Asus Zenfone 8 and 8 Flip Bootloader Unlock Guide | How to

Asus finally launched their next-generation Zenfone duo series called Asus Zenfone 8 and 8 Flip. Both the Zenfone 8 and the Zenfone 8 Flip are powered by the latest flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G with AMOLED displays, HDR10+, and in-display fingerprint sensors. In this tutorial, we will show you the steps to unlock the bootloader on Asus Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 Flip.

All that is needed is an unlocked bootloader. And in this guide, we will help you with just that. So without further ado, here are the instructions to unlock the bootloader on Asus Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 Flip.

Asus Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 Flip Bootloader Unlock Guide

Before we list out the steps for the unlocking process, there are a few important points worth discussing. To begin with, once you have unlocked the device’s bootloader, you could then carry out a plethora of tweaks. These include the ability to install a custom recovery like TWRP or flash custom binaries. Similarly, you could also flash tons of mods, modules, frameworks, and other related tweaks. Apart from that, you could even get administrative rights by rooting your device via Magisk. Likewise, you could also overclock the device CPU by flashing a custom kernel.

But this is just one side of the coin. Unlocking comes with a few risks as well. Once you have unlocked your device, its warranty might become null and void. Likewise, some apps like Google Pay and Pokemon might not function as expected. Similarly, you wouldn’t be able to stream Netflix content in HD as the Widevine Certification will be degraded from L1 to L3. With that, we have explained both the perks and risks associated with this process. If you are ready to proceed ahead, then here are the required instructions to unlock the bootloader on Asus Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 Flip.

Pre-Requisites

Now before we go ahead and unlock the bootloader on your Asus Zenfone 8 and 8 Flip, let us make a list of pre-requisites that are required to unlock it:

Enable Unknown App Source:

While other OEMs require a few sets of fastboot commands, Asus has made the entire process pretty easy. In fact, you wouldn’t even have to make use of a PC. Simply download and install the device-specific Unlock APK from the below link and your good to go. Do keep in mind that since you are installing an APK outside of Play Store, you will have to allow installation from Unknown Sources. For that, follow the below steps:

1. Head over to Settings on your Asus device.
2. Then go to the Apps and Notifications section and tap on Advanced.
3. Next up, tap on the Special App Access and within that, scroll to the Install Unknown Apps section.
4. Finally, enable the Allow from this source toggle next to the app from which you will be downloading the Unlock Tool APK (for example Chrome).

Charge your phone

You need to make sure that your Asus Zenfone 8 and 8 Flip is charged to about 60% before operating it for unlocking the bootloader to avoid any boot loop issues during the unlocking process.

Download Unlock Tool APK

Download the APK file for your device and transfer it to the device’s Internal Storage:

• Asus Zenfone 8 Unlock Tool: Link
• Asus Zenfone 8 Flip Unlock Tool: Link

Take a complete backup

Before unlocking the bootloader, one of the most important things that you need to do on your phone is to take a complete backup of your phone. For that, you can follow the guide by clicking the link below:

• How to Backup Your Data on an Android device

Enable USB Debugging / OEM Unlock:

1. You need to enable the developer option to activate OEM unlock and USB Debugging
2. To enable the developer option, Go to your Settings -> About phone -> Now tap on the Build Number 7-8 Times until you see a toast message “You are now a developer!“
   
3. Go back to settings -> Now you need to enable the OEM Unlock by going to Settings -> Developer Option and Enable OEM Unlock and USB Debugging
   
   

Instructions to Unlock Bootloader on Asus Zenfone 8/8 Flip

1. Navigate to the downloaded Unlock Tool on your device.
2. Tap on it and then on the Install button and wait for the app to be installed. The process will be similar to how you install any other APK file.
3. Once the installation is done, launch the app. Then accept the License Agreements and hit OK.
   
4. In the next screen that appears, tap on the Press to Unlock your Device button.
5. That’s it. All the data on your device will be wiped off and the unlocking process will then begin. Once that is done, your device will reboot (if not you could do the same manually via the hardware keys).

So with this, we conclude the guide on how to unlock the bootloader on Asus Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 Flip. The first boot might end up taking some more time than usual. This is completely normal. Furthermore, you will also have to set up your device from scratch, since it has been formatted. On that note, if you have any other queries, do let us know in the comments section below. Rounding off, here are some iPhone Tips and Tricks, PC tips and tricks, and Android Tips and Tricks. that you should check out as well.