Developer mode on Xiaomi: how to turn it on and why it is needed

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO are powered by MIUI, which hides many useful features from ordinary users, including a developer mode that allows access to advanced system settings, USB debugging, changing animations, and even unlocking the bootloader. Without it, you can’t install custom software, test apps through ADB, or optimize device performance.

Many users are afraid to activate this mode for fear of breaking the phone or losing the warranty. In fact, turning on the developer mode is a completely safe procedure that does not entail any negative consequences unless you change critical system parameters. Moreover, some functions (for example, OEM Unlock to unlock the bootloader) are simply not available without first activating this mode.

In this article, we will discuss in detail how to turn on the developer mode on any Xiaomi smartphone (including models from 2023-2026), what settings become available after activation, and what you should pay attention to not to disrupt the device.

What is a developer mode and why it is needed

Developer Mode is a hidden Android settings section designed to test, debug, and fine-tune the system, which appears after a specific sequence of actions is performed and provides access to parameters that are usually hidden from the average user.

On Xiaomi smartphones, this mode is especially useful, as MIUI has many default limitations, for example, without developer mode, you can not:

• 🔧 Turn on Debugging. USB work-in ADB and Fastboot
• 🔓 Unlock the loader (OEM Unlock) for custom firmware installation
• ⚡ Change the speed of interface animation (accelerate or slow transitions)
• 📡 Manually choose the type of network (2G/3G/4G/5G) switching-over
• 🛠️ Turn off background processes to save battery power

In addition, the developer mode allows you to turn on the error log, test applications in Strict Mode (selects the screen when you load the CPU), and activate Force GPU Rendering to speed up graphics in games. However, it is worth remembering that some settings can lead to unstable operation of the device if you change them without understanding the consequences.

Preparing a smartphone before turning on the developer mode

Before you activate developer mode, make sure your Xiaomi smartphone is ready for it. Here are a few key points:

• 🔋 The battery level should be at least 30% (recommended 50%+). This will prevent the device from suddenly shutting down during the change of settings.
• 📱 Update. MIUI In older firmware, the path to developer mode may be different and some features may not be available.
• 🔒 Unlock the screen (turn off Smart Lock or other automatic unlocks) as the system may require a password to be entered/PIN-code.
• 📡 Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network or mobile Internet. some settings (for example, OEM Unlock requires verification through Xiaomi servers.

It’s also worth considering that some models (such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12) may display a warning about potential risks after activation of the developer mode.

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If you plan to unlock the bootloader, link your Mi Account to the device in advance. Without this step, OEM Unlock will not be available!

Step-by-step: how to turn on the developer mode on Xiaomi

The process of activating the developer mode on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones is the same, regardless of the model and version of MIUI.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen or in the app menu).
2. Scroll down and select About Phone (on some firmware - About Device).
3. Find the MIUI version string and click on it 7 times in a row, and the system starts counting: "You're halfway to becoming a developer!"
4. After the seventh press, a notification will appear: "You became a developer!".
5. Return to the main Settings menu – there will be a new section Additional settings → Developer settings.

If you can’t find the MIUI version, try an alternative route:

Settings → System → About the device → Information about the software → MIUI version

A new section appeared in the settings|The system does not issue errors when clicking on "Version" MIUI"|The device does not reboot spontaneously|All functions (USB-debugging, OEM Unlock available-->

Important! On some models (such as the POCO F5 or Xiaomi 12T) after activation of the developer mode, it may be necessary to reboot the device so that all settings appear correctly.

Where to find the developer settings after activation

Once the developer mode is successfully enabled, the new partition may be in different places depending on the version of MIUI.

If you can’t find a section, use the built-in search in Settings: enter the query “Developer options” or “Developer” in English.

What settings can be changed (and which ones are better not to touch)

Developer mode allows you to access dozens of settings, but not all of them are safe to change, and below we will discuss the most useful and dangerous settings.

Safe settings (can be changed)

• 🔌 Debugging by USB — necessary for the operation of ADB and Fastboot.
• ⚡ Windows animation, transition animation – can be reduced to 0.5x speed up the interface.
• 📶 Do not turn off the screen while charging – useful for testing.
• 🔒 OEM Unlock – required to unlock the bootloader (but requires Mi Account binding).
• 📊 Process statistics – shows which applications consume the most resources.

Dangerous settings (change with caution)

• ⚠️ Failure to save transactions – may result in data loss.
• ⚠️ Disable the absolute position of the pointer - will break the touchscreen.
• ⚠️ Background Limit Process – Wrong Values Will Cause Lags.
• ⚠️ GPU-Acceleration – can lead to graphic artifacts.

⚠️ Attention! Changes in the settings Minimum width (in the Scaling section) can cause the interface to display incorrectly. If the screen becomes blurry or elements overlap, return the value to the standard (360dp or 411dp model-wise).

The only setting that can block the device is to disable MIUI verification (if you have it in your firmware), which will make it impossible to boot the system without resetting via Fastboot.

How to turn off the developer mode on Xiaomi

If you no longer need advanced settings, you can deactivate the developer mode.

1. Open Settings → Additional settings → Developer settings.
2. In the upper right corner, press the switch (it should turn grey).
3. Confirm the disconnection by pressing OK in the window that appears.

After that, the Developer Settings section will disappear from the Settings menu, and you will have to re-click on the MIUI version 7 times to return it.

⚠️ Warning! Disabling the developer mode will not reset the parameters you have changed (for example, animation speed or onset). USB-To get it back to normal, you'll have to manually reset the settings or do a complete reset.

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Developer mode does not affect the Xiaomi warranty unless you have changed critical system settings (for example, you have not unlocked the bootloader or flashed custom software).

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

When you activate the developer mode, users often encounter problems, and here are the most common ones and how to fix them:

If after turning on the developer mode, the phone began to brake or overheat, check if you accidentally activated:

• 🔥 Do not turn off background processes (overloading) RAM)
• 🔄 GPU-speed-up 2D-rendering (may cause artifacts)
• 📉 Background Process Limit (set too low threshold)

FAQ: Answers to popular questions