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How to Install Google’s Android Bootloader Interface Drivers

In this guide, we will show you the steps to install Google’s Android Bootloader Interface Drivers on your PC. There are quite a few USB drivers that you might have heard of, all related to your device. The first one is the general Android USB Drivers. These are the most frequent ones and are used to carry out some of the basic yet most important tasks.

These include the likes of transferring files between your device and PC, using it in PTP Mode, or sharing your device’s WiFi with your PC via the USB Tethering Mode. Then comes the turn of Android SDK Platform Tools. This tool is officially provided by Google and contains all the necessary binary files needed to execute ADB and Fastboot Commands.

Next up, are the Qualcomm USB drivers which are installed on your PC so that it is able to interact with your device in EDL Mode (Emergency Download Mode).  These drivers are only applicable for devices with underlying Qualcomm chipsets and are used when the device is hard bricked. So in all these, where does Google’s Android Bootloader Interface Drivers fits it? Well, let’s check it out.


[We also have a separate guide for Windows 11, you may check that out as well. The only difference between both these guides is the screenshots. The below steps are performed on a Windows 10 PC, whereas in the linked guide, you will find the screenshots from the Windows 11 PC. Everything else, including the process and instructions, are the same across both these guides].


What are Google’s Android Bootloader Interface Drivers

install android bootloader interface drivers

Once you boot your device to Fastboot or Bootloader Mode (via the adb reboot bootloader command or the hardware key combination), the regular Android USB Drivers wouldn’t come in handy. Their role ends as soon as the device leaves the booted OS. So when your device is booted to Fastboot or Bootloader mode, you will need the help of additional drivers.

And these additional drivers are Android Bootloader Interface. All in all, whenever a device is connected to either of the two aforementioned modes, your PC will only be able to identify it when it gets the required driver files, of which Google’s Android Bootloader Interface Drivers plays an integral part. So with this, you would have got perfect knowledge regarding the usage of these drivers. Let’s now check out its installation steps. Follow along.



How to Install Android Bootloader Interface Drivers

  1. To begin with, download the Android USB Driver and extract it to any convenient location on your PC.
  2. Upon extraction, you should get the usb_driver folder. Within that, there will be the android_winusb.inf file, which we will be using here.
    Android Bootloader Interface Drivers android_winusb.inf file
  3. Now connect your device to the PC via USB cable.
  4. Use the Windows+X shortcut keys and select Device Manager from the menu.
    device manager windows 10 android usb drivers
  5. Within that, go to the Other Devices section and your device will be listed there with a yellow exclamation mark. [If it’s not there, then don’t forget to check the Port or the Universal Serial Bus Controllers section as well].
  6. Right-click on it and select Update Drivers.
    update-drivers-Android-Bootloader-Interface Drivers
  7. Then click on Browse my computer for driver software.
    browse-computer-for-Android-Bootloader-Interface-Drivers
  8. After this, select Let me pick from the list of device drivers on my computer.
    manually-choose-browse-computer-for-Android-Bootloader-Interface-Drivers
  9. Then select Show all devices and hit Next.
    show-all-devices-Android-Bootloader-Interface-Drivers
  10. Now click on the Have Disk button, then click on Browse.
  11. Navigate to the usb_driver folder, select the android_winusb.inf file and click Open > OK.
    have-disk-select-Android-Bootloader-Interface-Drivers
  12. For ADB Drivers, select Android ADB Interface whereas for Fastboot Drivers, select Android Bootloader Interface, and click Next.
    android-adb-interface-install-Android-Bootloader-Interface-Drivers
  13. You will now get an update driver warning, click YES, and finally click Install.
    update driver warning windows 10
  14. The installation process will now begin and once completed, you will be notified of the same.
    android bootloader interface drivers windows 11
  15. Now enable USB Debugging on your device. Go to Settings > About Phone > Tap on Build Number 7 times > Go back to Settings > System > Developer Options > Enable USB Debugging.
    usb debugging oneplus
  16. Once that is done, download the Android SDK Platform Tools onto your PC. Extract it and you should get the platform-tools folder.
  17. Go to this folder, type in CMD in its address bar, and hit Enter. This shall launch the Command Prompt.
    command-prompt-adb
  18. Type in the below command in this CMD window to boot your device to authorize the ADB connection
    adb devices

    Useful ADB_Fastboot Commands- adb devices

  19. You will now get a prompt on your device, tap Allow.
    authorize adb connection usb debug
  20. Now use the below command in the CMD window to boot your device to Fastboot/Bootloader Mode
    adb reboot bootloader

    fastboot-mode-xiaomi-flash-fastboot-rom

  21. Your device will now be booted to Fastboot. To verify the same, type in the below command and the result shall be a device ID followed by the fastboot keyword:
    fastboot devices

    Useful ADB_Fastboot Commands- fastboot devices

So this was all from this guide on how to install Google’s Android Bootloader Interface Drivers. 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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  • muchas gracias, aclaró varios conceptos, muy util!!, y en comentarios tambien!!!

  • Everything seemed to work, actually in the Device Manger the phone was showing up under ‘Android Device’. I followed the steps anyway. Still at the end my phone is showing in red ‘Fastboot Mode’ and the Device State: ‘locked’.

    In Device Manager under Android Device there is:
    1) Android Bootloader Interface
    2) Android Composite ADB Interface
    3) Google Nexus ADB Interface

    Any suggestings?

    • Sadique Hassan

      It seems that you have successfully booted to Fastboot Mode. Device State: ‘locked’ means that the bootloader is currently locked. And the Android Bootloader Interface drivers are the Fastboot drivers that you need to install. APart from that, if you have any queries, do let me know.

  • серго

    when I write adb reboot bootloader , goes to fastboot, I write fastboot devices , then there is no device

  • Hallo, I followed the guide but same problem: installed the drivers and finally Device Manager recognize my WP5 as Android Bootloader Interface.
    Then I try “fastboot devices” command and nothing happens as before.
    Any idea?

  • Lassmi Randa

    Thank you very mutch, this helped me a lot! I spend a lot of time on this issue…

  • To solve the problem with unsigned drivers (e.g. OnePlus):
    [linked removed by admin]

    • R.RAJASEKAR

      My infinix hot 9 pro not identified on windows10 as android boot loader interfere. I tried many times. Please tell me correct methods

  • whats difference between Android ADB Inteface & android Bootloader interface?Which one actually to select?

    • Sadique Hassan

      Hi Govin, Android ADB Interface Drivers are needed by your PC to identify the ADB connection of your smartphone which in turn will allow you to execute the desired ADB commands.
      On the other hand, Android Bootloader Interface Drivers are needed for your PC to identify the device connected in Fastboot Mode and hence execute the desired Fastboot Commands.

  • It finally worked after scrolling through websites for hours. Thanks for such detailed instructions.

  • Ebin Joseph

    Super clear and helpful. Thanks!