How To Unlock Bootloader On Motorola Phones: Complete Guide

Part I: What Is Bootloader?

It begins with one question: What is a bootloader? Think of the bootloader as an interface between your hardware and software, telling your Android operating system how to boot up. If you're familiar with computer terminology, consider an Android bootloader similar to the BIOS in a computer. The bootloader initiates the kernel and loads the necessary system software and components to boot into the Android OS you know and love. It's also responsible for security, ensuring that the device firmware isn't tampered with.

A locked bootloader means you can't change certain parameters on your device. To install a new Android version that didn't come from Motorola on your phone, you'll need to unlock the Motorola bootloader. This guide will help you understand how to perform a Motorola unlock bootloader, allowing you to install custom ROMs and explore new possibilities with your device.

Tips: If you're stuck with a Motorola device that's locked due to FRP (Factory Reset Protection), don't worry—you're not alone. Many users face this issue, but there's a handy tool that can help: Wondershare Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android) . This software is your go-to solution for bypassing FRP on Motorola devices. It's super easy to use and doesn't require any technical skills. Just follow a few simple steps, and you'll regain access to your phone in no time.

Dr.Fone offers a quick and efficient way to unlock your device, so you can get back to using it without any hassle. If you're looking specifically to bypass Moto FRP, click below. It's designed to make the whole process as smooth as possible.

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Part II: Should I Unlock Motorola Bootloader?

Under normal circumstances, an everyday user wouldn't even know or care about bootloader, let alone unlocking it. However, those users who want to install custom ROMs on their Motorola phones need to know how to unlock Motorola bootloader. The next obvious question on your mind would be if it is safe to do so.

Normally, Motorola boot loader unlocking is not recommended for security reasons. An unlocked bootloader means that your system software is at risk, and any app can inject malicious code that would pose a great risk to your data security and privacy. Our smartphones carry our lives today! However, if you know what you are doing, unlocking a bootloader is a safe thing to do. That's because it is also needed for certain tasks, such as installing custom ROMs. Why would you do that? That is because we all want the latest updates, and manufacturers just want to sell us new phones. So, an old Motorola may not be receiving Android updates anymore officially from Motorola. Still, developer communities around the world are passionate and develop ROM files for old and popular phones for people to use, often far beyond the Android versions they officially supported.

Part III: Backup Motorola Phone Before Unlocking Bootloader

Unlocking the bootloader is a crucial step, but it also erases all data from your phone. With so much that can go wrong, it's essential to have a recent backup ready. This ensures you can restore everything to a new device or your existing one without hassle.

One of the easiest ways to back up and restore your data is with Wondershare Dr.Fone Basic Phone Backup feature. This tool lets you take full or selective backups and restore them in just a few clicks. It's intuitive, user-friendly, and makes safeguarding your data a breeze. Learn more about Dr.Fone Basic Phone Backup feature below.

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Part IV: How To Unlock Bootloader On Motorola Phones

And now, we come to the actual unlocking part. How to unlock Motorola boot loader? There are a few ways you can do that, including online directly from Motorola! Let's get started first with the official Motorola way online.

IV.I: Official Motorola Bootloader Unlock Online

Motorola helpfully offers a way to unlock boot loaders on its devices directly via its website. There is a catch, though. Only some devices are supported. Here is a list of the devices supported for unlocking Motorola boot loader online:

• MOTOROLA RAZR HD
• MOTOROLA RAZR i
• Photon Q 4G LTE
• DROID RAZR HD (Developer Edition)
• DROID RAZR M (Developer Edition)

Follow this link: https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/standalone/bootloader/unlock-your-device-a/ to know more about how to unlock Motorola bootloader to use custom ROM on your beloved Motorola phone. While Motorola says these are the devices it supports, there is no harm trying your own Motorola with it.

IV.II: Unlock Motorola Bootloader Using ADB

It is not common for companies to help their users with online tools to unlock boot loaders on their mobile phones. Motorola is being amazing to offer such an easy way to unlock boot loaders on their devices officially! As this is not the norm, and there are not a lot of Motorola devices being supported this way, there are other ways you can use to unlock Motorola bootloader on devices not supported via the online method.

The other method, more commonly used by people around the world, is unlocking Motorola bootloader using ADB. ADB is short for Android Debug Bridge. We have divided the part in two sections for better understanding. Section I will help you enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlock and section II will help you do the actual Motorola bootloader unlock.

Section I: Enabling OEM Unlock and USB Debugging

For this part, you will need to know the serial number of your phone for reference later on. Kindly launch Settings > About Phone and locate your serial number.

Step 1: Go to Settings > About Phone and tap the build number until a message pops on the screen stating 'You Are Now A Developer!" like this:

Step 2: Go to Settings or Settings > Advanced or Settings > Additional Settings (depends on your Android version) and locate Developer Options. It might be a good idea to search for 'developer' under Settings. In Developer Options, enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlock:

Section II: Unlocking Motorola Bootloader

Step 1: Download ADB Fastboot to your computer and extract the files. This is freely available online.

Step 2: Connect your phone to the computer and wait for all drivers to install.

Step 3: Open the extracted folder, press the SHIFT key, and right-click. Select 'Open PowerShell window here' from the context menu.

Step 4:  Type 'adb devices' in the command prompt. If a popup appears on your Motorola phone to allow USB debugging, allow it.

Step 5: Type 'adb reboot bootloader' without apostrophe, again.

Step 6: When the phone boots into the bootloader, type `fastboot devices` to list all connected devices. Ensure your device serial number appears.

Step 7: Use the volume keys to scroll and the power key to select. Scroll down to select Boot To Download Mode.

Step 8: Type 'fastboot oem get_unlock_data'. This will erase everything on your device. You will receive strings of characters.

Step 9: Copy the strings from the command prompt into a text editor and remove all spaces to create a single string.

Step 10: Now, you need a bootloader key. To get that key, you need to visit the Motorola online bootloader unlock website. Sign in using your Motorola account or Google account.

Step 11: Paste the long string into the website and click 'Can my device be unlocked?' Button.

You will receive a mail with the unlock key.

Step 12: Type 'fastboot oem unlock' in the command prompt, followed by a space and the key from the email like this: fastboot oem unlock key-from-email.

Step 13: You have now successfully unlocked your Motorola device! Phew! On to new adventures!

Part V: Remove Motorola Screen Lock In 5 Minutes

We all forget our phone passcodes from time to time, especially after changing them. Busy lives and various security options like face unlock and fingerprints can make it easy to forget your passcode.

What do you do if your Motorola screen is locked due to a forgotten password? Use Dr.Fone! Wondershare Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android) lets you unlock your Motorola phone in under 5 minutes. It's designed to help you bypass various types of locks, including pattern, PIN, password, Google FRP, and fingerprint locks. This user-friendly tool supports a wide range of Android devices, including popular brands like Samsung, Huawei, LG, Xiaomi, and Motorola.

The process is straightforward: launch the program on your computer, select "Screen Unlock," and follow the on-screen instructions to enter the necessary mode for unlocking. Dr.Fone ensures that even those without technical knowledge can handle the procedure efficiently.

How To Unlock Motorola Lock Screen?

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Conclusion

Unlocking your Motorola bootloader doesn't take long if you know what you're doing. If not, this guide is here to help! From the Motorola unlock bootloader process to dealing with a locked screen using Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android), we've got you covered. This tool is perfect for quickly and easily unlocking your Motorola phone in under 5 minutes. Whether you're looking to install custom ROMs or simply need to regain access to your device, this guide is your companion every step of the way.

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