Full Guide: Unlocking Bootloader, Flashing Recovery & ROM on Xiaomi Pad 6

Prerequisites

• Xiaomi Pad 6 (HyperOS or MIUI)
• A computer with ADB and Fastboot installed
• Mi Unlock Tool
• USB cable (good quality)
• Custom Recovery (.img) file (LineageOS, crDroid)
• Custom ROM (.zip) you wish to install
• Mi Flash Tool (if downgrading to MIUI Fastboot ROM)

Part 1: Unlocking the Bootloader on Xiaomi Pad 6

1. Enable Developer Options: Go to Settings > About Device, tap HyperOS version (or MIUI version) 7 times.
2. Enable OEM Unlocking and USB Debugging in Developer Options.
3. Link your Mi Account under Mi Unlock Status.
4. Boot into Fastboot Mode: Power off, hold Volume Down + Power.
5. Use Mi Unlock Tool to unlock the bootloader. Connect device and click Unlock. This process may involve a waiting period.
6. Reboot the device (all data will be erased).

Part 2: (Optional) Downgrading from HyperOS to MIUI

If you're currently on HyperOS, it's recommended to downgrade to MIUI before flashing a custom ROM. If you're already on MIUI, you can skip this step.

1. Download the MIUI Fastboot ROM from the official Xiaomi website for your Xiaomi Pad 6.
2. Boot into Fastboot Mode (hold Volume Down + Power).
3. Install Mi Flash Tool on your computer.
4. Open Mi Flash Tool, connect your device, and load the extracted MIUI Fastboot ROM into the tool.
5. Make sure to select the option "Flash without locking"flash_all.bat"" to prevent the bootloader from being locked again.
6. Click Flash and wait for the process to complete. Your device will reboot into MIUI.

Part 3: Flashing Custom Recovery via Fastboot

1. Download the custom recovery (e.g., lineage-recovery.img or crdroid-recovery.img).
2. Boot into Fastboot Mode by holding Volume Down + Power.
3. Use the following commands to flash the custom recovery components:

   fastboot flash boot boot.img

   fastboot flash vendor_boot vendor_boot.img

   fastboot flash dtbo dtbo.img

4. Reboot into recovery using the following command:

   fastboot reboot recovery

Part 4: Flashing a Custom ROM via ADB Sideload

1. Download the custom ROM you wish to install in .zip format.
2. Boot into the custom recovery (hold Volume Up + Power).
3. Perform a factory reset by navigating to Wipe > Factory Reset in the custom recovery.
4. Enable ADB Sideload: In recovery, go to Advanced > ADB Sideload and swipe to start.
5. Connect your Xiaomi Pad 6 to your computer via USB.
6. Sideload the ROM using the following command:

   adb sideload customrom.zip

   Replace customrom.zip with the name of the custom ROM file.
7. Wait for the installation to complete. Optionally, wipe cache and dalvik after flashing.
8. Reboot to the system.

Troubleshooting and Important Notes

• If stuck in a boot loop, boot into recovery and perform a factory reset, or try re-flashing the custom ROM.
• If ADB is not recognizing your device, ensure USB Debugging is enabled and that you have the correct drivers installed.
• If you accidentally lock the bootloader after flashing MIUI, you will need to unlock it again to proceed with custom ROM installation.
• Make sure to select "Flash without locking" when flashing MIUI to keep the bootloader unlocked.

Summary

Unlock the bootloader using Mi Unlock Tool, downgrade to MIUI if needed (without locking the bootloader), flash custom recovery using Fastboot, and install a custom ROM via ADB Sideload. Ensure to back up important data, as unlocking and flashing will wipe your device.