Xiaomi Now Makes It Hard To Unlock Bootloader in HyperOS

Xiaomi Now Makes It Hard To Unlock Bootloader in HyperOS

In a recent update released by Xiaomi, the company has unveiled significant modifications to the rules governing bootloader unlocking for devices operating on the innovative Xiaomi HyperOS. Functioning as a Human-centric Operating System that seamlessly integrates personal devices, cars, and smart home products into a unified intelligent ecosystem, Xiaomi HyperOS prioritizes security at an unprecedented level. This update is strategically implemented to guarantee a secure and stable experience for users immersed in the Xiaomi ecosystem.

In order to uphold a secure and stable user experience, the permission to unlock the bootloader will now be limited to specific users upon transitioning to Xiaomi HyperOS. It's essential to note that unlocking the bootloader may compromise device security and lead to potential data leaks.

The bootloader unlocking rules are outlined as follows:

- Regular users are strongly advised to maintain the default locked state of the bootloader and refrain from unlocking it.

- Enthusiasts seeking customization with a full awareness of associated risks can request unlocking permission through the Xiaomi Community. The application portal will soon be accessible on the App, and application rules will be based on the dedicated page.

- Previous operating systems, such as MIUI 14, still retain the unlocking capability. However, devices left unlocked will no longer receive Xiaomi HyperOS updates. Users desiring Xiaomi HyperOS updates should contact after-sales service.

The sequence of device upgrades to Xiaomi HyperOS follows the comprehensive product development process. We appreciate your patience as you wait for the device upgrade.

Xiaomi underscores that the progression of devices to Xiaomi HyperOS aligns with a thorough product development process. Users are earnestly requested to be patient and await the device upgrade. Xiaomi has officially disclosed that the update is scheduled for eight devices in Q1 2024, yet given Xiaomi's penchant for surprises, updates for more than eight devices may occur at any time.

As Xiaomi advances its operating system, these bootloader unlocking rules stand as evidence of the company's commitment to user security and satisfaction within the continually expanding Xiaomi ecosystem.

10 Tips and Tricks To Speed Up Your Android Smartphone For Better Performance in 2024

 10 Tips and Tricks To Speed Up Your Android Smartphone For Better Performance in 2024

Lately, if your Android smartphone is very slow in performance, you don't really need to buy a new one.

Like any computing device, even the high-end Android smartphones and tablets tend to decelerate down with use and age. This is especially true for lower- end Android smartphone that are not always designed to handle future software features and apps. But don’t despair — here are 10 tips and tricks you can do to speed up your Android device and scrounge a little further life out of it. 

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1. Disable pre-installed applications

From my experience with smartphones, i found out that several bundled apps from manufacturers are not frequently used. This is particularly evident in lower-end, ad-supported devices that prioritize their own services over the ones that may be more useful. For example, you may see dedicated theme stores, music/video players, and device scanner apps. Though these apps cannot be uninstalled by manufacturers, they can be disabled. This means that you can render the apps dormant and they would neither open manually nor automatically. You can navigate to the Settings > Apps > Installed apps menu to disable the apps. However, you may have to toggle the Show system apps option to find them.

2. Restart your device occasionally

One potential solution to fix a slow computer is to perform a power cycle. Restarting your device can clear running apps, background processes, and other resources that accumulate over time, which can cause the device to slow down. Fortunately, restarting your device is a simple process that can be accomplished by pressing and holding your phone’s power button and selecting the Restart option.

Although restarting your device can fix a slow performance issue, often times it can return to its sluggish state over time. Fortunately, some manufacturer skins, such as Samsung's One UI, offer the feature to schedule an automatic restart at certain times, even on certain days of the week. Other Android manufacturers, like OPPO, Xiaomi, and OnePlus, also offer this feature, allowing you to keep your device running smoothly without manual intervention.

3. Clear cache for individual apps

If you have noticed a decrease in the performance of some apps on your phone, this tip might help you. Apps like web browsers and others that are used frequently tend to accumulate data (cache), such as when you navigate to a new website or page. Over time, this can pile up and potentially slow down the app’s performance.

To fix this issue, you can either clear the app’s cache or completely reinstall it. Clearing the app’s cache is usually the recommended approach since it won’t erase other data like your login details, history, and preferences. To do this, simply tap and hold the app icon on your home screen, wait for a pop-up menu to appear, then navigate to App Info, Storage, and finally, Clear Cache.

4. Disable hands-free Google Assistant

If you want to improve your Android smartphone's performance, you might consider disabling the background functionality of the Google Assistant. While the service is great for searching quickly, it can consume a significant amount of your device's performance budget.

To turn off the hands-free Assistant feature, you can navigate to the Google app and tap on your profile photo located at the top-right corner of the screen. From there, go to Settings > Google Assistant > Hey Google & Voice Match and turn off the feature. Don't worry; you can still access the Assistant manually. To do so, you can long-press the home button or swipe diagonally from either bottom corner if you're using Android gestures.

5. Stop apps from automatically updating

If your mobile device lacks sufficient processing capacity, intensive background tasks may significantly slow it down. This encompasses the automatic app and game updates from the Play Store. On less potent devices, including Chromebooks with the Play Store, these tasks can result in a laggy user interface.

To disable automatic app updates, follow these instructions:

1. Open the Play Store.

2. Tap on your profile picture in the top-right corner.

3. Choose Network Preferences.

4. Finally, switch the Auto-update setting to Don't auto-update apps, as shown above.

6. Avoid anti-virus and task killer apps

While the idea of installing a background task-killing app to free up system resources may be tempting, it could potentially do more harm than good. Android already intelligently hibernates unused apps, and antivirus apps may not provide significant protection. Android's app isolation and built-in functions in the Play Store and Google Play Services are effective at detecting malicious apps.

That being said, some anti-malware apps on Android offer additional features like VPN services, photo vaults, and anti-theft protection. If you choose to use these features, consider disabling the antivirus component of the app to prevent it from consuming valuable device resources in the background.

7. Install a Custom ROM

Opting for a custom ROM, a third-party operating system, can breathe new life into your device, offering extended functionality, particularly when official software updates cease. This process, though somewhat lengthy, is worthwhile. Custom ROMs are particularly advantageous after a manufacturer discontinues updates, providing a lighter and faster experience compared to default manufacturer skins, often based on stock Android.

It's crucial to recognize that custom ROMs are unofficial and vary in performance. While some operate flawlessly, others may display bugs and instability, requiring careful research tailored to your specific device model.

8. Revoke unused permissions

If you prefer not to uninstall or disable a specific app but want it to use minimal resources, utilize Android's permission manager to restrict its access. Managing permissions, especially the physical activity permission, can significantly impact your device's usability. Turning off permissions like location access and autostart can also reduce the app's background activity.

Navigate to Settings > Privacy > Permission manager for a quick overview of app permissions. Alternatively, press and hold any app icon on your home screen, tap App Info, then Permissions.

9. Delete old chats and downloaded media

Over time, smartphone apps, including chat apps like WhatsApp, can become bloated with accumulated data. WhatsApp, in particular, stores both downloaded data and the entire chat database locally, posing a challenge on slower devices, especially with a large number of messages.

To address this, regularly clean up unimportant conversations manually every few weeks. Also, remember to delete media files, as this can contribute to speeding up your Android device's gallery app and image picker.

10. Consider using web apps

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) provide app-like functionality without the extensive overhead of native Android apps. Interestingly, many lite apps available on the Play Store are, in reality, PWAs in disguise. Both PWAs and lite apps share a common objective — to operate seamlessly on a wide range of hardware capabilities.

Given that web apps are essentially enhanced websites, you can access them through web browsers like Chrome. Upon loading a web app for the first time, you'll receive a prompt to add it to your home screen.

In conclusion, optimizing your Android experience involves thoughtful choices and practical measures. From managing app updates and taming resource-hungry features to exploring the potential of custom ROMs, there are various avenues to enhance your device's performance. Additionally, strategic use of Android's built-in tools, such as permission management and regular clean-ups, can contribute to a smoother and more efficient smartphone usage. Whether considering the efficiency of Progressive Web Apps or the benefits of disabling certain features, making informed decisions empowers you to tailor your Android experience to your preferences and device capabilities.

Simple Steps on How to Do Factory Reset on Android Smartphone

Simple Steps on How to Do Factory Reset on Android Smartphone 

Performing a factory reset on an Android smartphone can help to resolve certain issues or simply wipe all personal data from the device.

People may do a factory reset on their smartphones for several reasons which includes:

1. To resolve software issues: If your smartphone is experiencing software problems like frequent crashes, freezes, or slow performance, a factory reset can help. It erases all the data and settings on your phone, removing any potential software conflicts or issues that may have been causing the problem.

2. To prepare for resale: If you plan to sell or give away your smartphone, performing a factory reset is important to protect your privacy. It ensures that all your personal data, including contacts, photos, and messages, are erased from the device.

3. To free up storage space: Over time, smartphones can accumulate a lot of unnecessary data, like temporary files, app caches, and other junk. A factory reset erases all this data, freeing up storage space on your phone and potentially improving performance.

4. To start fresh with a clean slate: Sometimes, people just want to start fresh with a completely clean slate. A factory reset wipes the phone's data and settings, returning it to its original state when it was first purchased.

It's important to note that performing a factory reset will erase all personal data and settings on your phone, so it's important to back up any important data before doing a reset.

 The exact steps to perform a factory reset may vary slightly depending on the specific brand and model of your smartphone, but if you read this post to the end, I'll be showing you two ways you can do factory reset; 1 is through Settings and the other option is through Recovery mode.

ALSO READ:

• 7 Settings You Must Do After Buying A New Android Phone
• Other Ways You Can Use Your Old Smartphone Without Throwing It Away

How to factory reset android smartphone through Settings:

1. Back up your data: Before performing a factory reset, it's important to back up any important data on your smartphone, such as contacts, photos, and documents. You can use Google's backup and restore feature to back up your data to your Google account.

2. Open the Settings app: On your Android smartphone, open the Settings app. This can usually be found in the app drawer or by swiping down from the top of the screen and tapping the gear icon.

3. Find the "System" or "General Management" or "About phone" option: Depending on your smartphone model, the option to reset your device may be located under the "System" or "General Management" or "About phone" section of the Settings app. Select "Reset" or "Backup & reset".

4. Choose "Factory data reset": Within the "Reset" or "Backup & reset" menu, select the option called "Factory data reset" and then click on "Erase all data"

You may be prompted to enter your device PIN, password, or pattern to proceed.

5. Confirm the reset: You will be asked to confirm that you want to perform a factory reset. Read the warning message carefully, then tap "Reset" or "Erase everything" to initiate the process.

6. Wait for the reset to complete: The factory reset process may take several minutes to complete, during which time your smartphone will reboot and erase all personal data and settings.

Once the factory reset is complete, your smartphone will be restored to its original factory settings. You can then set it up as if it were a new device, or restore your data using the backup you created in step 1.

How to factory data reset an Android phone using Recovery Mode:

1. Make sure the phone is off, Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously.

2. Continue pressing them until the screen starts.

3. A screen with the word “Start” pointing at the power button, text, and navigation instructions will appear.

4. You can now use the Power button to make selections and the Volume keys to navigate.

5. Hit the Volume Down button until you see Recovery Mode, Press the Power button to select it. The phone will restart and show an Android robot in trouble.

6. Press and hold the Power button, then press the Volume Up button while still holding the Power button.

7. Using the Volume buttons, highlight Wipe data/factory reset.

8. Press the Power button to select the option.

9. Confirm by selecting Factory data reset and let the phone do its thing.

10. Once done, select Reboot system now.

I have a video tutorial that will guide you step by step on how to perform factory reset on your android smartphone. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel after watching the video.

Watch now: 

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What is AAB file and How to Install it on Android Smartphone

 What is AAB file and how to install it on Android smartphone 

Google is now doing away with APK files. As of August 2021, Google mandated developers to upload new Android apps to the Google Play Store in AAB format. 

Since the launch of Android over a decade ago, APK files have been the universal format for apps. Whether developers or users, whether it is on the Google Play Store, APKMirror, APKPure or APKMod - it was always APKs that were offered. For developers, AABs will now become mandatory and for Android users, APKs will become a more complicated affair.

AABs has become mandatory for all new apps since August 2021. Updates for existing apps can still be uploaded by developers in APK format, so nothing will change in this department for now.

What is an AAB file actually?

"AAB" stands for Android App Bundle. The AAB file contains the entire program code of the Android app. As soon as app development is complete, the developer uploads the app to the Google Play Store in AAB format, with the user (you) downloading it from Google Play store to your smartphone just like before.

Why did Google introduce AAB over APK?

You may be wondering why Google introduced AAB file after many years of using APK, well here are some few reasons:

AAB files are custom-made

The difference between APK and AAB files lies in what we call resources. In an app, resources are everything else that is not programming code, such as images, language files, or music. If you select the "Install" button for an app in the Play Store, Google will then send you an APK file tailored from the AAB file for your device with the necessary resources required.

If your smartphone only has Full HD+ resolution, then you'll receive an APK without 4K material. You've selected English and German as the device language? You probably won't need the Swahili language pack. By the way, with the help of Google's bundletool tool, AAB files can also be locally converted into APKs.

AAB files are smaller in size than APK

The first major advantage of AAB files is therefore obvious: The APKs generated in this manner are smaller. On average, you should be able to see a 35 percent reduction in this manner, based on what Google wrote in October 2018. 

Better protection for apps

Another benefit that developers will find useful would be increased security. It will probably be more difficult to modify apps in the future, and the mod scene might not be very happy about that. Who knows, maybe this will reduce the number of cheaters available.

By the way, with the AABs, the Lite and Pro app versions in the Play Store should no longer exist. It used to be possible to install a paid Pro version over the Lite version after a purchase thanks to the same signature, so to speak, as an update. With AABs and Google signing, that's no longer possible. Instead, developers will have to switch to in-app purchases.

How To Install AAB Files on Android smartphone?

Now that you've learnt about AAB files and it's advantages, let's dive into how you can install these AAB files if you get to have their raw files.

Normally, with the inception of AAB files, users will have to install apps and games through Google Play store only and not from any 3rd party Android app store. But if paradventure you get hold of an AAB raw file and you want to manually install it on your android smartphone, this next section is for you. 

To install an AAB files, you will be needing an AAB installer; this is an app that helps in installing an AAB files into your android smartphone.

How does it work?

With the help of your data turned on, the AAB installer converts the AAB file into an APK files and then install it in your phone. 

For this tutorial, we will be making use of an AAB installer app called "App Bundle Installer"

• Step 1: Download and install App Bundle Installer from Google playstore.

• Step 2: Launch the app and select AAB to pick an AAB file from your folder

• Step 3: click on the AAB file in your folder that which to install.

The file will be uploaded automatically, converted to APK file, downloads back to the phone and then request to be installed.

Accept the installation request and the file [whatever it may be: App or game] will be installed to your phone.

That's all on how to install AAB files on your Android phones.

ALSO READ:

• Android Phones Will Soon No Longer Support Installation Of APK Files

• 7 Settings You Must Do After Buying A New Android Phone

If you are not okay with the above Tutorial, we have a video tutorial on how to install AAB files. Watch below and don't forget to Like the video and Subscribe to our YouTube channel:

Here is the video tutorial:

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