Developer mode on Android: settings and functions. Enable developer mode in Android

Android surprises us every day, although as we watch the development of new features, we may notice that, as it turns out, they are not available to everyone.

The creators of Android are trying their best to ensure that their “little green robot” is completely safe.

Unfortunately, many customers are subjected to various tests, and hackers look for weaknesses in the phone or system.

Therefore, the developers have given everyone the opportunity to contribute to the development of interesting and safe features that can improve system performance, and may even extend battery life.

On phones samsung, xiaomi redmi, meizu, asus zenfone, htc and others running on android 4.2, 4.4 2, 4.4, 4.4 4, 5.1, 5.1 1, 6.0, 6.0 1, 7.0 the developer mode option is hidden by default to prevent accidental tampering inexperienced user - most are unaware of the potential of the functions available there.

Most people only use USB debugging on their smartphone, although Android combined with a properly configured SDK can accomplish a lot, such as screenshots in situations where the traditional method (using a key combination) doesn't work.

In addition, the user can adjust the animation scale, rotation rendering, set background process limits, etc., etc.

The Developer Options option is very useful for programming or just for developers as the name suggests.

However, it can also make life easier for less advanced but ambitious users who want to tweak their phone a bit.

How to activate developer mode on an Android phone

Before you can enter developer mode, you must first enable it. To do this, go to “Settings” and then select information about the device / phone.

Then go to Software -> Build Number and click on it seven times in a row. The device will tell you that developer mode is enabled (if you press it the eighth time).

After this, a new function will appear in the device settings - “Developer Options”.

There you will find a fairly extensive list of software options. Here are some of the programming options on my phone.

What does developer mode do in Android if you switch to it?

If you are a programmer, then, of course, you know what options are needed. However, I think the average user can use at least some of these features.

USB Debugging mode is most useful for advanced users and developers, but turning it on is not necessary, although some applications require this mode to be enabled to function properly.

Even before Android 6.0 arrived, there were a number of improvements to battery life and power management. Options for appropriate adjustments helped to extend battery life in some way.

If you have problems with offline operation, you can check the following method: go to each of the three positions animation scale, animated transition scale, animation length scale and turn off all animations completely.


Sometimes a very large number of applications are running in the background, which can not only slow down the phone, but also reduce battery life.

If you do not want applications to run in the background, then enable the option to disable background applications.

However, I would suggest caution when using this feature, as it may affect the performance of applications that need it (such as Alarm Clock).

There is also a function to limit background processes. Its main purpose is to reduce the load on the CPU (ie, increase battery life).

Developer options are dangerous

The above are just some of the functions that you will find in the programmer section.

Much of the functionality is for more complex operations that can damage your smartphone if you don't know how to use them.

Google hid the programmer panel because hackers don't sleep all the time and try to "break" Android, which can withstand even the most powerful hacker attacks.

Any actions performed on this tab are solely your responsibility, so I advise you to think and be careful.

How to disable developer options in Android

Disabling software may seem more complicated than enabling it, but in practice it is very simple.

You need to go to the “Applications” section, select options (three dots) at the top and click reset settings. Don't worry - all your settings will not be deleted, everything will remain as is.

Then go to the Memory tab and click Clear Data and Clear Cache.


After clearing the data, the settings will automatically turn off and you will be taken to the Android home screen.

Now go back to settings. You'll notice that the Developer Options option is no longer listed. Good luck.

What is developer mode in android and why is it needed?

In the settings of your device there is one interesting item “For Developers”. With its help, users can customize the behavior of the system, activate any functions, and developers can debug the operation of the desired application/game. For example, in this manual we will tell you how to enable “USB debugging mode”(see point 4 in the description of the functions of the developer menu), it views the error report, enables factory unlocking of the bootloader and much more.


Despite the fact that all Android devices have the same developer settings, device manufacturers may place this option in different sub-items of the Settings menu. Now we'll figure it out how exactly and where to enable/disable developer mode on an Android smartphone or tablet, and then we’ll tell you what functions and under what circumstances you can use it.

How to enable developer mode on Android:

For clarity, we have attached a video instruction that shows the process of activating the “For Developers” menu.

If you have Developer mode does not turn on on Android device- try clicking “all in a row” in the about phone section, in rare cases notifications may not appear, so just go through the menu, with a high probability you will find that the developer mode has been activated. Otherwise, indicate your device model and firmware/build version in the comments and we will help you.

How to remove or disable Developer Mode from the Settings menu:

It is worth noting that some devices do not allow this operation, but in most cases the item is hidden in one click.

Go to the menu "Settings", scroll to the point "For developers", go into it and uncheck the box next to the word "Enabled". The device will automatically return to the previous section and the “For Developers” item will disappear.


If for some reason you do not have a checkmark next to “Enabled”, then you should use the following instructions:

Open “Settings” -> “Applications” -> “Settings” -> Then go to “Storage” and select “Erase data, Clear Cache”. This method is suitable for most smartphones and tablets, so if it helped you, be sure to report it in the comments to the article.

Next will be useful functions and capabilities of the “For Developers” menu, which may be useful in certain situations.

  1. Don't turn off the screen

    If this option is activated, your device's screen will never go dark as long as the charger is connected. This feature will be useful for Android application developers who are forced to monitor their creation for a long time.

    The function may also be needed for social networks, where “live” updates occur and you do not have the time or desire to constantly press the screen so that the screen does not turn off. Owners of devices with AMOLED displays should be careful, as the so-called “burn” effect may occur on the screen. The image is imprinted on the display and cannot be removed in the future.

  2. Factory unlock

    Unlocking the bootloader on your smartphone/tablet allows you to use custom recovery and other goodies in the future. For example, on a device with a locked bootloader, there is no way to access the Android recovery menu and return the system to its original form/install a new OS.


    In fact, this option does not allow you to unlock the bootloader, but it does give “permission” to perform this action on your device. If you do not plan to perform the previously listed manipulations, you should not activate this function.
  3. Running Applications

    Everyone knows that Windows has a task manager, which displays which processes are currently running. This allows you to understand what is working at a particular moment and why the computer is not stable, which consumes most of the resources. You won’t find a similar analogue in the standard settings of Android devices, so the “Running Applications” function can be very useful.


    You can see which applications are running in the background, for how long, and the amount of RAM they are consuming. You should not forcefully terminate running processes; this may lead to unexpected consequences. You don’t have to worry, Android has long learned to manage RAM and users rarely experience a lack of it.
  4. USB Debugging Mode

    One of the few functions that is primarily needed by developers. The main purpose of USB debugging mode is to perform specific actions on your device through transmitted commands from a personal computer. For example, by connecting to the Adnroid SDK, users will be able to install the application via a computer, obtain the necessary information, and even get ROOT access.

    How to enable USB debugging on Android

    To enable usb debugging mode on your Android device, go to the “For Developers” menu, find the “USB debugging” or “USB Debugging” item and activate it!


    Naturally, no one can deny the usefulness of this option, but for security, it’s worth disabling USB debugging mode when you’re not using it.
  5. Fictitious location

    It's no secret that Android phones and tablets can be tracked by learning your current location. But probably few people know that Android has a function that allows you to report the device’s fake location to services and applications. In other words, you should activate the function and then select a program for which the incorrect location of your device will be displayed.

  6. Disable absolute level

    If you search, you can come across many questions online about changing the volume of Bluetooth speakers, headsets and other devices using an Android smartphone. For unknown reasons, this does not always work; the sound becomes louder or quieter. If you encounter a similar problem and would like to get rid of it, then do not forget to activate the “disable absolute level” function. Otherwise, you should not touch this parameter to continue normal operation of the device.

  7. Visual response

    By activating this function, you will see small dots on the screen, allowing you to find out exactly where you pressed. Useful in several cases: for developers, for people who have problems with point movements, and also when recording video from the device screen for greater clarity.

In this article, we tried to explain what “Developer Mode” is, how to enable and disable it, and what useful functions you can use without fear of damaging your smartphone/tablet. Of course, there are a lot of other parameters in the developer settings, but most of them are of no practical importance for ordinary users, but are intended primarily for people involved in program development.

Developer mode is a Pandora's box that opens up the management capabilities of the Android operating system. Of course, Developer Mode is an indispensable tool for an Android app developer, but ordinary people can also use some tricks.

We will tell you about five useful features of developer mode on Android.

How to enable developer mode on Android

Developer mode is a special section in the settings menu of a mobile device, which is not active by default. To activate the menu, you need to go to “Settings” - “Phone Information” and click on “Build Number” several times until a notification appears that the developer mode has been activated. After this, you can return to the main settings menu, where “For Developers” will appear in the “System” section.

1. Disable animation

You can completely disable animation, thereby making application loading as fast as your smartphone's hardware allows. Additionally, you can make the animation go twice as fast or turn it off completely.

To change the animation speed, or disable it, you need to go to the developers menu and find parameters such as “Window Animation”, “Transition Animation”, “Animation Duration”. If you want to speed up the animation, you need to select the "0.5x" option. If you want to turn off animation completely, select No Animation.

2. 4x MSAA

This option allows you to improve the graphics quality in OpenGL ES 2.0 games and applications. I noticed that the smartphone with the option enabled gets better performance and also consumes more battery power. However, if you need high quality in games and applications, then the 4x MSAA option will improve the image with Multi Sample Anti-Aliasing 4x pixel smoothing.

3. Enable USB debugging

This is one of the most used options for developers. This feature allows programs on your computer to access your mobile device via USB. In addition, USB debugging is used for recovery, root installation, unlocking, creating a backup copy on the computer, and more.

4. Backup password

If you want to back up your smartphone, it is highly recommended to protect it with a password. This option encrypts the copies so that someone else will not be able to access it unless they know the password. To create a password, click on the “Backup Password” line and enter your password.

5. Use a fictitious location

Under Debugging there is one option called “Select Application for Dummy Locations”. To use this function, you must install the Fake GPS Location application, which will simulate the location of the smartphone in a fictitious location.

Once you select the app, you can go to Google Maps and check the location of your smartphone. This way you can take beautiful photos on Instagram or VKontakte with a location in Hawaii or Paris.

Greetings, friends. Today we will tell you how to enable multi-windows for all applications on Android 7, as well as how to make your phone work faster. This is a very simple trick, but you must enable Developer Options to do this. Developer Options are like a secret world for Android lovers to make cool things. Not only can you speed up animations, but you can also force all apps to create multi-windows and more, reports . If you are an experienced Android user, you need to know these tricks.

Developer options have been around since Android 4.2, but until now they were hidden in the same place. The good news is that enabling the options is easy, and they work the same on almost every Android phone or tablet.

The steps below should work on any device that has KitKat or higher. The process may be slightly different, but you just need to look for the "Build Number."

  1. Go to Settings > About phone/tablet
  2. (Some phones will have an extra step. Click Software Information)
  3. Find Build Number and click on it several times
  4. Finish clicking when it says you are now a developer!
  5. Return to the main page in Settings
  6. You must see Developer options below or in Advanced settings
  7. This is it!

Why do this?

As we mentioned above, there are some cool tricks you can do using the Developer Options. A trick we always recommend speeds up animations and transitions. This will make your phone run faster when you open apps and navigate the UI. Every Android user should know this simple trick.


How to speed up your Android phone

  1. Open Settings > Developer Options
  2. Scroll down, select Animation window 0.5x
  3. Select Animation transition 0.5x
  4. Select Animation speed 0.5x
  5. You can turn off animation completely. Once you are done, go back to the home screen and turn off the display using the Power button. Turn on your phone and enjoy faster animations and interface.

How to force all applications to use multi-window

Android 7.0 introduced native multi-window mode, but not all apps support it. In fact, many applications don't support it, so it's not very useful. But you can force the app to be compatible with the new feature and all you have to do is go into the secret developer settings again.

  1. Follow the steps above to enable Developer Mode
  2. Open Settings > Developer Options
  3. Scroll down and select Force activities to be resizable(Force apps to resize)
  4. Reboot your phone


Now you can open any applications in multi-window mode. It should be noted that some applications may force close when you put them in multi-window mode. Applications that don't support it will say "This application cannot run in multi-window mode," but most of them will still work fine.

Secret Developer Options are one of our favorite things about Android. The average user doesn't know about it, but enthusiasts can use them to push their phones to the limit.

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