In this guide, we will show you the steps to install the Fastboot Drivers (also known as Android Bootloader Interface Drivers) onto your Windows 11 PC. When it comes to custom development, Fastboot is without the shadow of a doubt the most important mode. Right from the first step of unlocking the device’s bootloader, to installing a custom ROM, rooting the device via Magisk, or flashing custom recovery like TWRP, each of these tasks requires your interaction with the Fastboot.
In this regard, while you could still boot your device to this mode without the use of a PC, but every other task from then onwards would require a computer. However, if your PC doesn’t have the required drivers installed, then it wouldn’t be able to identify the connected Fastboot device in the first place. And installing the Android SDK Platform Tools wouldn’t do any good either. The Platform Tool will only help you in interacting with the ADB environment. But as soon as you enter the Fastboot ecosystem, it will all come to a halt.
Even the CMD window will either show the “waiting for device” message or just display the blank output. What about the Device Manager? Well, it might list out your device name, but it would be under the Other Devices section with a yellow exclamation mark. All in all, you wouldn’t be able to execute any Fastboot command whatsoever. So owing to all these reasons, it becomes an absolute necessity to install the Fastboot Drivers on your Windows 11. And in this guide, we will show you how to do just that. Follow along.
How to Install Fastboot Drivers in Windows 11
- To begin with, enable USB Debugging on your device [Settings > About Phone > Tap on Build Number 7 times > Go back to Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options > Enable USB Debugging].
- Then download the Android SDK Platform Tools and extract it to any convenient location on your PC. This shall give you the platform-tools folder.
- Go to this folder’s address bar, type in CMD, and hit Enter. This will launch the Command Prompt window.
- So type in the below command in this CMD window to boot your device to Fastboot Mode:
adb reboot bootloader
- Now download the Android Bootloader Interface Driver and extract it to your PC. This shall give you a couple of files, including the android_winusb.inf, which is what we will be using now.
- Next up, press the Windows+X shortcut keys and select Device Manager from the menu that appears.
- Then expand the Other Devices section and your device will be listed with an exclamation mark. So right-click on it and select Update Drivers.
- After that, select Browse my computer for drivers.
- Then select Let me pick from a list of available drivers.
- Then select Show All Devices and click Next.
- Now click on the Have Disk button.
- After that, click on the Browse button.
- Then navigate to the folder where you have extracted the Fastboot Drivers, select the android_winusb.inf file, and click Open.
- After that, click OK to load these drivers.
- Windows will now bring up the Android Bootloader Interface Drivers. Select it and click Next.
- If you get a prompt, then click Install.
- The Android Bootloader Interface drivers will now be installed and you shall be notified of the same.
- Once the installation is complete, your device will automatically from the Other Device section over to Android Device.
- That’s it. You have now successfully installed the Fastboot Drivers onto your Windows 11 PC.
Verify Fastboot Driver Installation on Windows 11
Now that the drivers have been successfully installed, let’s put them to rest right away.
- To begin with, connect your device to the PC via USB cable.
- Then open the Command Prompt inside platform tools.
- Now boot your device to Fastboot Mode via the below command
adb reboot bootloader
- And now, execute the below command to verify the Fastboot Connection:
fastboot device
- You should get your device ID which signifies that the connection stands successful.
From now, on. you may execute the desired Fastboot Commands without any issue. And on that note, we round off the guide on how to install the Fastboot Drivers (aka Android Bootloader Interface Drivers) onto your Windows 11 PC. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.
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Mate, you’re king!! Thank you 🙂
Hi Sadique,
I followed your exact instructions but when I type fastboot devices after, nothing shows up. Even though Android Bootloader Interface correctly shows up under Android devices. Any insights on what could be the issue? I am using a Ibasso DX160.
Could you please try a couple of other workarounds as well, namely:
-Make sure to launch CMD inside the platform-tools folder only.
-Use a different method to boot [hardware key combinations or adb reboot bootloader] to Fastboot and then verify the results
-Try using a different USB cable.
-Use USB 2.0 Port
The files you have for the Android Bootloader Interface Drivers aren’t signed at all, and keep coming up with an error upon attempting to install.
Hi Jacobs, this is the official driver from Google with no modifications whatsoever (you could also verify the Publisher and Name field from one of the screenshots that I have posted). Infact I have personally installed it across many PCs with no issues as such. Could you make me aware of the error that you see? As a workaround, you could disable driver signature verification as well (this isn’t recommended for unknown publishers, but since this is the official one from Google, we shouldn’t have any issues as such)
Windows 11 automatically see the Nvidia shield as Portable Devices, not an “other device” (basically means “unknown device” ) to install the usb drive as you said.
Code 10 occurs everytime
I did everything and every trick still doesn’t work.
Please help
Hello, are these drivers universal? (do they work for any phone or these are just for the pixel 4a?)
Yes, they are universal fastboot drivers valid for all Android devices
OMG I’ve been trying to install a ROM for days on win11, post after post until I finally found this one and worked perfectly. Thank you so much bro
Glad that it helped you Camilo
I got to the last part and this happened. adb.exe: unknown command fastboot
Cant figure out..thanks
Once you have installed the drivers, open the COmmand Promopt inside the platform-tools folder and then retry executing the command.
Is it important to have a USB 2.0 port because my laptop has only 3.0 port and i have been trying to install custom rom in my redmi note 6 pro but i am stucked at unlocking bootloader. Whenever my device is on and i connect it with usb cable my laptop shows that device is connected but when I go into fastboot mode it doesn’t detect my device I have tried many solutions to solve this but i can’t . Plzz help me anyone…
me pasa lo mismo en redmi note 11 pro 5G
“‘adb’ is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.”
this is the only message I get no matter what I try to do.
Hi James, apologise for the late response. The issue could be happening because you haven’t opened Command Prompt inside the platform-tools folder. So please do so and then let me know the results. [Also, make sure USB Debugging is enabled on your device].
Man, you really are THE King!
I am a Vassal; totally dependent on your instructions. Fortunately, they are extremely clear so that even a complete novice can follow them.
After this, I will finally attempt to install the EU software onto my China version OnePlus 10 Pro. I hope that it will work as smoothly as installing these Fastboot Drivers did.
a BIG THANK YOU
Thanks for the appreciation Ralph, means a lot.
Man you don’t know how much frustation i got before i read your guide.
Thanks a lot, truly a lifesaver
Hi Sadique,
I’m trying to install global ROM on a Chinese phone for my mom. I’m trying to install the fastboot drivers, but when I get to the step where I update drivers for the device, I get the error “The folder you specified doesn’t contain a compatible software driver for your device. If the folder contains a driver, make sure it is designed to work with Windows for x64-based systems. I have a Windows 11 laptop. Appreciate your help!
Thanks so much for answering my last comment on your other article! , but when I go to type in ‘adb reboot bootloader’ in the Command Prompt space, it says “not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file” – Could it be I’m typing it in wrong? – (like do I start with a space?) or is it something else.
I noticed you gave someone having the same problem the advice to “make sure the Command Prompt is opened inside the platform-tools folder.” but I’m pretty sure mine is…
Would there be different instructions for doing this in Windows 10?
Also: If you don’t have an ‘Other Devices’ folder in device manager go to ‘View’ – click ‘Show Hidden Devices’ then scroll to the bottom where your device should be in the last option’s dropdown
That’s what worked for me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
in the device manager, the phone does not appear as “other devices”, but as “portable devices” and I can not update the drivers, because I do not see the ones that I should add.
fastboot: usage: unknown command device
Buddy I am getting the above error even after updating the drivers successfully
Even though my phone boots to that screen where it shows whether the bootloader is locked or unlocked
And now, execute the below command to verify the Fastboot Connection:
fastboot device
When I tried ‘fastboot device’ it did not work but when I tried ‘fastboot devices’ (as shown in the screenshot) it worked.
Just a small advice to edit that command brother 🙂
Thanks, very well spotted, works now.
I’m getting an error when running the command: fastbook oem unlock
FAILED (remote: ‘Device cannot be unlocked for technical reason.’)
fastboot: error: Command failed
Any ideas?
It’s the year of our Lord 2023, I’m using Windows 10 with latest updates as of March.
And all steps in your article still applicable and work on my system.
Thanks a lot for clear and concise advices! They are easy to read, understand an follow!
Everything has worked fine up until I try to update the driver. It’s not shown under “Other devices”, but instead it is shown 4 times under “Portable devices”. I chose the top one and followed your instructions explicitly, but when I try to update it with “android_winusb.inf” it tells me that “The folder you specified doesn’t contain a compatible software driver for your device…”, which is a Motorola G Power. Your help would be greatly appreciated.