How to Unlock Bootloader of LG G8, G8S, G8X, and V50 ThinQ?

A large percentage of smartphone users use Custom ROMS in their smartphones instead of the stock UI. Custom ROM is an unofficial ROM developed by third-party developers that has a lot of features and customization. And some brands often downgrade the performance by software updates. So, Custom ROM helps those users to regain the performance. Apart from this, one can also turn off cores to save battery when he doesn’t need high performance. All this is possible because Google made Android open source. LG has recently sliced its prices of the flagships, which made their smartphones affordable to more customers. The development of these models wasn’t active because unlocking was so different in every device. Now, XDA developers have made it possible that a single method is applicable for unlocking the bootloader in the LG G8 ThinQ, LG G8S ThinQ, LG G8X ThinQ, and finally, the LG V50 ThinQ.

As most of you know, LG isn’t that developer-friendly. They didn’t even release the tool for unlocking the bootloader. Thanks to XDA members for creating unofficial methods for unlocking the bootloader of LG smartphones. The coolest thing is that a single process will now work on their four flagship smartphones. Senior XDA members like cloud1250000 and Seasee606 made this possible. Like all unofficial methods, this is also not an easy job, so please read all instructions before unlocking the bootloader. Also, since this process is unofficial, your device will not be covered under warranty after unlocking the bootloader.

LG

Steps to unlock the bootloader on LG G8 ThinQ, LG G8S ThinQ, LG G8X ThinQ, and the LG V50 ThinQ?

Requirements

  • Your device should be running on Android 10.
  • A desktop or laptop.
  • Make sure that your device has a 60% + battery backup.
  • Download QFIL.
  • Now, download the QFIL driver.
  • LG Drivers for your device.
  • ADB drivers (in case if you don’t have them).
  • Firehouse (Download now).
  • ABL (Download Now).
  • FRP (only for Verizon LG G8). {On a serious note, please do not use this image on any other device}

These are the requirements that are required before you start the unlock process on your smartphone. Please make sure that you have installed everything mentioned in the list. Now let us look into the steps for unlocking the bootloader on LG G8 ThinQ, LG G8S ThinQ, LG G8X ThinQ, and the LG V50 ThinQ.

Steps to unlock the bootloader on your device

  • First, install the LG Mobile Driver. Follow the screen prompts to do complete the process.
  • Later, install the QFIL driver, and finally, QFIL. Do note that, Select the first option, named “WWAN,” during the installation process.
  • Now, enable “USB Debugging” on your device. For this – 
  1. Go to “Settings,” then tap on “System” and click on “About Phone” and again select “Software Info” and finally tap on “Build Number” for seven times. This method will not work on Verizon units; for those units, you can directly enable “USB Debugging” from “Developer options.” Also, enable “OEM Unlock” along with that.
  2. For other units, go back to Settings and then tap on “System” and select “Developer Options.” From here, you can enable both “USB Debugging” and “OEM Unlock.”
  • Now, boot your LG smartphone into “edl mode.”
  1. To boot to “edl mode,” hold your “Power and Volume up/down keys” after shutting down your mobile. You can confirm this by plugging your device into your “PC” and then open Device Manager to check if you can see Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 (COM#) under the “Ports” section.
  • After this, open “QFIL.”

Once you open, select your “Phone’s Port,” and then choose “Flat Build” under the “Select Build” Type. Now, browse the “Firehose.elf” file under the “Select Programmer” menu. If you are done with this, now select UFS as storage type on the bottom right of QFIL.

  • Now, click on Tools and choose Partition Manager. You can find “Abl_a” and give it a right-click and now select “Manage Partition Data.” Click Read to backup your abl_a.
  • Then open the Windows Explorer and find the following folder C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Qualcomm\QFIL\COMPORT#. Once you find it, rename “ReadData_ufs_Lun4.bin” to “abl_a.bin.”

Before renaming after renaming

  • Now do the same with abl_b, boot_a, and boot_b. Please do note that the latter is for rooting your phone with Magisk. There will be some users who want to unlock the bootloader and install Custom ROM. Rooting will not be their cup of tea.
  • Now, close the “Partition Manager.” After pressing “OK,” your phone will reboot to EDL on its own after a minute.
  • Again go back to “Partition Manager” and then give a right-click on “abl_a” also. After this, select “Manage Partition Data,” then click on “Load” and choose the “abl engineering file.”
  • Once you are done with this, do the same process for “abl_b.”
  • Like the older process, close “Partition Manager.” Now your phone will reboot into EDL mode after pressing OK.
  • After that, reboot to fastboot. For rebooting, press and hold the “Volume down and Power” button. Release only the “power” button when the device starts rebooting. Do not leave the “Volume down” button.
  • In some cases, it won’t work. Don’t worry; unplug and Power off your LG smartphone. Now press and hold “Volume down” and plug it in. Your phone will now go to the fastboot mode.
  • If your smartphone has booted into the “Fastboot” mode, it will say “Device State: Locked and Active A/B Slot – _a or _b.”
  • Please do remember that whichever slot that your device says, and please stay on the same slot. If you change to another slot, it may be a reason for bricking your LG smartphone. Also, you will need the same for Rooting.
  • After this, extract the “ADB.zip,” which you have downloaded before.
  • Now, open a “Command Prompt” and change the directory to the ADB folder you have just extracted. For this type “cd C:\adb
  • Now, run the command “fastboot devices” in that command prompt. If everything is fine, then it should show “LMG850UM fastboot.”
  • After this, go back and move the backed up “abl_a.bin and abl_b.bin” to the ADB folder you have created. Also, do copy the “frp_verizon.img” if you own the Verizon LG G8. Now, type the following command for “Verizon LG G8” only. 
  • fastbot flash frp frp_verizon.img
  • After that, run “fastboot reboot-bootloader” on the same command prompt.
  • Now, reboot to “fastboot” mode. Press and hold the “Volume down and Power” button. Release only the “power” button when the device starts rebooting. Do not leave the “Volume down” button.
  • In some cases, it won’t work. Don’t worry; unplug and Power off your LG smartphone. Now press and hold “Volume down” and plug it in. Your phone will now go to the fastboot mode.
  • Now run the command “fastboot oem unlock“. Choose the “Unlock Bootloader” option with the arrow keys and then press the “Power Button” to confirm the same.
  • Now, reboot back to the “Bootloader.” For this, unplug and Power off your LG smartphone. Now press and hold “Volume down” and plug it in.
  • After this, you can see that “Device State – unlocked now” on your device.
  • Now type the following commands in the command prompt.
  • fastboot flash abl_a abl_a.bin
  • fastboot flash abl_b abl_b.bin 
  • And finally, “fastboot reboot”
  • Congrats, you have successfully unlocked the bootloader of your LG device.

Steps to root your LG LG G8, G8S, G8X, and V50 ThinQ

Unlocking bootloader only gives access to a few things. To get full-access, you should root your LG smartphone. Follow the steps below to root your LG G8, G8S, G8X, and V50 ThinQ. 

Requirements

Any of the above mentioned LG smartphone with 60% + battery backup and unlocked bootloader.

  • Magisk : XDA Forum – Link
  •        XDA Thread – Link
  •        Github Page – Link

Steps to root your device!

  • We hope that you guys remember the slot from which your device is. 
  • Now, go to “Windows Explorer” and then navigate to “C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Qualcomm\QFIL\COMPORT#
  • After this, transfer the “boot_a.bin or boot_b.bin” to your device that you backed up in the “COMPORT#” folder.
  • If you have downloaded the “Magisk manager,” install the same now.
  • Now, open the “Magisk Manager” and tap on “install.” Once you are done with this, tap on “Select and Patch a File” and choose the “boot_a.bin or boot_b.bin.” 
  • If Magisk has successfully patched the boot img, then you can see “magisk_patched#####.img” on the “Downloads” folder of your “Phone.”
  • Transfer the same to your “PC.”
  • No, turn off your smartphone and boot into “edl” mode.
  • Now, open “QFIL” on your “PC.”
  • Then, click on “Tools” and select the “Partition Manager” option.
  • After this, find the slot which you are from. If you don’t know, you can see the same on “fastboot bootloader.” Once you found this, right-click on “boot_a or boot_b” and then select the “Manage Partition Data” option.
  • Once you have done the above step, click on “Load” and select the “magisk_patched#####.img” file, which you have transferred from your phone.
  • Now, wait for the process to finish and then close the “Partition Manager.” After that, your phone will reboot to “EDL” mode after pressing the “OK” button. Wait for a few minutes to finish that process.
  • After that, reboot to “System.” For this, press and hold the “Volume down and power button” till your phone reboots out of EDL aKa download mode. Then release both of the keys.
  • There you go, you have successfully unlocked the bootloader and rooted your LG smartphone.

Please do the things with the utmost care because a single wrong step will be the reason for the bricking of your smartphone. Do let us know if you have any doubts on the topic.

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