Update [October 02, 2017]: An unofficial build of TWRP recovery for Xiaomi Mi A1 is now available for download. However, we don’t suggest you to install it on your device unless the developer confirms installation instructions for the A/B partitioning system on Mi A1. But you can of course, boot the TWRP image using fastboot boot mi-a1-twrp-recovery.img command (unlocked bootloader required) to see the recovery in action. Also, do NOT try to flash SuperSU or Magisk zip through TWRP recovery just yet, we gotta confirm that it’s working properly before trying to do so. You may want to keep an eye on the development page over at XDA.

→ Download TWRP recovery for Mi A1 (.img)

Xiaomi took us all by surprise with the launch of Mi A1 under the Android One program by Google. The Mi A1 runs on stock Android and it is the least thing anyone would have expected from the Chinese manufacturer whose MIUI ROM is a complete opposite to what we call stock Android UI. But anyway, this is a very welcome change.

The Xiaomi Mi A1 is an Android One powered phone, which means the things that are applicable to Google’s Nexus, Pixel and other Android One devices, stay true for the Mi A1 as well. For instance, the device is developer friendly, easy to unlock bootloader and thanks to the massive community of Android developers, it is easy to root as well.

Like all Android devices, rooting Mi A1 would require a custom recovery like TWRP. And given the community support, an unofficial test build of TWRP recovery for Xiaomi Mi A1 should arrive within a week of its availability, and if the test build is stable, it’ll be a matter of few days before it pops-up on the official repository of TWRP recovery at twrp.me.

‘How to take screenshot on Xiaomi Mi A1’

Once TWRP recovery is available for the Xiaomi Mi A1, rooting will be a piece of cake through either SuperSU zip or Magisk installer. Both these rooting solutions are easy to use and require a single zip file flash from the TWRP recovery.

Meanwhile, if you’d like, go ahead and get your device unlocked so you’re ready to test TWRP recovery when it becomes available.

Note: Unlocking the bootloader will completely wipe/delete all data on your device. Including photos, videos, movies, documents, apps, games, basically everything. So make you backup the important files before unlocking the bootloader.

How to unlock bootloader on Xiaomi Mi A1

  1. Setup ADB and Fastboot on your PC.
  2. Enable USB debugging and OEM Unlock on your Android device.
  3. Connect your Xiaomi Mi A1 to the PC with a USB cable.
  4. Open a command window on your PC.
  5. Boot your device into bootloader mode using the following command: 
    adb reboot bootloader

    └ You may get a request to authorize USB debugging on the device, accept it.

  6. Once your device is in bootloader mode, issue the following command to unlock bootloader: 
    fastboot oem unlock
  7. (Not applicable for all) If you get a confirmation screen on your device. Press Volume Up button to highlight Yes and press Power button to select it. This will begin bootloader unlocking process, which shouldn’t last more than couple of minutes.
  8. Once bootloader is unlocked, your device will reboot into bootloader mode. You need to boot it into system now using the command below: 
    fastboot reboot
  9. During reboot, your device will go through a factory reset and then finally boot into system.

That’s all. Your Xiaomi Mi A1’s bootloader is now unlocked.