OnePlus has tightened its bootloader unlocking policy for devices running on ColorOS 16 and later. This adds a stricter set of eligibility requirements alongside a new quota system.
The official ColorOS Upgrade Assistant account took to the OnePlus community to share this piece of information. The new changes build on OnePlus's Deep Testing Program, which was introduced in late 2025 to let developers and advanced users unlock their bootloaders through an official channel.
Stricter Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for the program going forward, applicants will need to meet the following conditions:
- Device must be running ColorOS 16 or above
- OnePlus account must be at least 60 days old, with no history of violations
- Accounts must have completed real-name and face verification, with a linked phone number
- Account must have logged into the target device for seven consecutive days
- No more than four devices unlocked per verified identity per year
- No prior application within the last 30 days
OnePlus is also introducing a formal quota system for the program, which is something that the original Deep Testing Program didn't have a stated cap on. OnePlus phones and other devices that already support Deep Testing will get their first batch of quotas released in September, with new batches opening on the first of every month after that.
For devices launching with ColorOS 17 or later, quotas will open a month after release. Meanwhile, devices upgraded to ColorOS 17 follow the same one-month delay after the update arrives. However, OnePlus hasn't disclosed exactly how large each monthly batch is.
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Longer Review Times and a 14-Day Expiry Window
The review process is also slowing down. According to the official notice, applications that once took one to two days to review when the program first launched will now take up to seven working days.
Once approved, users only have a 14-day window to actually use their unlock access. However, if it goes unused, the approval expires and users have to reapply from scratch.
OnePlus also warns users that unlocking the bootloader could affect camera performance, expose personal data, block future system upgrades, or cause irrecoverable data loss.
So, the brand recommends backing up your data before proceeding. If unlocking causes functional damage to the device, OnePlus says it won't be eligible for a return or exchange, though standard warranty coverage will still apply otherwise.
Notably, this policy currently applies only to Chinese-market devices running ColorOS 16 or later, and excludes carrier-locked, enterprise, and government-issued units. It follows OnePlus's hardware-level anti-rollback protection rollout on select ColorOS 16 builds earlier this year, which permanently blocks firmware downgrades on affected devices.
Altogether, it's all a sign of how the brand has moved away from giving power users the keys to their own phones to closing that door now, one restriction at a time. Not to mention that the timing is also calculated, as this comes not too long after Realme UI and OxygenOS were officially phased out for ColorOS 17.
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