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Sony devices with unlocked bootloaders may malfunction if users enable My Xperia app
June 13, 2025
We continue to fight the war against phone theft withkill switches, but companies like Sony have been providing theft protection for years. Sony’sMy Xperia appcan locate, lock, factory reset or even send a sound alert to your phone. That’s not all it does, though – if you have an unlocked bootloader, it may go as far as making your device malfunction.
The bad news is not exactly that one can’t unlock the bootloader after this app has been in use. It’s what happens if you activate My Xperia Theft Protection after the bootloader has been unlocked that has us worrying. Here’s Sony’s disclaimer:
Not a fun scenario, so please make sure you don’t go near this app if you ever want to unlock your bootloader, or if you already have. It’s uncertain what kind of “malfunctioning” Sony is referring to in this statement. It could be something minor… or it could brick your smartphone, turning it into the fanciest paperweight you have ever owned.
Have any of you encountered any issues with the My Xperia Theft Protection service on devices with unlocked bootloaders? Please sound off in the comments and share your experiences. We sure wouldn’t want unfortunate events happening to more people.
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