If you have received your Redmi Note 7 and ever have plans on unlocking the bootloader then I recommend you start the process as soon as possible. Xiaomi makes you wait 3, 72, or even 360+ hours to unlock the device. Since we have to wait, this ends up being turned into a two-part process but this tutorial details it all.
Xiaomi is in a special place when it comes to Android OEMs because they only officially sell their devices in certain locations. However, smartphones like the Redmi Note 7 are so popular that the demand extends far beyond the company’s reach. Therefore a number of resellers have popped up to help supply the demand.
Sadly, there have been some malicious resellers that modded the software installed on these devices. So Xiaomi took some steps to ensure that would no longer happen. It’s still happening though and the legit customers are the ones paying the price. The company’s solution was to put a waiting period on its bootloader unlock process.
The amount of time it takes to unlock the bootloader of a Xiaomi device will depend on many factors. Some get an instant bootloader unlock, others are told to wait 72 hours, 360 hours, or even 720+ hours. Not only that, but you have to have an active SIM card attached to your Mi account so Xiaomi can verify it’s you who owns the device.
This is why I tell you that if you plan on unlocking the bootloader then you may want to start the process ASAP. I started this process over 2 weeks ago because I was forced to wait 360 hours before I could unlock the phone. So let me show you how this entire process works.
Warning – Unlocking the bootloader will wipe all of the data you have stored on your smartphone. It is recommended that you back up as much data in the Mi Cloud or on the PC with MI PC Suite before you proceed.
Time needed: 15 minutes.
How to Unlock the Bootloader of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7
- Request permission to unlock the bootloader of the Redmi Note 7
I have heard requesting permission is no longer needed. . .but you will still need a Xiaomi Mi account to proceed
- Pull up the Settings application
- Scroll down to the Accounts section and tap on the Mi Account option
- Then enter your Xiaomi Mi account details to log in
- Make sure both the Sync and Find My Device options/toggles are enabled
- Enable Developer Mode on the Redmi Note 7
- Tap the Home button and then open up the Settings application again
- Scroll down so you can tap on the Additional Settings option
- Then tap the Developer Options menu choice
- Enable the OEM Unlocking toggle by tapping on it
- Then tap on the Mi Unlock Status option
- Tap the Agree button at the bottom of the screen if prompted
- Disable WiFi and make sure Mobile Data is enabled
- Now tap the Add Account button at the bottom of the page
This may take some time/or take multiple attempts if you are having difficulty connecting to your mobile network
- If things go smoothly, you should see a prompt telling you that the account is paired with the device.
You will also see a message telling you that you’ll have to go through this again if you do something like performing a factory reset, or wiping the data from certain system apps.
- With this done, go ahead and download/extract the Xiaomi Mi Unlock tool onto your PC
- Launch the Mi Unlock program
You should see this as a file named “miflash_unlock.exe” in the extracted folder.
- Read the information provided and then click the Agree button at the bottom of the program
- You will then be prompted to log into your Xiaomi Mi account
Make sure it’s the same Mi account that you added/paired the Redmi Note 7 to
- Then boot the Redmi Note 7 into Fastboot Mode
- And connect the Redmi Note 7 to the PC with a USB cable
- Look toward the bottom of the Mi Unlock program and click the Unlock button that you see
- Wait for and click the 2 Unlock Anyway buttons that pop up on screen
- After clicking the second Unlock Anyway button, the Mi Unlock program will attempt to unlock the bootloader
If this is your first attempt at unlocking the bootloader then you will likely see a failed message here with a message telling you to wait a certain amount of hours.
- If you are lucky and get an instant unlock then the process will be successful and you can skip to Step #27
If you are like me though, you will be given a message saying you have to wait a certain amount of hours before you can unlock the phone
- After waiting the amount of time you were told, repeat the steps in this tutorial starting at Step #17
- Once you have waited (or if you get an instant unlock) then you will be shown three green checkmarks and an Unlock Successful message via the Mi Unlock program
- You will also see a Reboot Phone button but the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 should reboot on its own
This first boot cycle will take longer than normal but be patient and you’ll be taken back to the MIUI activation screen
- You can then either setup WiFi first and then log into your Mi account, or use mobile data to log into your Mi account
- Once you have put in the password and signed into our Mi account you will be instructed to set up and activate MIUI
- Optionally, you can enable developer mode and look at the Mi Unlock Status option to make sure the Redmi Note 7 bootloader has been unlocked
So, if this is the first time you have ever unlocked the bootloader of a Xiaomi device then you are probably going to feel overwhelmed. That’s quite understandable considering how many steps are displayed above. But I take pride in breaking down complex tasks into easy to follow instructions.
As you can see from looking over this tutorial, most of it is merely setting stuff up. Things such as creating and signing into a Mi account. Enabling Developer Mode so you can pair your Mi account to the device. These are all steps that need to be done in preparation of unlocking the bootloader.
Then, just like I mentioned in Step #24, you may not even get to unlock the bootloader of the Redmi Note 7 in the first attempt.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Bootloader Unlock Waiting Period
Unless you get an instant unlock, which is rare but I have had it before, then you’ll be told to wait. Xiaomi says they do this to protect their customers but they only require a 3-day waiting period for the Pocophone series. OEMs such as Google and Samsung don’t need a waiting period to “protect their customers.”
In my opinion, this waiting period is a way to delay the resellers. Many of them were buying devices and either installing Google Play on them or flashing the global version of MIUI. They would then sell these devices to people in countries where Xiaomi has yet to expand.
So this service that they used to be offered to customers of resellers is no longer available the day the device goes on sale. This prevents resellers from making money off Xiaomi’s back. And it also encourages people to buy directly from the source if they can.
I do hope to see this waiting period lowered to a more reasonable level now that Redmi is a sub-brand of Xiaomi. But to be honest, I’m not holding my breath. The company sells 10s of millions of these devices each year and this waiting period hasn’t slowed down their sales a bit.
So unless there is a huge push that goes viral (or a competitor jumps in and makes Xiaomi work harder) then I see this waiting period continuing from here on out.
Thanks for the tutorial, it helps greatly!
May I ask is there will be a tutorial about how to flash EU rom into redmi note 7 after unlock? Thanks!
Hey TKTT,
Thank you for the kind words and I can definitely do a tutorial about that.
Now that we have an unlocked bootloader we need to get TWRP installed on the device. I believe I know a Chinese version that has been released for the device (but we can change the language to English).
I just need to grab it. Do some tests to make sure I am able to flash it properly. And then I can do a tutorial about it (I like to make sure I’m able to do a tutorial before I publish it to the community)
your work is excelent. Thank you so much.i have a quition.will u please answer me.when doinng unlock the mi phone is it nesessary to connect the pjone until it unlock to the pc?thanks.
Wow you’re such a top bloke!
Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate the feedback
After installing global rom on a chinese version , will the B20 band for 4G/LTE needed in Europe , automatically work?
Hi, Will I be able to use the official MIUI Rom for RM7 after the bootloader is unlocked? Will OTA update will work?
Thank you
It doesnt works it tells me “Dont disconnect from the network, sign out of your mi account, perform a factory reset, or erase system data” If you have already done any of the above, add you mi account again; otherwise, you wont be able to unlock your device”.
I have already performed the factory reset login from my Mi Account more than 3 times, I have also tried logging my Mi Account again and it keeps telling me the same message
Thanks Doug, this made it easy for me as a beginner!