In this guide, we will show you the steps to unlock the bootloader on your Fairphone 5 device. While we are witnessing numerous OEMs coming forward with their sustainability statements, but it’s the devices from Fasirphone that could really claim the bragging rights. With a self easy to repair device, up to 8 years of OS upgrades, and the 100% recycled plastic back, its eco-friendly approach is there for everyone to see.
Along the same lines, the device is quite heavy on the specs sheet as well which perfectly rounds off with a clean stock OS experience. And the icing on the cake? it tends to perform decently well in custom development. However, before you can step into this domain and welcome abode a plethora of modules, you’ll first have to unlock the bootloader on your Fairphone 5 device. And in this guide, we will show you how to do just that. Follow along.
Table of Contents
Benefits and Risks of Bootloader Unlocking
Unlocking the bootloader is the gateway to extracting the maximum benefits of Android’s open-source ecosystem. For example, you will be able to install a custom ROM or flash a custom recovery like TWRP. Likewise, you will also be able to get access to the system partition as well as administrative privileges by rooting your device via Magisk. This will then allow you to flash Magisk Modules, LSPosed Framework, Substratum Themes, and Viper4Android, etc.
However, carrying out these tweaks brings in a few uninvited risks as well. To begin with, it will wipe off all the data and could nullify the device’s warranty as well. Along the same lines, it will degrade the Widevine L1 certification to L3, thereby preventing you from streaming content in HD [FIXED]. The SafetyNet will be triggered as well [FIXED], thereby preventing you from using banking apps [FIXED]. So if that’s well and good then let’s get started with the steps.
How to Unlock the Bootloader on Fairphone 5
The below process will wipe off all the data from your device and “might” nullify its warranty. So please take a complete device backup beforehand. Droidwin and its members wouldn’t be held responsible in case of a thermonuclear war, your alarm doesn’t wake you up, or if anything happens to your device and data by performing the below steps.
NOTE: Before starting, make sure that you are on the latest firmware version, in other words, there should be no pending updates. Likewise, you should be connected to the internet during the entire process.
STEP 1: Install Android SDK
First and foremost, you will have to install the Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC. This is the official ADB and Fastboot binary provided by Google and is the only recommended one. So download it and then extract it to any convenient location on your PC. Doing so will give you the platform-tools folder, which will be used throughout this guide.
STEP 2: Get Unique Unlock Code
- Head over to Settings → About phone → IMEI and note down IMEI 1.
Credits: Fairphone Support - Then go to Settings → About phone → Model & Hardware → note down your Serial number.
Credits: Fairphone Support - Now go to this Fairphone bootloader unlock page and type in your IMEI and Serial Number.
- Then click on Get Your Unlock Code. You will get a unique code, note it down somewhere.
STEP 3: Enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking
Next up, you will have to enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking on your device. USB Debugging will make your device recognizable by the PC in ADB mode. This will then allow you to boot your device to Fastboot Mode. On the other hand, OEM Unlocking is required to carry out the bootloader unlocking.
- Head over to Settings > About Phone > Tap on Build Number 7 times.
- Go back to Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options > enable OEM Unlock.
Credits: Fairphone Support - It will ask you to enter the unique code that you got earlier. Type it in and OEM Unlock will be enabled.
- Then scroll down a little bit and enable USB Debugging as well.
STEP 4: Boot Fairphone 5 to Fastboot Mode
- Connect your device to the PC via USB cable. Make sure USB Debugging is enabled.
- Then head over to the platform-tools folder, type in CMD in the address bar, and hit Enter. This will launch the Command Prompt.
- Type in the following command in the CMD window to boot your device to Fastboot Mode
adb reboot bootloader
- Now type in the below command to verify the Fastboot Connection
fastboot devices
- If you get a device ID followed by the fastboot keyword, then the connection stands successful.
- If that is not the case, then please install Fastboot Drivers onto your PC.
STEP 5: Unlock Bootloader on Fairphone 5
- First off, type in the below command in the CMD window inside the platform-tools folder:
fastboot flashing unlock
- Then proceed with the on-screen instructions. Your device will undergo a reset and then reboot to the OS.
- Again boot it to the Fastboot Mode. Then type in the below command:
fastboot flashing unlock_critical
- Again follow the on-screen instructions. Your device will undergo a reset and boot to the OS.
- If that doesn’t happen t,ehn you may manually do so via the below command as well:
fastboot reboot
That’s it. These were the steps to unlock the bootloader on your Fairphone 5. 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.
