Unlocking the bootloader Xiaomi Mi A3: a complete guide with a guarantee of success

Xiaomi Mi A3 is one of the few smartphones of the brand that runs on pure Android One instead of the proprietary shell MIUI. This feature makes it attractive for customization enthusiasts, but also adds complexity when unlocking the bootloader. Unlike devices on MIUI, where the process is standardized, the Mi A3 requires consideration of the nuances of firmware and software versions.

Unlock bootloader on Xiaomi Mi A3 It allows you to install custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), gain root rights, and restore your device after software failures, but the procedure carries risks ranging from loss of warranty to a full breech (turning your phone into a brick). In this guide, we will discuss the current 2026 Unlock method, taking into account the latest changes in Xiaomi policy and features of the Mi model A3 (codename laurel_sprout).

Important: the procedure is different from unlocking devices on MIUI! There is no binding to the Mi Account, but there are pitfalls associated with the OEM-Unlock and Qualcomm drivers, unless you have previously worked with fastboot or ADB, We recommend that you carefully examine each step.

1.Preparation for Unlocking: What You Need to Know Before Starting

Before you start, make sure your Xiaomi Mi A3 meets the following key requirements:

• 🔋 Battery charge at least 60 percent, and it can take up to 30 minutes to unlock, and a mid-discharge will result in a blink.
• 📱 Android Version: The Method Works on Android 10/11 (Original firmware for Mi A3). Additional steps may be required on informal assemblies.
• 🔐 Backup: Unlocking will reset the phone to factory settings. Save data to your PC or the cloud (contacts, photos, SMS).
• 🖥️ Windows computer 10/11 MacOS may have problems with Qualcomm drivers.

Feature of the Mi A3 — No link to your Mi Account, but instead you need permission to OEM-unlocking in the developer settings. If this item is inactive (gray), then:

⚠️ Note: Some of the Mi's firmware A3 option OEM Unlocking is blocked after security updates, which will require a rollback to an earlier version of the software or use of workarounds (see section 4).

Also check if the bootloader is locked at the hardware level.

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Power + Volume Down to enter fastboot.
3. Connect the device to the PC and type the command: fastboot oem device-info
4. If you see Device unlocked: false in the answer, the bootloader is locked and you can unlock it.

2. Installation of necessary tools

Unlocking will require:

After downloading:

1. Unpack the archive from the platform-tools to the root of the C:\ disk (e.g., C:\platform-tools\).
2. Install Qualcomm drivers through Device Manager (manually specify the path to the drivers when connecting your phone to fastboot).
3. Open the command line in the folder with platform-tools (press Shift + PCM → “Open command window”).

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If Qualcomm drivers are not automatically installed, try disabling the driver digital signature check in Windows. To do this, reboot your Shift PC → select Diagnostics → Additional settings → Download Options → Disable Mandatory Driver Signature Check.

3. Step-by-step instruction for unlocking the loader

Now, to the main process, follow the instructions in strict order.

Enable debugging over USB in the developer settings

Allow OEM-unlocking

Connect your phone to your PC in fastboot mode

Check the connection with the command fastboot devices

Download and unpack platform-tools-->

Step 1: Activate the Developer Mode

Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI (or Android version on Android One) and click on the Build Number 7 times. the notification will appear “You became a developer”.

Step 2: Set up the developer parameters

Go back to Settings → System → For developers and turn on:

• 🔧 Debugging by USB (USB Debugging)
• 🔓 Unlocking OEM (OEM Unlocking – if the item is inactive, see Section 4.

Step 3: Going to fastboot mode

Turn off the phone. Press Power + Volume down until the Fastboot logo appears. Connect the device to the PC.

Step 4: Checking the PC connection

In the command line (in the platform-tools folder), enter:

fastboot devices

If the phone gets recognized (the serial number appears), you can continue. If not, check the drivers or cable.

Step 5: Unlock the loader

Enter the command:

fastboot flashing unlock

A warning will appear on your phone screen. Use the volume buttons to select Unlock the bootloader and confirm with the power button.

Step 6: Reboot

Once successfully unlocked, the phone will automatically reset to factory settings. The first boot can take up to 10 minutes - don't interrupt the process!

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If the phone has been stuck on the Xiaomi logo for more than 15 minutes after unlocking, try forcibly rebooting it with a power button for 20 seconds. If this does not help, you need to flash it through fastboot.

4. Solving common mistakes

The process of unlocking the Mi A3 is often accompanied by errors.

Error with the grey point OEM Unlocking

If the OEM Unlock option is inactive, it means that:

• 📱 Installed firmware with lock (for example, Android 11 from some operators).
• 🔒 Anti-Rollback protection activated (ARB).
• 🔄 The phone was previously unlocked and locked again via fastboot oem lock.

Decisions:

1. Drop back to Android 10: Download the firmware V11.0.10.0.QFQMIXM (global version for Mi A3). Sweep it through the Mi Flash Tool in clean all mode.

Use of a workaround

fastboot oem unlock-go

This command works on some versions of the Mi A3, but may require pre-unlocking through the Mi Unlock Tool (even if the phone is on Android One).

⚠️ Note: If you see this device is bound to a Mi Account despite Android One, it means that the firmware was previously installed on the phone. MIUI, You will need to link to your Xiaomi account to unlock it. In this case, use the official Mi Unlock Tool.

5. What to do after unlocking?

Successfully unlocking the bootloader is just the first step. Now you can:

• 📱 Install custom recovery (for example, TWRP): fastboot flash recovery twrp-3.7.0_9-0-laurel_sprout.img Please note: for Mi A3 Special version is required TWRP, Supporting dynamic partitions (dynamic partitions).
• 🔧 Get root rights through Magisk: Download the latest version of Magisk. TWRP patchy boot.img.

Sweeve the custom firmware

For the Mi A3, it's popular:

• LineageOS 20 (Android 13)
• Pixel Experience (Pure Android with Google Pixel chips)
• ArrowOS (optimized build)

It is important after installing custom firmware:

• 📶 Check the module's operation NFC (In some assemblies, it may not work).
• 📷 Test the camera - on the Mi A3 Often there are problems with drivers camera2api.
• 🔋 Calibrate the battery (discharge to 0% and charge to 100% without interruptions).

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If after firmware custom OS lost the sound in the speaker, try to stitch separately vendor.img from stock firmware. To do this, download Fastboot ROM for Mi A3, remove vendor.img and run the command: fastboot flash vendor.img

6 Risks and how to minimize them

Unlocking the bootloader and subsequent manipulations with the firmware carry risks:

• 💥 Brick (complete failure) – if you interrupt the firmware process or use incompatible files.
• 📵 Loss of loss IMEI — if the modem partition is damaged (solved by the firmware of the stock nvdata).
• 🔋 Fast battery discharge – on some custom firmware due to unoptimized core.
• 📡 Network problems – if the firmware does not support your region (for example, no firmware) LTE within the ranges of your operator).
• Backup critical partitions before firmware: fastboot flash boot boot_backup.img fastboot flash dtbo dtbo_backup.img
• Do not flash files designed for TWRP through fastboot, and vice versa.

Important:

• After blocking the bootloader, you can not install custom firmware or recovery.
• If the phone has firmware installed with a newer version of Anti-Rollback than stock, locking can lead to a blink.
• When blocked, all data will be deleted (including internal memory).