aecfaa24a4fe1717ff2fdfcbc39 · www.zenfyr.dev/bootloader-unlock-wall-of-shame

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README.md

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       > Reminder that no matter how nice a company is, <br/>

     

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       > you should not trust them unless their unlock process is 100% offline!

     

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       ## ⛔ Avoid at all costs!

     

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       ## 🍅 Just terrible!

     

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       The following manufacturers have made it completely impossible to unlock their devices without a workaround.

     

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       ### [Huawei/Honor](/brands/huawei/README.md)

     

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       ### [Vivo/IQOO](/brands/vivo/README.md)

     

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       ### [OPPO/Realme](/brands/oppo/README.md)

     

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       ### [Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO](/brands/xiaomi/README.md)

     

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       ### [Samsung](/brands/samsung/README.md)

     

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       ### [ZTE](/brands/zte/README.md)

     

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       ### [LG](/brands/lg/README.md)

     

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       ### [HTC](/brands/htc/README.md)

     

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       ### [Meizu](/brands/meizu/README.md)

     

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       ### [Alcatel](/brands/alcatel/README.md)

     

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       ### [Apple](/brands/apple/README.md)

     

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       ### [Motorola/Lenovo](/brands/motorola/README.md)

     

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       ### [Energizer](/brands/energizer/README.md)

     

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       As a rule, almost all carrier locked devices do not allow the bootloader to be unlocked. This usually makes sense, as it would allow you to completely bypass the contract. The problem is that many devices still do not allow you to unlock the bootloader even after the carrier lock has been lifted.

     

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       ## ⛔ Avoid at all costs!

     

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       The following manufacturers allow unlocking under certain conditions, such as region, model, SOC, etc., or require a sacrifice to unlock.

     

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       ### [OPPO/Realme](/brands/oppo/README.md)

     

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       ### [Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO](/brands/xiaomi/README.md)

     

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       ### [Samsung](/brands/samsung/README.md)

     

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       ### [LG](/brands/lg/README.md)

     

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       ### [HTC](/brands/htc/README.md)

     

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       ### [Motorola/Lenovo](/brands/motorola/README.md)

     

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       ## ⚠️ Proceed with caution!

     

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       The following manufacturers require an online account and/or a waiting period before unlocking.

     

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       ### [Fairphone](/brands/fairphone/README.md)

     

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brands/CONTRIBUTING.md

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       ### Verdict

     

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       Companies that do not allow unlocking must have the "⛔ Avoid" verdict. Sometimes, while it's possible to unlock, the process can be so complicated that a company will be recommended to avoid. (See: Realme, Xiaomi)

     

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       Companies that do not allow unlocking must have the "🍅 Terrible" verdict.

     

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       Sometimes, while it's possible to unlock, the process can be so complicated that a company will be recommended to avoid. (See: Realme, Xiaomi)

     

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       Companies that use some sort of online service to unlock must be "⚠️ Proceed with caution!", regardless of reputation. 

     

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brands/alcatel/README.md

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       # Alcatel

     

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       - Verdict: **⛔ Avoid!**

     

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       - Verdict: **🍅 Terrible!**

     

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       There's nothing to say about Alcatel really. They have fastboot removed from most of their phones and have no official unlock method.

     

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brands/apple/README.md

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       # Apple

     

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       - Verdict: **⛔ Avoid!**

     

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       - Verdict: **🍅 Terrible!**

     

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       This one is probably expected. No iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch or Apple TV model has had an unlockable bootloader. 

     

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brands/asus/README.md

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       # Asus

     

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       - Verdict: **⛔ Avoid!**

     

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       - Verdict: **🍅 Terrible!**

     

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       Asus originally allowed you to unlock your bootloader via their website, however in November 2023, the website went down "for maintanence", Asus claimed it would come back, but it never did. 

     

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brands/cat/README.md

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       # Cat

     

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       - Verdict: **⛔ Avoid!**

     

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       - Verdict: **🍅 Terrible!**

     

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       Cat's phones have the OEM Unlock option in the settings app, but the typical `fastboot flashing unlock`/`fastboot oem unlock` just returns an [unknown command error][Cat Unlock]. I'm honestly not sure why you'd buy a phone from a tractor company anyways.

     

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brands/coolpad/README.md

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       # Coolpad

     

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       - Verdict: **⛔ Avoid!**

     

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       - Verdict: **🍅 Terrible!**

     

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       Coolpad completely removed [the unlock command][Coolpad unlock] from their Fastboot, so Coolpad devices can't be unlocked unless your device has an SoC level exploit like mtkclient.

     

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       ***

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brands/doogee/README.md

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       # Doogee 

     

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       - Verdict: **⛔ Avoid!**

     

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       - Verdict: **🍅 Terrible!**

     

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       While some people have reported success via the [standard unlock procedure](/misc/general-unlock.md), most Doogee devices [can't be unlocked][Doogee lock] despite having the OEM Unlock option in the settings.

     

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       ***

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brands/energizer/README.md

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       # Energizer

     

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       - Verdict: **⛔ Avoid!**

     

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       - Verdict: **🍅 Terrible!**

     

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       Not only will Energizer destroy your electronics by leaking battery acid everywhere, but they will also destroy your privacy by not allowing you to unlock your bootloader. There's not much more to say, neither their Android phones or KaiOS phones are unlockable.

     

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brands/huawei/README.md

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       > 🧹 This page is missing sources for history.

     

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       - Verdict: **⛔ Avoid!**

     

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       - Verdict: **🍅 Terrible!**

     

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       In the past, Huawei allowed you to unlock with a special code you get by submitting some information to emui.com (IMEI, serial, model, and product ID), but in 2018 "corporate values have changed" and the site went down. <br/>

     

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       Worse, on Android 10+, the unlock command has been **completely removed** from fastboot.

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brands/meizu/README.md

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       # Meizu

     

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       - Verdict: **⛔ Avoid!**

     

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       - Verdict: **🍅 Terrible!**

     

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       There's not a lot to say about Meizu.<br/>

     

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       They've never had unlockable bootloaders, and although there are a number of unofficial methods. Some Snapdragon devices have a [FRP exploit you can use in EDL to unlock][fpr-exploit], If your device is unsupported by the FRP exploit and isn't supported by mtkclient, there are [paid services][paid-services] which you can use at your own risk.

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brands/nokia/README.md

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       # HMD Global/Nokia

     

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       - Verdict: **⛔ Avoid!**

     

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       - Verdict: **🍅 Terrible!**

     

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       In the flaming pile of HMD's "great" decisions to improve Nokia, one stands out more than others: They decided to follow the fresh "lock the bootloader" trend.<br/>

     

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       Why was this necessary? I don't know...

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brands/sharp/README.md

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       # Sharp

     

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       - Verdict: **⛔ Avoid!**

     

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       - Verdict: **🍅 Terrible!**

     

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       Sharp doesn't allow you to unlock your bootloader and has Fastboot removed from their devices. If you want a Japanese-made phone, you're better off getting a Sony.

     

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brands/tcl/README.md

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       # TCL  

     

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       - Verdict: **🍅 Terrible!**

     

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       TCL got their start in the mobile world as a contract manufacturer for BlackBerry, and while TCL's contract with BlackBerry ended in 2020, TCL has continued BlackBerry's lineage of "secure bootloaders", AKA, doing everything they can to make you unable to unlock the bootloader. Because of TCL's history with BlackBerry, who has always been horrible with bootloader unlocks, it is unlikely TCL bootloaders will ever be unlockable.

     

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       ***

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brands/vivo/README.md

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       # Vivo/IQOO

     

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       - Verdict: **🍅 Terrible!**

     

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       The BBK* family has an unlocking problem. If in case of OPPO/Realme they at least offer an app in some regions, Vivo is locked completely.

     

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brands/zte/README.md

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       > 🧹 This page is missing a lot of info!

     

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       - Verdict: **⛔ Avoid!**

     

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       - Verdict: **🍅 Terrible!**

     

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       Old devices (pre Android 8):<br/>

     

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       [xdaforums.com][pre-android-8]