How to Unlock the HTC One Bootloader

The HTC One is a powerful smartphone, the developers already started to give us the solutions and tool to root, unlock bootloader and to install custom ROM for this smartphone. Today during our tutorial we will teach you how to unlock the HTC One bootloader with a step by step guide, listed below.

Why do you need to unlock your smartphone bootloader? When you have an unlocked bootloader for your device then you’ll be able to root your smartphone and then you easily can install new custom ROMs that are available for your Android device. This thing will help all the Android users who want from their device a free OS without restrictions, and they will be able to install application that required root rights or to flash like I said new custom ROMs. Our tutorial has two parts, the first part present the prerequisites and the preparations guide that you need to follow before to start the bootloader unlocking process, and the second one it is the part where you’ll learn the step by step guide to unlock the HTC One bootloader.

So, here’s what you need to follow and to know before to move at the unlocking bootloader guide:

•  This article and all the instructions and information, listed here are only for HTC One smartphone. So, use this guide only for it. Do not try to use this guide to unlock any other Android device, you can easy brick them.
•  The smartphone’s warranty will be voided if apply the unlocking bootloader process for your device.
•  Backup all your critical data stored in your device, move the important data to your PC using the original USB cord.
•  When you unlock the bootloader for your HTC One smartphone you’ll erase all the data that you have now stored on it. You will wipe the internal memory during the unlocking bootloader process.
•  Enable USB debugging option from your HTC One Developer Option menu in the Android OS, if the Developer Option menu isn’t displayed, then you need open the Settings option and after that About Phone option, and after that tap 7 times on the ‘Build Number’ area option. This thing will display the Developer Options for your HTC One device.
•  After you unlock the HTC One bootloader, you’ll receive new available software updates. Do not install them because you can brick your phone after this install is complete.
•  Disable all the security application like antivirus and firewalls that running in your device and your PC, this kind of applications can interfere with the unlocking process.
•  Charge full your device’s battery, if your device doesn’t have enough power left in its battery can take a forced shutdown in the middle of the unlocking process.
•  All the instructions listed here are only for educational and instructional purpose, you cannot blame us in case something doesn’t go well, or you brick your device if apply this guide or the instructions listed here, you make the change for your device only on your own risk.

Reread all the prerequisites again and read all the steps and be sure you don’t skip any of them in the correct order, in the guide listed below:

How to unlock the HTC One bootloader -Step by step guide

1. Download and install the HTC Sync Manager from HERE.
2.  Download the Fastboot zip from HERE in your PC, and then extract the archive contents into a folder with the Fastboot name on your Desktop PC. After you extracted the files in the Fastboot folder, you should have 4 files.
3.  Now, go to the HTCdev.com website and there create an account, this thing it is possible by clicking the Register button on the Htcdev website.
4.  After you complete the registration, activate your account from your email. Now, login in in your HTC account and after that open the ‘Unlock Bootloader‘web page.
5.  Select ‘All Other Supported Models’ from the drop-down devices list.
6.  Click ‘Begin Unlock Bootloader’, and then confirm that you want to unlock the bootloader with YES.
7.  Now, accept the legal terms and conditions and press ‘Proceed to Unlock Instructions’.
8.  From the new webpage you will take 4 new steps to follow:
9.  Power off your HTC One device, the device must be disconnected from your computer.
10. Restart your smartphone into Bootloader Mode, to do that press and keep holding ‘volume down’ and ‘power’ buttons in the same time until your smartphone entering in the Bootloader Mode.
11. From Bootloader Mode Menu select ‘Fastboot’ option and after that you can connect your HTC One device to the Computer using the USB cable.
12.  Now, on the second HTCdev web page click the Proceed to Step5 button. Note: not apply the instructions that the HTCdev show.
13. Go to the ‘Fastboot’ folder that you’ve created previously and there press and keep holding the SHIFT key from your keyboard and while at the same time you need to  right-click on any white space area inside of the Fastboot folder, from the contextual menu choose ‘open command window here’ option.
14. Now a CMD (Windows Command Prompt) window is opened
15. In the Command Prompt, that you opened, you need to copy and paste the next command line: fastboot devices
16. Now, this command that you entered verify if your smartphone has been detected by your PC. In case the smartphone wasn’t detected, the command prompt window doesn’t show any information. In this case when the device isn’t detected you’ll need to re-install the HTC Sync Manager, and after the installation is done, reboot the PC and to remake all tutorial from the begin.
17. In case the smartphone was detected then you can move to the next step
18. Go and access again the HTCdev web page and there use the Proceed to Step 8 button. You need to don’t close the CMD window (command prompt window).
19. Now, you have to follow all steps from there, listed on HTCdev third page and after all the actions are done, click SUBMIT button.
20. After you complete all the instructions correct, you’ll get an alert in the next web page with this messages: ‘Token Submitted Successfully!’ and one email with the Unlock Key has been sent in your registered email address.
21. Go and check your registered email account and there you should have a message from HTC. Check the attachment from this email message and download the ‘Unlock_code.bin’ file.
22. After this attached Unlock_code.bin file, is totally downloaded you have to copy it in the Fastboot folder. (Now in the Fastboot folder you have 5 files).
23. Go back to the CMD window (Command Prompt window) and there you have to enter the next lines:  fasboot flash unlocktoken Unlock_code.bin
24. After you entered the above command, your HTC One device will display a request where you will find to Unlock Bootloader message. Al you have to do is to press the Volume Up and to select YES option. After that, press the device’s power button to confirm your action.
25. Now the device will get a restart, and it will complete the unlocking Bootloader process
26.  Disconnect the HTC One smartphone from your computer by removing the USB cable.

Congratulation, you’ve successfully learnt how to unlock the Bootloader for the HTC One device with the help of the HTCdev website and this step by step guide.

For making the verification if your Bootloader has been successfully unlocked, power off the smartphone and reboot it in the Bootloader Mode. To do that press the Volume down and the Power buttons in the same time. When the Bootloader mode is loaded, there you’ll be able to see an ‘UNLOCKED’ notification at the top of your smartphone’s display. That messages show you that your bootloader has been successfully unlocked.

That’s it all you need to do, now you can easily flash new custom ROMs that are available for your device and to obtain root rights for it, to have the total control in your HTC One smartphone.

Please use our comment section and let us know, if you’re in the face of issues to complete this guide, and we will try to find the best solution for you.