How to Open Developer Settings on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Modern Android smartphones, including Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, hide many powerful tools for advanced users, hidden by default from the eyes of the average user to prevent accidental changes in critical system settings. However, for full diagnosis, connection to a computer for debugging or fine-tuning performance, you need to access a hidden menu.

Opening this section doesn't require root rights or complex software. The whole procedure takes literally a few seconds and is done directly through the standard device settings menu, and enabling this option activates an engineering menu that gives control over the behavior of the MIUI or HyperOS operating system.

In this article, we will discuss in detail the algorithm of actions for activating hidden functions, consider the main settings that can be changed, and answer frequently asked questions. You will learn how to safely experiment with the system without violating warranty obligations and without risking the stability of the gadget.

Why you need an engineering menu on Android

The main purpose of the hidden settings section is to give app developers and engineers tools to test, but ordinary users can also find useful features here. USB, What is necessary for transferring files in specialized programs or for use ADB-team.

Another important feature is the management of interface animations. Standard transitions between windows in MIUI can seem slow. In a hidden menu, you can change the speed of the animation or turn it off altogether, which will visually speed up the smartphone, and there is a Wi-Fi debugging profile available, allowing you to get detailed information about the connection and signal.

And don't forget the backup function, because the standard backup menu is often limited, whereas in advanced settings, you can create full copies of applications along with their data, especially when you switch to a new phone or before you flash the device.

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Use the “Do not turn off screen” mode only when charging is connected to avoid deep battery discharge and degradation.

It is important to understand that changing certain parameters can lead to unstable system operation. For example, setting a limit of background processes below the required value can cause messengers to stop receiving notifications on time, so before making changes, it is worthwhile to study the functionality of each item.

Step-by-step activation instructions for MIUI and HyperOS

The process of enabling hidden capabilities on Xiaomi devices is unified for most models, regardless of the shell version. The algorithm of actions is simple and does not require special knowledge.

First, you need to open the main settings menu of your smartphone. Usually, the gear icon is located at the top of the screen or in the Tools folder. Find the About Phone (or About Device) section, which contains basic information about the model, Android version and build number.

Inside the About Phone section, find the MIUI Version line. You need to quickly click on this line 7 times in a row. You don't need to take breaks between taps, the rhythm should be fast. After 3-4 clicks, a pop-up message will appear "Push X more times" and then the system will ask you to enter the unlock password.

Once you enter your password, you will see a notification saying “You’ve become a developer!”. From now on, a new option will appear in the additional settings menu. If you have a new version of HyperOS installed, the system may additionally request a login to your Xiaomi account to confirm your actions, which is a security measure.

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To activate the developer mode, you need to quickly click 7 times on the item "Build number" in the "About phone" section.

It's worth noting that some global firmware versions may have slightly different paths, sometimes you need to go to Additional and then look for the right item, but 95% of the time, the circuit is still classic and works on all current models.

Where to look for hidden settings after switching on

After successfully activating the developer mode, the new partition does not appear on the main settings screen, but hides in submenu, so that the interface is not overloaded with unnecessary options for those who do not need them, and you can find it next way.

Go back to the main settings menu and scroll down to the Additional (or Advanced Settings) section, and you'll find a Developer's Device option on the list of options, and clicking on it will take you to a vast menu with dozens of different settings and switches.

So here, all the settings are divided into logical groups, and at the top are usually debugging tools, and below are the interface, hardware acceleration, and network settings, and beware, some of the items may have warning signs that indicate a potential risk of change.

For ease of navigation, there is often a search at the top of the screen. You can type in a keyword like "USB" or "animation" to quickly find the desired parameter without manually flipping through the long list, which is especially useful when you need to quickly change one particular setting.

Basic parameters for system setting

The developer section contains many options, but not all of them are needed by the average user.

First of all, you should pay attention to the drawing block, and here are the three parameters that control the speed of animation: window animation, transition animation, and animation duration. By default, they are set to 1x. Changing the value to 0.5x will make the interface more responsive and faster visually.

Another useful feature is to show touch, which when you turn it on, you get a white circle at the point where you touch your finger, which is convenient when you record training videos or screencasts, so that the audience can see where you're clicking.

• 📱 Do not turn off the screen: the display will not go out during charging, which is convenient when using a smartphone as a desktop clock or navigator.
• 🐛 Debugging by USB: allows the computer to have full access to the file system and Android commands, necessary for flashing.
• 🔄 Background process limit: allows you to limit the number of applications running in the background, which can save battery power, but will disrupt the work of messengers.

Also worth mentioning is the USB Configuration option. By default, the smartphone can only connect to charge. In this menu, you can force the File Transfer Mode (MTP) or MIDI if the automatic determination on the computer is not working correctly.

Table of popular settings and their impact

To better understand the impact of different parameters on the system, here is a table with the most commonly used options, which will help you navigate the abundance of technical terms.

Changes in the table are recommendatory, and for most users, the best option is to minimally interfere with the standard settings, except perhaps for animation speed.

Be careful with the items related to GPU Rendering. Forced processing. 2D-chart GPU can speed up the work of old games, and cause overheating of the processor on modern models.

Security measures and possible risks

While the advanced settings are officially open, this does not mean that any experiments are completely safe, but there are options on the developer menu that can cause software failure or even a “brick” of the device in rare cases.

⚠️ Note: Never change the settings associated with the screen resolution (Smallest width) if you do not know the exact values for your model. Too big or too small can make the interface unreadable or completely unworkable, and it will be difficult to return everything back without resetting the settings.

Another risk is USB debugging. If you turn on this feature and connect your smartphone to a public charger at an airport or cafe, attackers could theoretically access your data.Always turn off debugging when it's not in use.

⚠️ Attention: The "Absolute Volume Minimum" function can remove software restrictions on quiet sound, but if used carelessly, there is a risk of damaging speakers or hearing with a sharp jump in volume when connecting the headset.

It is also not recommended to keep the "Do not turn off the screen" mode on all the time without needing. This leads to excessive heating of the matrix and can cause burnout of pixels on the screen. AMOLED-screens used in Xiaomi flagship models and POCO.

If after changing the settings, the smartphone began to work unstable, freeze or restart, the first thing to do is return all the parameters in the developer menu to the default values. At the bottom of the list, there is usually a button to reset all debugging settings.

How to turn off the developer mode

If you have completed all the necessary actions (for example, transferred files or made a backup) and no longer need access to the hidden menu, it can be easily deactivated.This will return the settings menu to its original appearance and turn off background debugging services.

To do this, go to Settings → Additional → Developer. At the top of the screen is the master switch. Transfer it to the Off position. After that, all the settings inside the partition will reset, and the item will disappear from the "Additional" menu.

Reactivation is done in the same way: seven-click on the build number, which allows you to flexibly manage access to tools, including them only for the time necessary.

Regularly checking the status of this switch is a good habit to keep the device safe, and make sure that mode is off before handing the phone over to another person or getting it repaired.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)