Which OS are you running now? Fairphone OS or /e/OS?
Just want to update this with good news. So i updated to android 12, which by then was security patch march. And waited for 0.1.10 (also security patch march) and flashed as per docs.
Which resulted in a 100% working phone.
Docs wise i would second the use of fastboot mode as suggested abive
Installation Instructions say under Locking the Bootloader: "Once you have completed the above steps and before rebooting you can lock your Bootloader.
But after running flash_FP4_factory.sh Phone is rebooting automatically. In this file the last command is “reboot”.
Commenting out this command I was able to follow the instructions to Lock the Bootloader before rebooting.
(IMG-e-1.10 stable)
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Clarification or review or advice needed regarding locking the bootloader of FP4 …
Why the guide for upgrade the FP4 is not available now ?
Hi, I’m not sure of understanding everything clearly.
I bought a refurbished Fairphone4 on the 20th of januari, received it on thursday (on Android 12 - security patch 5/09/2023 as far as the fairphone website is correct and that the release for refurbished phone is correct).
I directly install e-OS 1.18-s (looking in the release note, security patch should be the one available until november 2023)
I didn’t read the comment on the security patch before the installation process, I thought everything will be all right because I directly did the installation of e-OS.
Installation process went all right.
My FP4 boots on e-OS but after the comment “boot loader is unlocked …”
I check in the developer options section and OEM locking is enabled.
from the reading of various topic on the subject, I don’t know what I have to do:
- wait for a new version with higher security patch ? I started with version 1.18 ; I already install the last updates 1.19 of 10/01. But in that case, can I start using my phone ? Will everything be wiped from my phone when new version will be installed and bootloader will be locked ?
- lock with the command line ?
- roll back to the fairphone OS, install every update possible for the fairphone os and start easy installer again ?
- other suggetion ?
Thanks very much for your answer/suggestion/comments.
The option is OEM unlocking, and it doesn’t directly show whether the bootloader is locked or unlocked, it only allows or disallows the steps to unlock the bootloader which are done in fastboot mode.
Thanks for your answer.
I made the connection with OEM unlocking due to the fact that fastboot occur afterwards with the easy installer.
So I have to lock with the command line?
Is it normal that it didn’t occur with the EasyInstaller?
Thanks again
Hi,
update of my situation : I succeed relocking bootloader.
I read carefully lots of posts on the subject and follow the instruction.
As far as I was concerned:
Refurbished fairphone4 bought in januari 2024
Easy Installer E-OS (1.18) worked fine.
starting e-os : message “bootloader unlocked”
I open the developer option (tapped 7 times on about the phone)
I checked if OEM unlocking was enabled : OK
power off the phone
volume down and USB
boot loader mode
I use the command bootloader_lock_ability : it was on.
So I lock the bootloader with the command line.
And now, E-OS starts perfectly !
I, and some with me, installed the wrong EOS version and (almost) bricked our phones because we assumed that, a release date that is greater then the Android Security Patch, means that security patch is covered. It would be nice if the easy-installer warns you that you can’t boot-lock your phone in that case and/or that the page https://images.ecloud.global/stable/FP4/ includes information of what security patch is covered by the EOS version.
Downloads for FP4
- /e/OS build : U community (Security patch: 2024-11-01)
- /e/OS build : T official (Security patch: 2024-11-01)
The information about the Security patch is outdated.
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Hello!
After Step 4 from “Installing /e/OS”, how to continue with “locking the Bootloader”?
Installing /e/OS
- Run the installer script
chmod +x flash_FP4_factory.sh && ./flash_FP4_factory.sh
The script will flash all required files and will wait for input at the last step. Proceed to locking the bootloader.
Locking the Bootloader
It says:
“Once you have completed the above steps and before rebooting you can lock your Bootloader.”
How? May FP4 was just booting… Any suggestions? Thanks!
If I am right, you can lock. So the phone will works if you don’t lock but some apps (like banckkng apps) might not work because of not passing the security controls.
Also, locking bootloader will delete your user space, if I remember.
Install /e/OS on a Fairphone FP4 - “FP4” worked well for installing /e/ OS 3.0.1 from a Ubuntu 24.04 computer, except for under “Locking the Bootloader” it says “Once you have completed the above steps and before rebooting…”, but it automatically reboots. Locking worked fine for me as described.
I couldn’t get /e/OS Installer to work. I tried multiple times on two different browsers on two different operating systems.
How/when to actually unlock was confusing (boot loader vs. fastboot vs. fastbootd vs. recovery), but after a lot of reboots and a few web searches I eventually got it.
For what it’s worth, I have also purchased phones direct from https://murena.com/ and that process was painless.
Bootloader Unlocking Code for Fairphone - Fairphone is really helpful but it’s odd that it requires an Internet connection. 
Hi.
The documentation for manual installation on FP4 already announces SPL 2025-06-01 for the “official” build. The download page, however, still offers 3.0.2 as the latest release. This might lead to unpleasant surprises…
Not anymore, 3.0.4-official was published and has the June security patch level.
Not anymore, 3.0.4-official was published and has the June security patch level .
You are right. My intention was more like a request to improve the work flow rather than fix the documentation, i.e. only update the information on SPL after actually providing the images with that SPL.
For the record, I had been concerned with respect to FPOS using the 5th of a month to denote the SPL while eOS refers to the 1st of a month. It appears that this difference seems to be harmless with respect to booting on a locked phone:
My FP4 had FPOS with SPL 2025-06-05 (already booted, so the boot loader was aware of this SPL). I then installed 3.0.4-official (reported SPL; 2025-06-01) and was able to lock the bootloader afterwards without bricking. The phone booted without problems.
Warning: As usual, if you want to do this, make sure fastboot flashing get_unlock_ability reports 1 (as in (bootloader) get_unlock_ability: 1) in order to be able to unlock in case of problems.
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Hi,
thank you for this hint. I was trying to do the same when intalling 3.04 on my FP5 after the latest FairphoneOS dated 05.06.2025 was booted and the result of fastboot flashing get_unlock_ability
was 0.
To be sure I am waiting for the next release and try again.
Oliver
the result of fastboot flashing get_unlock_ability was 0
See for instance this message for how to set the flag (it won’t turn on automatically). Even if you want to wait until the next update (with later SPL), I’d recommend activating “OEM unlock” before locking the boot loader.
Ingolf
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