Where to find developer mode on Xiaomi: a complete guide with pictures and secrets

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO have a powerful tool for power users under the hood, the developer mode. It's not just a "secret menu," it's a whole arsenal of features to fine-tune performance, debug applications and even overclock hardware. But where to look for it? If you're first encountering MIUI, it's not in the standard settings, it needs to be activated manually through a hidden combination of actions.

Many people mistakenly think that the developer mode is only for programmers or those who are engaged in firmware, in fact, even the average user can use it: you can turn off animations to speed up work, enable debugging over USB to transfer files to the PC, or unlock the limitations of MIUI that prevent comfortable use, the main thing is to know how to turn it on and what to touch, so as not to disturb the stability of the system.

In this article, we will discuss:

• 🔍 Where exactly is the developer’s mode in hiding? MIUI 12/13/14 newer
• 📱 Step-by-step instructions for all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO (including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T)
• ⚠️ What settings in the developer mode can be changed without risk, and which - only at your own risk
• 🔧 Secret chips, which are not written in the official manuals

1. Where is the developer mode on Xiaomi: the official path

Unlike Samsung or Google Pixel, where the developer mode is activated through the About Phone settings, MIUI's algorithm is a little different. The basic rule is that this partition is initially hidden and only appears after a special sequence of actions is performed. Don't worry, this is not hacking, but a standard Android feature, just Xiaomi additionally masks it.

To open access, you need to:

1. Go to Settings → The phone.
2. Find the line MIUI version (usually at the bottom)
3. Press it 7 times in a row with an interval of no more than 2 seconds

After the seventh click, a notification will appear: “You became a developer!”. Now a new item will appear in the main settings menu — Additional settings → For developers. On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global), it may be called simply For developers and be on the main list.

⚠️ Note: If you have Xiaomi with custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the path may be different. → System system → The phone. → Build the number and tap it 7 times.

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If nothing happens after 7 taps, check if the antivirus or MIUI optimizer is blocking access.

2. Step-by-step instructions for different versions of MIUI (12, 13, 14, HyperOS)

The developer mode activation algorithm varies slightly depending on the shell version, and here are the 2026 updates for the most common firmware.

On POCO with MIUI for POCO firmware, the path may be slightly different. For example, on POCO X5 Pro, you need to go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version, but after activation, the developer mode will appear in Settings → System → Additional.

If you have a Chinese version of MIUI (for example, on Xiaomi 13 Ultra for the domestic market), then before activating the developer mode, you may need to link your Mi Account and confirm it via SMS.

Battery charge > 30%|Shut down. VPN (may block access)|Close all background applications|Connect to stable Wi-Fi (for some features)-->

3.What to do if the developer mode does not appear?

Sometimes, even after 7 clicks on the MIUI version, nothing happens, and the reasons can be different, from firmware bugs to manufacturer restrictions.

• 🔄 Restart the phone. Sometimes the system doesn't have time to apply the changes.
• 📱 Check the version. MIUI. On very old firmware (below) MIUI (10) another path may be required: Settings → The phone. → Core (press 7 times).
• 🔒 Turn off "Application Protection" in Settings → Annexes → Permissions: It can block changes in system parameters.
• 🌍 Change region. On some devices (e.g. Redmi Note 11 for India), the developer mode is hidden due to local restrictions. Try swapping region for Russia or Europe in Settings → Additionally. → Region.

If you are using a corporate device (e.g., Xiaomi Mi 11), access to the developer mode may be blocked through the device. MDM (In this case, only resetting to factory settings or contacting the administrator will help. IT-division.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi Mi) A3 Android One: Developer mode is activated in the standard way for pure Android: you need to tap on the version MIUI, a by the Assembly number in the section About the phone.

4.What settings in the developer mode can be changed without risk?

Now that you've finally found the developer mode, the big question is, what can you touch and what should you not touch? We've compiled a list of the most useful and safe options that the average user will need.

Safe settings (can be included safely):

• ⚡ Disable window animation (accelerates the interface)
• 🔄 Do not turn off the screen while charging (convenient for watching video)
• 📱 Allow secondary display imitation (necessary for streaming PC games)
• 🔊 Turn off absolute volume (fixes problems with Bluetooth headphones)
• 📶 Enable a cellular log (helps diagnose communication problems)

Dangerous settings (change only if you understand the consequences):

• ⚠️ Debugging by USB (Can open access to data when connecting to another PC)
• ⚠️ Unlocking OEM (It is necessary to unlock the bootloader, but reduces security)
• ⚠️ Background processes → No restrictions (increase battery consumption)
• ⚠️ GPU-acceleration → Forced (may cause artifacts in games)

Critical: The Do Not Disable Mobile Internet during a call (in the Cellular section) setting is useful for VoLTE, but on some firmware it causes communication loss after a call. Before changing, check if your carrier supports this feature.

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The most useful setup for most users is to disable window animation (path: For developers → Windows animation) and this will speed up the opening of applications by 20-30% without any risk.

5. Secret Chips of the Developer Mode on Xiaomi

Beyond the standard features, MIUI developer mode has unique features that few people know about.

Acceleration of charging (for supported models)

If your Xiaomi supports fast charging (like the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with 120W), but it’s slow, go to:

For developers → Charging → Include fast charging (force_fast_charge)

Note:

2 Unlock FPS in Games

On phones with 120Hz display (such as POCO F5 or Xiaomi 13), you can force a high refresh rate on all applications:

For developers → Hardware acceleration of visualization → Forced use of 120 Hz

⚠️ Note: This will increase battery consumption 15-20%. In some games (such as Genshin Impact) it can cause overheating.

3. Hidden Game Turbo Mode for any application

The Game Turbo feature in MIUI usually only works with games, but through the developer mode it can be enabled for any program (for example, for YouTube or Chrome):

For developers → Forced Game Turbo Enablement for All Apps

This will turn off notifications and optimize performance, just like in games.

Disabling advertising in MIUI (partial)

Although you can only remove ads in MIUI through ADB, there is an option in the developer mode that reduces the number of ads in MIUI:

For developers → Disable personalized advertising (Limit ad tracking)

This won’t remove all banners, but it will make them less intrusive.

6.How to turn off the developer mode on Xiaomi?

If you no longer need advanced settings or want to return the phone to factory state, you can deactivate the developer mode, which is easier than turning on:

1. Go to Settings. → For developers
2. In the upper right corner, press the switch (it will turn grey)
3. Confirm the action by clicking Disable

After that, the Developer section will disappear from the settings menu, but any changes you make (such as deactivated animations or USB debugging enabled) will remain active until the settings are reset.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 14 for Xiaomi 12S Ultra) Disabling the developer mode requires a reboot. Without it, some functions can continue to work in the background.

If you want to completely reset all the developer settings, do the following:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Settings → Storage → Clear data

This will return all system settings to default values (but will not affect user data).

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Working with the developer mode has a few pitfalls to be aware of in advance, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to solve them:

1.The phone stopped charging quickly after changing charging settings

If you're turning it on force_fast_charge, But now the phone is warming up or charging more slowly, so you can put it back to its original state and reboot the device:

For developers → Charging → Reset battery statistics

After the inclusion of “Compulsory” GPU-The game's acceleration started to slow down

This setting may conflict with specific game optimizations (like PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty). Disable it and check if performance has improved. If not, try clearing the graphics driver cache:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → All Apps → com.qualcomm.qti.gpu → Clear the cache

3. USB debugging doesn't work

If the computer does not see the device in debugging mode when connecting to the PC:

• Make sure that your PC has ADB drivers installed (you can download from Xiaomi or via Mi PC Suite)
• Check if File Transfer (MTP) is enabled when connecting via USB
• Reboot both devices

4. Developer settings disappeared after MIUI update

This is normal behavior – after major updates (for example, from MIUI 13 to MIUI 14), the system settings are reset. Just activate the developer mode again (7 clicks on the firmware version).

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If after changing the developer settings, the phone began to brake or overheat, the first thing to do is turn off the Forced Phone. GPU-Acceleration and background processes without constraints, 90% of the time, that solves the problem.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions