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The PowKiddy X18 is a cheap folding Android gaming device with built in controls. Unfortunately it has no Play Store access out of the box, nor does it have a custom ROM.
- Screen: 5.5 Inch IPS, 1280 x 720 (16:9), Touchscreen
- CPU: MediaTek MTK8163
- Cores: 4 x Cortex A53 @ 1.3 GHz (64 bit)
- GPU: Mali T720
- RAM: 2 GB DDR3
- Android version: 7 (Nougat)
- Internal Storage: 16 GB
- External MicroSD slot: Yes
- Battery: 5000 mAh
- Charging Port: MicroUSB
At this time, there is a way to create and flash a pre-rooted boot.img file to the X18, allowing PlayStore and it's associated services to be installed. The following information was modified from https://romprovider.com/2019/01/create-pre-rooted-patched-boot-img-magisk/.
Utilities required:
- Device: Magisk manager
- PC: ADB/Fastboot Platform Tools
- PC: SP Tool
- PC: MTK Drivers
- PC: Scatter File
- Device: PowKiddy X18 boot.img file
Procedure:
- Copy boot.img to your device's storage
- Install and run Magisk (if prompted to install, say "no thanks.")
- Select Install > Install > Patch Boot Image File > and select the downloaded boot.img file
- The patched image will usually be stored in SDcard/MagiskManager/patched_boot.img ( [.tar])
- Transfer new boot.img to PC
- Open SPTool, open Scatter file, install MTK driver
- Hit Download button, power X18 off, connect to PC
- After completion, unplug device from PC and reboot.
This procedure outlines how a bootloader lock should be done.
NOTE: As of current, the last part will fail because the volume buttons are not mapped properly in Fastboot and Recovery according to our first tester. We do not know if this is a one-off or if this happens to every X18. If this issue does not occur for you, please contact us about it in the #powkiddy-x18 channel of the Retro Game Handhelds Discord server.
IMPORTANT: Bootloader unlocking will erase all of your personal data on your device, back up important data before starting.
Utilities required:
Procedure:
- Go to Settings on your Powkiddy X18.
- Go to About.
- Keep tapping "Build Number" until it says that development settings have been enabled.
- Go into Development Settings and enable the following:
- USB Debugging
- OEM Bootloader Unlocking
- Go onto your computer and install the MTK Drivers and ADB/Fastboot Platform Tools.
- Go into a cmd and type in the following command "adb reboot bootloader"
- It should have put you in fastboot mode.
- In a cmd on your computer, type "fastboot oem unlock". It should pull up a screen on the X18 asking to push volume up to proceed, or volume down to cancel. Proceeding will cause your device to be factory reset. However, in our tester's experience, volume up registers as cancel, and all of the other buttons do nothing. But, you can still attempt it. Tips for the volume button: Try to either continuously spam the volume up or hold it down for as long as possible. If it does not work, you can also try "fastboot flashing unlock" to see if it makes any difference.