In 2021, Asus launched their next generation Zenfone duo series labeled Asus Zenfone 8 and 8 Flip. With Amoled screens, HDR10+, and in-display fingerprint sensors, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G processor powers both Android smartphones. These phones come with 8 GB and 128 GB inbuilt storage. General users and tech enthusiasts were hyped up for these even before their launch, as they fulfilled their requirements. To expand the potential of these phones, to flash custom ROMs, install new mods, or gain access to the system partition, we need to unlock the Bootloader. So, in this guide, let’s learn how to properly unlock the bootloader on our Asus Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 Flip.
What is an Android Bootloader?
When you power on a smartphone, the first thing that turns on is the Bootloader, which is responsible for starting up other operations. You can think of it as the BIOS for Windows.
Most Android devices (also Asus Zenfone 8 and 8 Flip) come with locked bootloaders to prevent this tool from being damaged by unauthorized use or modification. Meaning you can not alter what it does.
The bootloader importantly provides security to the device that guarantees the software is authentic and helps protect against dangerous malware trying to get in.
Fortunately, you can unlock most bootloaders to flash new software. If done perfectly, you can customize your phone to a greater extent. But note that it may also cause your phone and downloaded apps to stop working. And unlocking the bootloader will erase all data on your phone too. Follow the steps below for a correct and safe procedure:
Why would you want to unlock Android Bootloader?
Once the device’s bootloader is unlocked, you can carry out plenty of different customization to your smartphone.
- You’ll have the ability to install custom firmware and modify your smartphone with full access with root privileges.
- You can remove particular needless system applications on your smartphones.
- Even without changing the core OS, you can use a customized recovery partition.
- You can also flash different mods, frameworks and install the current version of the OS, as well as other related improvements. You can flash custom ROMs like Magisk Modules, Xposed Framework, Substratum Themes, Viper4Android, etc.
- After unlocking the bootloader, flashing a custom kernel can overclock and underclock the device CPU.
Asus has made unlocking the bootloader pretty easy, as you would not even need a computer. But you must unlock the bootloader with caution, as you can expose your phone security to risks and possibly can brick it.
Why should you be careful while unlocking Android Bootloader?
If you unlock the bootloader, some dreadful things might happen to your device if not done correctly.
- You will lose all your data on your smartphone, like apps, videos, images, and other files. So ensure to back up all your data before the unlocking process.
- After the Android Bootloader unlocks, ASUS Zenfone 8/ 8 Flip will be automatically void of it’s warranty.
- Some apps on your device might not function correctly after unlocking the bootloader.
- If something goes wrong, it can expose your smartphone to threatening malware and it might brick your phone.
Compulsory set-up before unlocking an Android Bootloader
Unlocking the bootloader on Asus Zenfone 8 and 8 Flip requires these pre-requisites:
- Ensure your phone battery is charged to at least 70% to avoid any unwanted issues during the unlocking process.
- To unlock the bootloader, you need to download an APK outside of the Play Store, so you have to enable “Unknown Source Installation” from your device’s settings.
E.g., – If you are trying to install the app from the Google Chrome browser, then enable the Unknown Sources for Chrome. Go the Settings → Apps → All Apps → select Chrome → enable “Install unknown apps.” And you are good to go.
- Before unlocking the bootloader, take a complete backup of your smartphone. Because while unlocking the bootloader, all the data will be wiped from your smartphone. You can copy your files to your computer or use a third-party app to take a backup beforehand.
- To unlock the Bootloader, you need to activate OEM unlock and USB debugging on your device. So first, you have to enable the Developer Option in settings.
To unlock the Developer Option, go to Settings → About Phone → Tap on your phone’s build number a few times (around 7-10 times)until you see the message: ”You are now a developer” → Go back to Settings → click on Developer Option → Enable OEM Unlock and USB Debugging.
- And most importantly, you need to download the “Unlock Tool APK” for your particular smartphone and keep it on the internal storage. Links:
Unlocking the Bootloader on the Asus Zenfone 8 and 8 Flip:
- First, go to the internal storage and locate the downloaded Unlock Tool on your device.
- Tap on the Unlock Tool APK, click on the Install button, and then wait for the installation process.
- After the installation, launch the app from your App vault or home screen.
- After opening, it will tell you to accept the License Agreements, do it by clicking on “OK.”
- Next, a screen will appear with a button, “ Press to Unlock your Device.” Tap on it.
- After that, the unlocking process will begin and all of the data on your smartphone will be removed.
- After the unlocking process, your device will reboot automatically. But it’s not restarting, do it manually via your smartphone’s hardware keys(press and hold the volume down button and the power button).
Remember, it might take longer than usual when you are doing the boot for the first time. But do not panic because it’s completely normal. And as your entire device is formatted and all the data is gone, you have to start from scratch and set up your smartphone. And this is how you can unlock the bootloader on the Asus Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 flip and maximize their full potential. Enjoy!
Experiencing difficulties with your Device, check out our “How To” page on how to resolve some of these issues.
