Xiaomi’s editing mode: how to open hidden settings and features

Have you ever encountered a situation where your Xiaomi menu lacks the right options, or wanted to change the system settings that the manufacturer hid from ordinary users? Editing mode (also known as developer mode or engineering menu) is your key to the advanced capabilities of Xiaomi devices, whether it is a smartphone on the Internet. MIUI/HyperOS or Android TV TV. But the manufacturer does not advertise this functionality - it needs to be specifically activated.

In this article, we’ll break down all the official and secure ways to open editing mode on different Xiaomi devices, including smartphones (Redmi, POCO, Mi, tablets (Pad) and TVs (Mi) TV). You will learn how to turn on the debugging USB, Accessing hidden screen settings, changing processor performance, or even unlocking factory restrictions without risking damage to your device, and we’ll also warn you of common bugs that can turn your gadget into a brick».

What is the editing mode on Xiaomi and why you need it

Editing Mode is a collective name for several hidden features in Xiaomi firmware:

• 🔧 Developer Options is a standard Android feature that allows you to access debugging, animation settings, background process limitations and other technical parameters.
• 📱 Engineering menu (#4636##) – a hidden service menu for network, battery and sensor diagnostics.
• 🖥️ Hidden settings MIUI/HyperOS — Additional options that Xiaomi hides from ordinary users (for example, screen calibration or color profile settings).
• 🔄 Fastboot and Recovery – modes for firmware and system recovery that require unlocking the bootloader.

Why would you need that?

• ⚡ Speed up the device by disabling unnecessary animations or background processes.
• 🔊 Customize the sound through a uniform equalizer (in some models it is hidden).
• 📶 Forced to turn on 4G/5G on networks where the smartphone automatically switches to 3G.
• 🔋 Extend battery life by limiting maximum charge to 80%.
• 🎮 Activate Game Mode with Advanced Performance Settings.

⚠️ Note: Some settings in editing mode may disrupt the stability of the device or even lead to loss of warranty (CPU) graphical accelerator (GPU) without understanding the consequences is fraught with overheating and sudden reboots.

How to open the developer mode on Xiaomi smartphones (MIUI/HyperOS)

The easiest and safest way to access advanced settings is to activate developer mode, a feature found on all Xiaomi smartphones, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 13 and other models on the MIUI 14 or HyperOS.

The instructions are universal for all firmware versions, but the path to the menu may vary slightly.

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the About Phone (or About Device) section.
3. Find the item Version. MIUI (or HyperOS version) and press it 7 times in a row.
4. After a few clicks, a notification will appear: “You became a developer!”
5. Return to the main Settings menu – there will be a new section Additional → For developers.

If you have HyperOS (new firmware for Xiaomi 14 flagships and POCO F6), The path may look like this: Settings → The phone. → Information on POs → The assembly number (stamp it 7 times).

Check the battery power (minimum 30%)

Connect to Wi-Fi (for downloading additional tools)

Remember the password from the Mi Account (you will need to unlock the bootloader)

Backup of important data-->

After activation in the menu, options will be available for developers:

• 🔌 Debugging by USB — plug-in ADB and computer tools like XiaomiTool.
• 🔄 Unlocking OEM — necessary for the firmware of custom recavers (TWRP) orthing.
• 🖥️ Simmulating additional displays – useful for multitasking testing.
• 📡 Network type selection – forced transition to 2G/3G/4G/5G.

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If nothing happens after 7 taps, check if you have guest mode or parental controls enabled – they block access to hidden settings.

Hidden codes for the engineering menu on Xiaomi

In addition to the developer mode, Xiaomi smartphones have an engineering menu – a diagnostic tool for testing hardware components. USSD-codes or combinations in the phone application.

Here are the main codes and their purpose:

To open the engineering menu:

1. Open the standard phone application.
2. Enter one of the codes above (as if dialing a number).
3. The menu will open automatically – no additional action is required.

⚠️ Warning: Do not change the settings in the engineering menu unless you are sure of their purpose! For example, incorrectly configuring Band Selection (selecting network frequencies) can lead to loss of communication with the operator.

Speed up the work of the smartphone

Extend the life of the battery

Unlock the loader for firmware

Set up the screen (colors, resolutions)

Other-->

How to Enable Editing Mode on Xiaomi TVs (Mi) TV)

Xiaomi Mi TVs TV (including the Mi models TV 4S, Mi TV Q1, Mi TV A2) They also have hidden settings, but the process of activating them is different from smartphones. Here the editing mode is called "Developer Mode for Android". TV» and opens access to:

• 📺 Settings. HDMI-CEC (Controlling other devices through a single remote).
• 🔊 Advanced sound parameters (e.g., Dolby Atmos on unoptimized models).
• 🖥️ Ability to install applications from unknown sources (APK).
• 🔄 Compulsory update of the firmware through ADB.

To activate the developer mode on Mi TV:

1. Open the settings (cog button on the remote).
2. Go to About the device (or About the TV).
3. Find the line Build Number (or Android version) TV) And press it 7 times.
4. After the notification “You became a developer!”, return to the main settings menu.
5. Now there will be a new section for developers (may be in the Additional or System).

Inside the Developer Menu on Mi TV particularly useful:

• 🔌 Debugging by USB — Connect to a computer and install applications through ADB.
• 📦 Unknown sources – installation permit APK-Files (for example, for Kodi or SmartTubeNext).
• 🔄 Forced app stops – useful if some app freezes.

Unlock the bootloader and access to Fastboot on Xiaomi

If you need not just edit settings, but stitch custom recovery (for example, TWRP) Or installing an informal firmware (like LineageOS) requires unlocking the bootloader, which is more complicated than activating the developer mode, and it has risks:

• 🚨 Reset to factory settings (all data will be deleted).
• 🔓 Loss of warranty (if the device is under warranty).
• 💥 Risk of "bricking" (turning the device into a "brick") with errors during firmware.

The process of unlocking the bootloader on Xiaomi consists of several stages:

1. Linking a Mi Account to a device: 📱 Go to Settings. → Mi Account → Linking your account to your device. 🔑 Enter your username and password from your Xiaomi account (it must be created in advance!).
2. Activation of debugging by USB and unlock OEM: 🔧 Enable Developer Mode (as described above). 🔓 In the menu For developers activate options: Debugging by USB Unlocking OEM
3. Use of Mi Unlock utility: 💻 Download the official Mi Unlock Tool from the site en.miui.com/unlock. 🔌 Connect your phone to your computer in Fastboot mode (clip Volume Down) + Power with the phone turned off). 🖱️ Launch the Mi Unlock Tool, log in to your Mi Account and follow the program instructions.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi has introduced a limit on unlocking the bootloader - after linking the account to the device, you must wait 7 days (168 hours) before the first unlock. This rule has been in effect since 2022 and applies to all models, including the Redmi Note 11, POCO X4 newer.

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Unlocking the bootloader is an irreversible process, and even if you then lock it back, some features (e.g. Mi Pay or Widevine) are not available. L1 for Netflix HD) They may stop working.

Hidden settings MIUI/HyperOS: changeable

After activation of the developer mode in firmware MIUI And HyperOS is getting dozens of hidden options, and we've put together some of the most useful ones, the ones that will actually make your device work better.

1. Accelerating animation and increasing responsiveness

By default. MIUI Uses animation of transitions with duration 1x. It can be accelerated or turned off completely:

• 🔧 Go to Settings. → Additionally. → For developers.
• 📉 Find the settings: Windows animation scale - install 0.5x Or turn it off. The transition animation scale is the same. The animation duration scale is reduced to 0.5x.

2. Limitation of background processes

If your smartphone is slowing down due to the large number of running applications, you can limit their number:

• 🔧 In the Developer Menu, find Process Limitation.
• 📱 Select Process Maximum 2 (for weak devices) or Process Maximum 4 (for flagships).

3. Forced activation 4G/5G

If the smartphone is constantly switching to 3G or 2G, You can only use modern networks:

• 🔧 In the Developer Menu, find the Network Type (or Set Preferred Network Type).
• 📶 Choose. LTE only (only) 4G) or NR/LTE (5G + 4G).

4. Customize the color profile of the screen

Xiaomi hides the advanced screen settings, but you can turn them on:

• 🔧 Go to Settings. → Screen.
• 🖥️ Click on Color Scheme (or Color Style) several times and additional profiles will open (sRGB, DCIP3).

Important: On some models (for example, POCO F5 or Redmi K60) If you change your color profile, you can get lost in the automatic brightness calibration. To get it back, reset the screen settings in the Settings menu. → System system → Resetting settings → Resetting screen settings.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Working with editing mode is fraught with errors that can lead to unstable operation of the device. Here are the most common problems and their solutions:

If after changes in the editing mode, the device began to behave unstable (spontaneous reboots, lags, overheating), the first thing to do is:

1. Return all the changed parameters to the original state.
2. If you do not remember what it was changed, reset the developer settings: Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Resetting settings.
3. In extreme cases, perform a soft reset (Settings). → The phone. → Resetting settings), but it will delete all user data.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions