Xiaomi is slowly but clearly closing all possible paths for users to unlock the bootloader on their smartphones. What was once one of the biggest reasons behind Xiaomi’s massive popularity among power users and developers is now being restricted step by step. Initially, Xiaomi limited the bootloader unlock allowance to just three devices per user in a year. Later, stricter rules were introduced, especially for users in China, and over time, similar restrictions began affecting users globally.
Today, many Xiaomi users across the world want to unlock the bootloader on their devices, but the very first step—getting official permission—has become extremely difficult. In many cases, users simply don’t receive approval, even after following all the required procedures.
Recently, Xiaomi took an even more aggressive step. The company has removed the “Unlock Bootloader” permission option from the China Xiaomi Community app, which was the only official platform from where users could request authorization to unlock their devices. This move strongly indicates that Xiaomi no longer wants users to modify their phones and is pushing everyone to stick with the stock operating system.
At the moment, this change is limited to China only. There is no official confirmation regarding the removal of bootloader unlock permissions for global users. However, if Xiaomi does not restore this option in the China Community app, it sets a worrying precedent. There is a strong possibility that the same policy could be applied to global users in the future, forcing everyone to use the stock HyperOS experience without any alternatives.
If this direction continues, the impact will be massive. Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO users may completely lose the ability to unlock the bootloader on their devices. Without an unlocked bootloader, root access becomes impossible, which means many advanced and specialized apps will no longer function. Additionally, users will not be able to flash custom recoveries or install custom ROMs, something that Xiaomi devices have been famous for over the years.
Of course, unlocking the bootloader has always come with both advantages and disadvantages. On the downside, banking apps often stop working properly, Google Play Store may show the device as “not certified,” and several government or security-focused apps refuse to run on unlocked devices. These issues have become even more common and harder to fix with newer Android and HyperOS versions.
Looking ahead to 2026, unlocking the bootloader is no longer something I would recommend for most users, especially if the phone is your primary device. App compatibility issues, security restrictions, and system instability can create serious daily-use problems. However, for enthusiasts who are passionate about experimenting with AOSP-based custom ROMs and secondary devices, the experience can still be enjoyable—as long as the option to unlock remains available.
For now, Xiaomi’s recent actions clearly signal a shift in philosophy. The era where Xiaomi devices were the go-to choice for modding and custom ROM development may slowly be coming to an end, with HyperOS becoming the only path forward for most users.
