How to Unlock Bootloader on Lenovo ZUK Z2 and Z2 Pro

Unlocking bootloader on your Android device is the best thing ever. It enables you to install custom stuffs like TWRP recovery, Custom ROMs, MODs, etc. Also, you’ll be able to root on the device using either SuperSU or Magisk if you install TWRP recovery after bootloader unlock.

Thankfully, for the Lenovo ZUK Z2 and Z2 Pro, unlocking the bootloader is a piece of cake as Lenovo has a transparent system in place to let users unlock the bootloader on their own risks.

Lenovo has an official way to let users unlock bootloader on its supported devices. However, the company clearly states that unlocking the bootloader will void a device’s warranty. So if a user is attempting to unlock bootloader on Lenovo devices it is on their own risk.

How to Unlock Bootloader on Lenovo ZUK Z2 and Z2 Pro

  1. On your Lenovo phone, go to Settings » About » Status information» and make a note of your device’s Serial number.
  2. On your PC, open developer.zuk.com/bootloader websiteusing Chrome browser.
  3. Once the is opened, right-click anywhere on the page and select “Translate to english” from the context menu.
  4. Read the terms & conditions and then click on the Carry on button at the bottom of the page.
  5. On the next page, select your device model from drop-down box.
  6. Next, enter your 8-digit serial number into Serial number box.
    └If you’ve a 7-digit serial number, add a zero (0) to end. If you’ve 6-digit serial number, add two zeros (00) to the end.
  7. Provide your Email ID in the EMail box. Bootloader unlock files will be sent to this E-mail ID.
  8. Tick/check-mark the the two conditions above submit button, and then hit the SUBMIT button.
    └ You’ll get a message on screen in chinese. It means, the unlock file has been sent to your E-mail ID.
  9. Open your email account, look for an e-mail from Lenovo and download the unlock_bootloader.img file from the mail.
  10. Put the unlock_bootloader.img file in a separate folder on your PC.
  11. Setup ADB and Fastboot on your PC.
  12. Enable Developer Options, USB Debugging & OEM unlock on your device.
  13. Connect your Lenovo ZUK phone to the PC.
    └ If you get a prompt on phone’s screen to Allow USB debugging, tap OK.
  14. Open a command window inside the folder where you saved unlock_bootloader.img file in Step 10. To do this, open the folder and then “Shift + Right click” on any empty white-space inside the folder and select “Open command window here” from the context menu.
  15. Once command window is open, issue the following command to boot device into bootloader mode:
    adb reboot bootloader
  16. Once in bootloader mode, issue the following command to flash the unlock_bootloader.img file to the device:
    fastboot -i 0x2b4c flash unlock unlock_bootloader.img

    └ You will see a similar output on command window as shown in box below:

    target reported max download size of 1610612736 bytes
    sending 'unlock' (0 KB)...
    OKAY [ 0.037s]
    writing 'unlock'...
    OKAY [ 0.053s]
    finished. total time: 0.090s
  17. Once unlock_bootloader.img file is flashed successfully, issue the following command to finally unlock bootloader on your Lenovo ZUK phone:
    fastboot -i 0x2b4c oem unlock-go

    └ You’ll see the following output:

    ...
    OKAY [ 0.041s]
    finished. total time: 0.041s
  18. Reboot your phone to system using the following command:
    fastboot reboot

That’s all. Have fun customizing with bootloader now unlocked on your Lenovo ZUK phone.

Happy Androiding!

Posted by
Shivam Malani

Shivam is our resident designer and web developer who also enjoys writing. He loves to meditate, drive on the freeways and hunt for snipers during his Call Of Duty playtime. Email: shivam@theandroidsoul.com

28 Comments

  1. Thank you for your clear and easy to read instruction. I’m really glad to found a instruction to get rid of the zuk ui.
    But in my case the Website of Zuk wants an account from me. I’m not for sure if this will work out for an person who lifes outside of china.
    Have you an suggestion to solve the problem with the phone number?
    Cause mine wasn’t acceptet by ZUK. They told it ist to long!
    Is there an other way to get to the OEM?

    1. It’s solved.
      I found a Solution!
      I crated an chinese email adress at qq.
      After that I considered about creating an account at lenovo-Zuk via qq, the little blue pinguin simbol.
      I hope that i could have helped someone else.
      But for the rest… it works!

    2. Hello Felix, I have my Zuk Z2 Pro now and want to unlock it. So i have to register at QQ? Will i get an Chinese e-mailaddress? And with that I sign up at Zuk?
      I treid with Gmail, but i will get an error. Can you help me out?

    3. Hello, i tried to sign up with QQ but i have to give my phonenumber and it only accepts a phonenumber from China. I live in the Netherlands. So what should i do now? Can you help me out? How did you succeed?
      Thanks,
      Alex

    4. you are at the right page!
      Now click on the small blue penguin.
      on the next site you’ll click on the link at the bottom left. it will lead you to the login screen of qq (if you already made an account at qq mail it schould accept your input).

    5. Hello Felix, I registered a QQ mail account. I clicked on the link and it lead me to the login screen alright. But after login i got an error. Page not found. What did i do wrong?
      Also after a few times trying i cannot try anymore because of the high volume of signing in.

    6. Hello Felix, I registered a QQ mail account. I clicked on the link and it lead me to the login screen alright. But when i login it send me back to the unlockscreen????

    7. Felix, I got my unlock.img. How? I tried on another site the same way and i directly got the .img file in my e-mail. Strange. But now, i want to get started with unlocking and get another error: see attachment. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/213c98fc900f8af9bf97f24c31df92f1a7ff0ae705f0b6c716494ec7347bd4cd.png

      Do i have to flash a fastbootrom first? I always do that with a locked Xiaomi device with a vendor rom. So i think i will have to do this now too.

      Is that right?

    8. Hello, Unlocked and TWRP 3.0.2-0 installed, but cannot install LineAge OS + GApps. I flashed fastboot ZUI and unlocked again, also installed TWRP again. How can i install LineAge + GApps? Is there a good rom? My Zuk does not accept the rom. Maybe i have the wrong one. Do you know the right rom? I want to install GApps Pico.

    9. Well, my Z2 Pro runs on Mokee now, but my camera is not working anymore. No camera app works. Is there a solution?

    10. do the procediment using a outlook email

  2. Thank you for your clear and easy to read instruction. I’m really glad to found a instruction to get rid of the zuk ui.
    But in my case the Website of Zuk wants an account from me. I’m not for sure if this will work out for an person who lifes outside of china.
    Have you an suggestion to solve the problem with the phone number?
    Cause mine wasn’t acceptet by ZUK. They told it ist to long!
    Is there an other way to get to the OEM?

    1. It’s solved.
      I found a Solution!
      I crated an chinese email adress at qq.
      After that I considered about creating an account at lenovo-Zuk via qq, the little blue pinguin simbol.
      I hope that i could have helped someone else.
      But for the rest… it works!

      1. Hello Felix, I have my Zuk Z2 Pro now and want to unlock it. So i have to register at QQ? Will i get an Chinese e-mailaddress? And with that I sign up at Zuk?
        I treid with Gmail, but i will get an error. Can you help me out?

        1. do the procediment using a outlook email

      2. Hello, i tried to sign up with QQ but i have to give my phonenumber and it only accepts a phonenumber from China. I live in the Netherlands. So what should i do now? Can you help me out? How did you succeed?
        Thanks,
        Alex

        1. you are at the right page!
          Now click on the small blue penguin.
          on the next site you’ll click on the link at the bottom left. it will lead you to the login screen of qq (if you already made an account at qq mail it schould accept your input).

          1. Hello Felix, I registered a QQ mail account. I clicked on the link and it lead me to the login screen alright. But after login i got an error. Page not found. What did i do wrong?
            Also after a few times trying i cannot try anymore because of the high volume of signing in.

          2. Hello Felix, I registered a QQ mail account. I clicked on the link and it lead me to the login screen alright. But when i login it send me back to the unlockscreen????

          3. Felix, I got my unlock.img. How? I tried on another site the same way and i directly got the .img file in my e-mail. Strange. But now, i want to get started with unlocking and get another error: see attachment. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/213c98fc900f8af9bf97f24c31df92f1a7ff0ae705f0b6c716494ec7347bd4cd.png

            Do i have to flash a fastbootrom first? I always do that with a locked Xiaomi device with a vendor rom. So i think i will have to do this now too.

            Is that right?

          4. Hello, Unlocked and TWRP 3.0.2-0 installed, but cannot install LineAge OS + GApps. I flashed fastboot ZUI and unlocked again, also installed TWRP again. How can i install LineAge + GApps? Is there a good rom? My Zuk does not accept the rom. Maybe i have the wrong one. Do you know the right rom? I want to install GApps Pico.

          5. Well, my Z2 Pro runs on Mokee now, but my camera is not working anymore. No camera app works. Is there a solution?

  3. target reported max download size of 1610612736 bytes
    sending ‘unlock’ (0 KB)…
    OKAY [ 0.035s]
    writing ‘unlock’…
    FAILED (remote: unlock failed)
    finished. total time: 0.093s

  4. target reported max download size of 1610612736 bytes
    sending ‘unlock’ (0 KB)…
    OKAY [ 0.035s]
    writing ‘unlock’…
    FAILED (remote: unlock failed)
    finished. total time: 0.089s

  5. target reported max download size of 1610612736 bytes
    sending ‘unlock’ (0 KB)…
    OKAY [ 0.035s]
    writing ‘unlock’…
    FAILED (remote: unlock failed)
    finished. total time: 0.093s

  6. target reported max download size of 1610612736 bytes
    sending ‘unlock’ (0 KB)…
    OKAY [ 0.035s]
    writing ‘unlock’…
    FAILED (remote: unlock failed)
    finished. total time: 0.089s

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