Huawei Matepad 104 Custom Rom 2021 May 2026

Unlike Samsung or Xiaomi tablets, the MatePad 10.4 does not have an official LineageOS or TWRP due to Huawei’s locked bootloaders. However, in 2021, a niche international community (mainly on XDA and 4PDA) produced working builds.

This involved opening the tablet, shorting a specific test point on the motherboard (identified as TP203 on some boards) to force Download Mode. This allowed flashing a patched boot image. Difficulty: Extreme. Risk: High. huawei matepad 104 custom rom 2021

Before diving into software, let’s recall the hardware that made the MatePad 10.4 so appealing for hacking: Unlike Samsung or Xiaomi tablets, the MatePad 10

The Kirin 820 was the main challenge. Unlike Qualcomm Snapdragon chips, Kirin has sparse open-source documentation, making Huawei MatePad 10.4 custom ROM development extremely difficult. The Kirin 820 was the main challenge

The Huawei MatePad 10.4 (specifically the models bearing the Kirin 810 and 820 chipsets) was widely regarded as one of the best mid-range Android tablets of its time. With a sharp 2K display, quad speakers, and a premium build, the hardware was undeniably solid.

However, the year 2021 was a turning point for Huawei devices. Due to ongoing trade restrictions, many units shipped without Google Mobile Services (GMS), relying instead on HMS (Huawei Mobile Services) and AppGallery. For power users, this made the pursuit of Custom ROMs not just a hobby, but a necessity to unlock the device's full potential.

Here is a retrospective look at the Custom ROM situation for the Huawei MatePad 10.4 during 2021.