Google Unlocked Pixel 3a on Verizon - Google Pixel 3a Guides, News, & Discussion

Hi all. I have been searching high and low for information on this specific question:
Will activating an unlocked Pixel 3a on Verizon disable the OEM Unlock and bootloader unlock capability?
I got a Verizon variant before I realized that there was not way to unlock the bootloader. Bummer. So, I returned it for an Unlocked version from Google, which I just received tonight. I breezed through the setup (without the SIM card) and noticed that OEM Unlock was disabled stating I needed to connect to the internet. So, I enabled WiFi and the OEM Unlock was then available. It would seem that I an now able to follow the unlocking procedure.
My goal is to unlock the bootloader and root, but do I have to do it immediately? My concern is that activating the phone with my Verizon SIM could:
1) Prevent unlocking the bootloader in the future if I don't unlock it before I activate with SIM (research seems to indicate that factory resets will undo disabling OEM Unlock if this can happen if I understand correctly)
2) Re-lock an unlocked bootloader - maybe this is not even possible?
I don't want to mess this up. All the info I am finding are discussions related to trying to unlock a Verizon variant and I cannot find good info on what happens to bootloader unlocking options on unlocked phones that are activated on Verizon. The only reason I may want to delay this process is because I dont have a lot of time at the moment and would rather not rush the bootloader unlock and root process. However, my HTC 10 is in bad shape and need a phone to get through the holidays. I was hoping that I could activate it on Verizon now, use it with its locked bootloader for a few weeks, and when things cool down after the holidays, implement the bootloader unlock and root.
If that is not advisable, what about unlocking the bootloader immediately (doesn't seem too hard and I have used ADB before), and activating without root. Then root later? Any possibility of concern #2?
Can OTA's re-lock a bootloader and prevent future unlocking?
I appreciate anyone's incite, experience, or links to the needed information for clearing this up. Thanks you!

I would advise you to unlock the bootloader asap. If you wait it will be a pain later because unlocking causes loss of data. If you don't care about that, wait as long as you like.
As far as Verizon is concerned, if the phone is unlocked, I don't see how they could possibly lock the bootloader. They may restrict your services but they can't touch the lock status of a device you purchased.
Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

Related

[PSA] Read before relocking your bootloader

I'm not sure what is up, this isn't a new thing, but people keep coming to me (1-2 a day) with this issue.
If your phone isn't stock, DO NOT RELOCK your bootloader. You will 'soft brick' it, and at this time there is no easy route to fixing it.
If you are on EE UK, Verizon or another carrier blocking bootloader unlocks, and you used dePixel8 to unlock it, DO NOT relock your bootloader unless you are sure you don't want it unlocked again.
Finally, dePixel8 is UNSUPPORTED. Don't come to me if you can't get it to work, don't come to me if you used it them messed up your phone by flashing something bad or whatever. Its on you.
Great announcement. With the monthly security update out today, it is recommended that you don't install the update or have automatic updates enabled.

Relock Bootloader permanently

I flashed March Update with MiFlash Clean all and Lock but I'm able to unlock the bootloader again with the developer settings disabled, that is a big security risk because someone with physical access to the device will be able to unlock the bootloader without permission and maybe decrypt personal data.
I have also noticed similar behavior recently. Great that issue is not specific to me only. Bad it exists.

OEM Unlocked and device uncertified

Hello yall,
So as many of you should already be aware that the OEM Unlock missing button is kinda permanent in Bootloader U4/August Update. So no matter how long; you cannot get passed the jail time.
I have been looking forward to lock back my OEM lock to be able to use Google Pay and have my device certified in play store but I cannot turn it back on and it's a security flaw in my opinion as locking OEM means tighter security actually.
I have got in touch with samsung technician and they confirmed the feature is removed in the current update and there is no work around.
I have tried flashing combination Rom for U4 Bootloader but OEM Unlock is still missing in dev options.
Now the question is; Has anyone in this big world found a solution to this? To turn OEM Unlock off in Bootloader 4?

Locking bootloader on US variant xt1806

I went to switch to a different carrier, and was on cricket, and also tried tmobile both wich worked fine unlocked bootloader and rooted.
I then switched to sprint, and verizon and found out both carriers the phone would not work right. The data worked but the call and texting did not.
As a side note, I was informed by someone who was on sprint, and he said that you had to get on the network unrooted and locked bootloader, once registered you could then root and get the bootloader unlocked and be just fine.
So I then proceeded to unroot the phone ie: removing everything root, and keeping twrp with an unocked bootloader only, no sign of root. I took the phone back to the stores and tried again, and the phone still had the same issue.
After finally finding a way to finally after 6mo lock the bootloader again, and was at pure stock, locked bootloader and no root.
What this tells me is that some how verizon and sprint both some how some way detect an unlocked bootloader....how? I have no clue, I've never in my 5+ years of rooting multiple phones, never ever ever seen anything like this. The only reason I know this is what it was, is from common deduction and reasoning.........unroot = still doesn't work.....locked bl = works fine with not a single issue. Keep in mind this was all with base stock rom, not a custom rom.....everything was stock, accept for the root and un;ocked bootloader part. I rooted with magisk.
Since I had a very long time and issue with locking the bootloader, (about 6mo) after trying a ton of things, without resolve, I FINALLY got the bootloader locked.
If it's going to be anything like before trying to get it locked again to work on sprint and verzion, I really do not want to bother with unlocking it to begin with. It was an utter nightmare to get locked, no matter what I tried it just would not lock for whatever reason.
So given all that, my question is, how hard or easy is it now to unlock and lock the bootloader?

(TMO) OP 7T Pro McLaren 5G - Bootloader unlocking, OEM Unlock setting greyed out?

Hello everyone. I'm just getting my new device situated and, knowing that unlocking the bootloader often requires a factory reset, I thought to make that one of my first tasks with my T-Mobile McLaren 5G. I was able to successfully activate the Developer menu but when I went there, I found that the OEM Unlock setting was not only off, but greyed out and unable to be enabled! If I'm correct, enabling OEM Unlocking in the Dev menu is the first step to unlocking the bootloader, before connecting via ADB or using some sort of toolkit.
I called T-Mobile to ensure this was not their doing and according to their rep (after getting transferred from CS, to a tech, to a senior tech) apparently this is not something they have control over ; they can unlock the phone to use other SIMs but don't have anything to do with the bootloader, the ROMs etc. They suggested contacting OnePlus and gave me an 800 number, but I thought I'd check with the community first just in case.
Should this OEM Unlocking option be capable of being enabled? Is there a way to unlock the bootloader without this step? I'm a bit out of date on the current state of unlocking / custom ROMs and the like - is there any sort of open source GUI (or for that matter, CLI) based toolkit for easily flashing/unlocking bootloader and other tasks? There used to be some tools available for older Nexus, Pixel, and OnePlus devices a few years back but the older ones I recall don't seem to be updated since then. If not and it all needs to be done manually, do we still use the Android SDK Platform Tools (I assume you don't need the whole Android Studio or even Android Studio CLI)?
Regarding T-Mobile, there seems to be some discussion about certain OnePlus devices requiring a code from OnePlus itself via ( https://www.oneplus.com/unlock_token ) in order to unlock the bootloader? I don't remember it being this much trouble with past earlier devices (including Nexus and OnePlus)! Is this step required or is there a workaround? Regardless, even that page describes being able to toggle the OEM Unlocking setting before anything else, so something seems to be of concern. Ideas? Thanks!
The device sim unlock for the OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren is hidden in Settings-->SIM & network-->ADVANCED Network Unlock; it doesn't have a separate magenta colored unlock app icon like some older T-Mobile phones do. But, the rest should be similar to the T-Mobile OnePlus 7 Pro process https://www.xda-developers.com/unlock-bootloader-root-oneplus-7-pro/
After the permanent device sim unlock is completed, the OEM unlocking option should no longer be greyed out.

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