Xiaomi Redmi 9A Developer Menu: How to Enable and Use Hidden Features

Developer mode on Xiaomi smartphones is a powerful tool that allows you to access hidden settings MIUI and Android. On the Redmi 9A model (codenamed dandelion), this mode allows you to speed up animations, debug applications, enable debugging over USB and even unlock additional CPU functions. But how to activate it if it is not in the standard settings?

Many users mistakenly think that to turn on developer mode, you need to install custom firmware or get root rights. In fact, it's much easier: just make a few clicks in the right order. However, there are nuances that you should know about in advance, such as why after updating MIUI menus can disappear or how to return it back without resetting.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways to open a developer menu on Redmi 9A, including alternative methods for cases where the standard path doesn’t work, and you’ll learn which settings to change first and which ones to avoid, so as not to disturb the stability of the system.

Why you need a developer mode on Xiaomi Redmi 9A

Developer mode isn't just a secret menu for geeks; it's useful even for regular users if you know how to use it, and here are the main reasons why you should activate it:

• ⚡ Speed up the interface: you can disable or reduce the animation transitions, which will make the smartphone noticeably faster (especially relevant for Redmi). 9A with its modest 2GB of RAM).
• 🔧 Debugging by USB: Without this mode, it is impossible to connect the phone to ADB Advanced data setup or recovery.
• 📡 Hidden network settings: for example, forced activation 4G instead 3G or the choice of a network type for a particular SIM.
• 🔒 Unlocking the bootloader: the first step to install custom firmware or obtain root rights.
• 📱 Emulation of other devices: You can make apps “think” you have another smartphone (useful for testing or circumventing regional restrictions).

But there's a flip side to this: careless changes to this menu can cause the phone to run unstable, overheat, or even lose warranty. For example, if you manually restrict background processes or change the GPU settings, the system may start to brake or reboot.

On the Redmi 9A with the MediaTek Helio G25 processor, it is particularly dangerous to change the settings associated with the CPU and GPU - this can cause overheating due to a weak cooling system.

Standard way to enable developer mode

On the Xiaomi Redmi 9A, the developer menu is hidden by default, but it is easy to activate through standard settings.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Scroll down and select About Phone.
3. Find the MIUI version and click on it 7 times in a row.
4. After a few clicks, a notification will appear: “You are almost there!”
5. Keep pressing until you see the message: “You’ve become a developer!”

If done correctly, a new item will appear in the main settings menu — Additional → Developer Forms. On some versions of MIUI, it may simply be called Developer Forms.

Check the MIUI version (must be at least 12.0)

Charge your phone at least 30%

Make sure there are no active system updates

Make a backup copy of important data-->

Important: If nothing happens after 7 taps, check if the phone has a child mode or guest profile installed – they can block access to hidden settings. Also make sure that you click on the MIUI Version, and not on other items.

Alternative ways of inclusion (if the standard does not work)

Sometimes the standard method doesn't work, like when you reset your settings or update your firmware, and you can try alternatives like this:

Method 1: Through ADB (for advanced users)

If you have a computer and have ADB drivers installed, do:

adb shell settings put global development_settings_enabled 1


adb shell am broadcast -a com.android.settings.APPLICATION_DEVELOPMENT_SETTINGS

After that, the developer menu should appear in the settings.

Method 2: Engineering menu (MediaTek only)

On the Redmi 9A with the MediaTek Helio G25 processor, you can try:

1. Open the phone app.
2. Enter the code: ##36446337##.
3. In the engineering menu, find the Development item and activate it.

Warning: The engineering menu contains settings that can permanently shut down your phone if you don't change them correctly, and without a clear understanding of what you're doing, you better not experiment.

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If neither method works, check if the phone has firmware from a third party (such as a carrier) that often blocks access to developer mode.

Where is the developer menu after activation?

After successful activation, you can find the developer menu in two ways:

1. Through basic settings: Open Settings. Select Additional (or System on newer versions of MIUI). Find Developer.
2. Search: At the top of the settings screen, click on the magnifying glass icon. Enter the query: for developers. Select the item you find.

On some versions of MIUI (e.g. MIUI 12.5 or MIUI 13), the menu may be hidden deeper. If you don't see it in Additional, try:

• 🔍 Go to Settings. → System system → Advanced settings.
• 🔧 Check the Device Settings section.

If the menu disappears after the MIUI update, it will have to be activated again – updates often reset this setting.

What settings in the developer menu can be safely changed

Not all settings on the developer menu are equally useful, but here are the safe settings that can be changed without risk to the system:

Here are some dangerous settings that you should not touch without need:

• ⚠️ OEM unlocking – can cause a phone to reset.
• ⚠️ Minimum width – an incorrect value will break the interface.
• ⚠️ Turn off the absolute volume level – can damage the speakers.
• ⚠️ GPU-Acceleration – the wrong parameters will cause overheating.

⚠️ Attention: Redmi 9A change CPU or GPU This can cause permanent damage to the processor due to a weak cooling system. If you're not sure what you're doing, leave those settings unchanged.

How to turn off the developer menu (if you no longer need it)

If you no longer plan on using the developer mode, you can deactivate it.

1. Go to Settings. → Additionally. → For developers.
2. In the upper right corner, press the switch (it will turn gray).
3. Confirm the blackout.

After that, the menu will disappear from the settings. To return it back, you will have to repeat the activation procedure (7 taps on the MIUI version).

If you want to completely reset all the changes made in developer mode, do:

adb shell settings reset global

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

⚠️ Warning: Turning off the developer menu doesn't reset the changes you've made to it! For example, if you turn off the animation, it'll stay off even after the mode is deactivated. To get it back, you'll have to manually return each parameter.

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Turning off the developer menu does not remove the changes made to it. To return the factory settings, use the command adb shell settings reset global or reset the phone to the factory settings (with loss of data).

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When working with the developer menu on Redmi 9A, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

• 🔄 The menu disappeared after the update MIUI: Solution: Re-activate it (7 clicks on Version) MIUI). Updates often drop this flag.
• 🔒 Cannot enable OEM unlock: Solution: Link your Mi Account to your phone and wait 7 days (Xiaomi requirement to unlock the bootloader).

Another common mistake is to turn on Do not turn off the screen permanently, resulting in rapid battery drain and screen wear, and use this option only when necessary (e.g. while navigating in the car).

If after changes to the developer menu, the phone started to slow down or restart, try:

1. Return all settings in the developer menu to factory.
2. Clear the cache through Settings → Storage → Clear the cache.
3. Perform a reset (without deleting data) through Settings → System → Reset settings.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions