Hello /e/OS Community,
this is my first post here. I have installed /e/OS on my new Shiftphone 8.1 and already tested it. /e/OS fully function. Then I locked the bootloader, and now it’s only boot in boot mode and I don’t know what to do.
See Photo
Thank you for helping!
Best regards Franz
Regain your privacy! Adopt /e/OS the deGoogled mobile OS and online services
Try unlocking the bootloader again (I hope you have backup of data if you had any, unlocking/locking delets it all).
Did you check your security patch before you installed /e/OS?
Hello @laFranz, welcome to the /e/ forum.
https://doc.e.foundation/devices/otter/install
I think you need to add this one to your list
The patch level situation at hand needs to be cleared up first before jumping to such conclusions. The question stands @laFranz …
Thanks for the feedback. Have had the documentation updated for the axolotl.
Ok, I am able to reproduce it. When I unlock the bootloader, it also does not function. I have to install e from scratch, then it works.
I used
IMG-e-2.9-a14-20250323478433-community-otter.zip
It has the same security build as the Shiftphone normally had.
e is functionally until:
fastboot flashing lock*the part when I only lock_critical fully function, but the Bootloader is still unlocked 
**also thanks for all your answers! 
Ok, I am able to reproduce it. When I unlock the bootloader, it also does not function. I have to install e from scratch, then it works.
I used
[IMG-e-2.9-a14-20250323478433-community-otter.zip]
It has the same security build as the Shiftphone normally had.
e is functionally until:
fastboot flashing lockIt also shows after fastboot flashing lock a notification which says:
“Your device is corrupt. It can’t be trusted and will not boot.”
*the part when I only lock_critical fully function, but the Bootloader is still unlocked
**also thanks for all your answers!
community is not able to be locked. ‘otter’ used to have official, I don’t know why not anymore
Hi @laFranz I suggest you go slow on locking your bootloader – I have a feeling that on the forum here we are unsure if it is OK to lock the bootloader of this phone with a community build. Please also bear in mind we are not all on the same time zone.
I am sure you will have noticed that @laFranz is working with otter.
@laFranz, there is a “sometimes useful” check
fastboot flashing get_unlock_ability
More info: https://xdaforums.com/t/noob-cant-unlock-bootloader.3671574/
@laFranz I am sorry to see your posts
This post was flagged by the community
… it may not be the case that any individual in the community actually flagged your post but rather that the “anti spamming” was a bit over active, idk.
in paralelle to /e/OS community otter download there still exist /e/OS official otter download, even not linked from the Official Instructions…
I saw that but waited for Manoj comment. Now it sounds for me ‘official’ is not supported anymore 
Perhaps we can use this opportunity to clear this up …
@Manoj … Does this affect all devices, or just the devices where …
?
Thank you for showing the official build. I couldn’t find it on the website.
Nevertheless, it doesn’t work either. = same result
I found a topic in the shift community where they discuss e on Shiftphone 8 and mention that they also don’t able to close the bootloader.
Link:
The answer #155 from “Dwain Zwerg” described that the Shifphone 8.1 has a different modem than Shiftphone 8 and needs therefore slightly different drivers, and that should be why the 8.1 cannot close the bootloader.
*Shift made a Shiftphone 8, that doesn’t support 2g and 3g (I think so, not knowing it exactly) and the community complained about it. So they made the 8.1 which supports it and stopped the production of the 8 immediately. There are about 1500 Shiftphone 8 out there (also only thinking, not knowing), the rest will be the 8.1 version.
Official builds go out for devices we sell. The SHIFT6mq ‘axolotl’ only gets the community build. For A14 and above we will work on getting the lockable bootloader back. It was lockable till A13 as per inputs from the team.
@Manoj please can you clarify the situation for the OP with Shiftphone 8 otter where the install page still includes locking bootloader.
The bootloader locking should work on the otter as per the update I have. Let me get a confirmation from the team.
The update I have from the team is that bootloader locking is possible on the community build of otter