How to open developer options on Android Xiaomi: a complete guide with pictures

The hidden developer settings on Xiaomi smartphones provide access to dozens of additional features, from animation acceleration to USB debugging. Without them, you can’t unlock the bootloader, test new MIUI features or optimize performance. But the manufacturer deliberately hides this section — and for good reason: the wrong settings can lead to system failures or even a “brick” of the device.

In this article, you will find current ways to enable the developer mode on all Xiaomi, Redmi and other models. POCO (including new devices MIUI 15), and also the solution to typical problems. We'll look at why sometimes the "Build Number" item is not on the menu, what to do if the system does not respond to taps, and how to return everything back without resetting" MIUI, which are not available on other Android devices, such as the hidden menu of engineering settings.

Why you need the developer parameters on Xiaomi

Developer mode is not just a secret menu for geeks, but it can be useful even for ordinary users to:

• 🔧 Speed up the interface – disabling animations makes the smartphone noticeably faster (especially relevant for the budget Redmi Note 12 or POCO M6)
• 🔄 Debugging by USB — Without this, you will not be able to flash the device through fastboot or use it. ADB
• 📱 Unlocking the bootloader is the first step to install custom firmware such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience
• 🔍 Diagnostics of problems – here you can include an error log or check the use of the GPU
• 🎮 Gaming Optimizations – Forced Use GPU for 2D-rendering or disabling the restriction FPS

But there is a downside: some settings can disrupt the stability of the device, such as activating the “Do not turn off screen while charging” option reduces battery life, and changing Wi-Fi settings can lead to connection problems, which is why Xiaomi hides this partition by default.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI Global Stable: Some developer settings may be blocked by the manufacturer, such as the option "Unlock". OEM" Often not available on official firmware for the European market.

Official method of inclusion (MIUI 14/15)

The classic method works on 90% of Xiaomi devices, including the latest models like Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Redmi K70 Pro.

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the home screen)
2. Go to About Phone (usually at the bottom)
3. Find the MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row
4. After the notification “You became a developer!” return to the main settings menu

Now in Settings → a new section will appear for developers. On some firmware, it may be called "Developer Settings" or "Developer Mode".

New section appears in settings |System issues developer status notification |Assite "Assembly Number" is no longer active for taps |A debugging icon has appeared in the status bar (if enabled)

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Nana POCO-The path may be slightly different: sometimes the "version" MIUI" hidden in Settings → The phone. → All the characteristics. POCO F5 or POCO X6 Pro, check both options.

Xiaomi 13/14 series |Redmi Note 12/13|POCO F/X series |Redmi K60/K70| Other model |I don't know

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Alternative methods for problem cases

Sometimes the standard way doesn't work, and here are the typical reasons and solutions.

For devices with MIUI China ROM (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro for the Chinese market), you may need to:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone


2. Stick 10 times on the Kernel version




3. Return and tap 7 times on "Assembly Number"

Hidden features of the developer mode on Xiaomi

In addition to the standard options, Xiaomi devices have unique features:

• 🔄 Resetting the bootloader unlock counter – a hidden item in the developer menu (appears after 30 days of waiting)
• 📡 Advanced network settings – forced network type selection (2G/3G/4G/5G) Even if the operator does not support
• 🔋 Charging control – limiting the maximum battery charge level (useful for extending the life of the battery)
• 🎯 Sensor test – check the operation of a gyroscope, accelerometer and other sensors without third-party applications

The Force GPU rendering option is especially useful for devices with MediaTek processors (e.g. Redmi Note 12 5G), which can significantly improve performance in games, but increases battery consumption by 15-20%.

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On devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T) In the developer settings, you can enable Force dark mode even for applications that do not officially support it.

Security: What can be broken and what can’t be broken

Some settings can permanently damage the system, and here's something you should not touch without experience:

• ⚠️ Disable HW overlays – can lead to graphic artifacts
• ⚠️ Force 4x MSAA — heavily increases the load GPU
• ⚠️ Background process limit – an incorrect value will cause constant reboots of applications
• ⚠️ Disable permissions monitoring – disables malware protection

Safe for experimentation options:

• ✅ Window animation scale/Transition Animation scale – speeding up the interface
• ✅ Stay awake – the screen does not turn off when charging (useful for developers)
• ✅ USB Debugging – necessary to work with ADB
• ✅ OEM Unlocking – only if you plan to unlock the bootloader

⚠️ Note: On devices with HyperOS (the new shell from Xiaomi), some developer parameters may work differently than on the classic one. MIUI. For example, the Force peak refresh rate option on Xiaomi 14 with HyperOS can cause the screen to overheat when used for long periods of time.

How to turn off the developer mode

If the developer parameters are no longer needed, they can be deactivated:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → For Developers
2. At the top of the screen, move the "On" slider to the "Off" position.
3. Confirm the action (a password may be required)

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI EU), the section will disappear from the menu completely, and to return it back, you will have to repeat the activation procedure through the "Assembly Number".

To completely reset all the changed parameters:

1. Open Settings → Memory → Resetting settings


2. Select "Reset all settings" (without deleting data)




3. Confirm the action

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Disabling the developer mode does not reset the settings you changed – they will remain active until manually reset or update the firmware.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even experienced users sometimes face problems, and here are the most common ones:

If after changing the developer’s parameters, the device began to overheat or discharge quickly, check:

• Force GPU rendering on weak devices (Redmi 9A, POCO C50)
• Is there a background process limit?
• Don’t keep activities activated – it kills all background processes

FAQ: Answers to popular questions