How to turn on the developer mode on Xiaomi Redmi 9A: detailed instructions with pictures and tips

The developer mode on Xiaomi Redmi 9A is a hidden settings section that gives access to dozens of additional features, from speeding up interface animation to debugging over USB and managing background processes. Many users do not even know it exists, although it can significantly improve the performance of a smartphone, for example, it can disable unnecessary system applications, speed up charging or unlock the customization capabilities that Xiaomi hides in the standard interface.

In this article, we will not just show you how to turn on the developer mode on Redmi. 9A, But we'll also explain which settings to change first and which ones to avoid, so you don't have to change the system's stability, and you'll also learn how to return the factory settings to the developer mode if the smartphone starts to work incorrectly after the experiments. MIUI, including the latest updates to 2026.

What is a developer mode and why you need it on Redmi 9A

Developer Mode is a special section in Android settings designed to test and debug applications. On Xiaomi Redmi 9A, it is hidden by default, since most features are designed for advanced users or developers.

• ⚡ Speed up the interface – you can turn off animation transitions between screens, which will make the smartphone more responsive.
• 🔧 Debugging by USB — It is necessary to connect to the PC through ADB (For example, to unlock the loader or install custom firmware).
• 📱 Background Process Control – Restricting the activity of applications that consume battery in the background.
• 🔒 Unlocking Hidden Functions MIUI — For example, enable the option “Do not turn off the screen while charging” or change the screen resolution.

It is important to understand that not all features of the developer mode are safe. Some settings can cause a smartphone to crash, increase battery consumption or even lose warranty if you change system settings.

Step-by-step: how to turn on the developer mode on Redmi 9A

Activation of the developer mode on Xiaomi Redmi 9A takes less than a minute, if you know the right sequence of actions, the main thing is not to miss a single step, since the system requires accurate execution of the instructions.

1. Open the Settings app on the home screen or in the app menu.
2. Scroll down and select About Phone (may be called About Device in some versions of MIUI).
3. Find the MIUI version line and click on it 7 times in a row, and after each click, a pop-up notification will appear, saying, "6 steps left," "5 steps left," and so on.
4. On the 7th tap, you will see a message: You are a developer! or Developer Mode is activated.
5. Return to the main Settings menu, and a new section will appear — Additional → Developers (or just Developers, depending on the version of MIUI).

If nothing happens after 7 taps, check:

• 📱 Are you clicking on the Version? MIUI, not on other lines (e.g., "Device Model" or "Assembly Number").
• 🔄 Reboot the smartphone and try again - sometimes the system "forgets" the counter of pressing.
• 🔒 Make sure you don’t have third-party launchers (like Nova Launcher) installed that can block access to system settings.

Once activated successfully, the Developer Fork will be available permanently, even after rebooting or resetting (unless you make a full factory reset), but some features inside it may be blocked until you unlock the bootloader or get root rights.

Where is the developer mode after activation

Once you turn on the developer mode, you can still find it in the settings, depending on the MIUI version on your Redmi 9A, the location may be slightly different.

If you don’t see the Developer section even after successful activation, try:

1. Use the search by settings (the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner) and enter the query "developer".
2. Reboot your smartphone – sometimes the partition appears only after the reboot.
3. Update MIUI to the latest version via Settings → System Update.

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If the Developer section is missing after the MIUI update, repeat the activation procedure (7 clicks according to MIUI), sometimes the system resets this option after major updates.

What settings in the developer mode can be changed and which ones can not

The Redmi 9A’s developer mode contains more than 50 different options, but not all of them are safe to change, and we’ve broken them down into three categories below: useful for ordinary users, experienced users only, and dangerous (which can disrupt a smartphone).

✅ Safe settings (can be changed)

• 🎯 Windows animation, transition animation, animation duration - reduction to 0.5x or shutting down will speed up the interface.
• 🔋 Do not turn off the screen while charging – useful for reading or watching videos when connecting to the network.
• 📶 Turn it on. 4G instead LTE — Improves the stability of mobile internet in some regions.
• 🔊 Turn off absolute volume – fixes volume control problems in Bluetooth headphones.

⚠️ Settings for experienced users (change with caution)

• 🔌 Debugging by USB — necessary for the operation of ADB, but opens access to system files (the risk of viruses when connecting to unfamiliar PCs).
• 📱 Allow unlocking OEM — required to unlock the bootloader, but resets all data on the phone.
• 🔄 Background processes – limiting the amount can save battery life, but some applications will close more often.
• 🖥️ GPU-acceleration - forced GPU rendering can speed up rendering, but will also increase the load on the processor.

❌ Dangerous settings (not recommended to be changed)

• 🚫 Disable the check MIUI — It can cause malfunctions in the shell.
• 🔥 Secondary display simulation – an experimental feature, often evokes artifacts on the screen.
• 💀 Choice Dalvik/ART — Changing the application runtime environment can make the smartphone inoperable.
• 🔧 Change of change DPI Screen – Incorrect values will lead to interface distortion and errors in applications.

⚠️ Note: Changing the settings in the Network section (e.g. Preferred network type) may result in loss of mobile signal. If the smartphone stops catching the network after the changes, reset the settings APN manually through settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Access points (APN).

How to turn off developer mode on Redmi 9A

If you no longer need the developer mode features, or want to return your smartphone to factory security settings, you can turn it off. There are two ways:

Method 1: Through settings (soft shutdown)

1. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
2. In the upper right corner, press the switch (it should turn grey).
3. Confirm the action in the window that appears.

After that, the section will remain in the settings, but all changes will be reset to the default values.

Method 2: Complete reset (hard shutdown)

If you want to completely remove the partition from the settings, you will have to reset to factory settings:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Reset All Settings (not to be confused with Reset Media or Network Reset).
3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

⚠️ Warning: Full reset will remove all data from your smartphone, including photos, contacts and apps. Before the procedure, back up through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When working with the developer mode on Redmi 9A, users often encounter common errors, and here are the most common ones and how to fix them:

Problem 1: Developer mode is not activated after 7 clicks

Reason: This is most often due to:

• 📱 Clicking on the wrong line (for example, "Assembly Number" instead of "Version" MIUI").
• 🔄 System failure (solved by rebooting).
• 🔒 Corporate policy restrictions (if the smartphone is managed through the MDM).

Decision:

1. Make sure you click on the MIUI version (not the Android version or build number).
2. Reboot your smartphone and try again.
3. Check if the device has MDM (Device Management Through Organization) profiles installed.

Problem 2: The Developer section is missing after the update

The reason: Xiaomi sometimes resets access to developer mode after major MIUI updates.

Solution: Repeat the activation procedure (7 taps on the MIUI version) If it does not help:

• 🔄 Make a cache reset via Recovery (Power) + Volume Up with the phone turned off).
• 📥 Install the update manually through Settings → Updating the system → Three points. → Select the update file.

Problem 3: After changes in the mode of the developer smartphone began to slow down

Reason: Most often this is due to:

• 🎯 Changes in animation or rendering parameters (e.g. forced) GPU rendering).
• 🔋 Limitation of background processes, which is why systems cannot work normally.
• 📶 Incorrect network settings (e.g. forced use) 2G).

Decision:

1. Return all the changed settings to the original state (or turn off the developer mode completely).
2. Reboot your smartphone in Safe Mode (hold the power button → long tap on "Switch off" → "Reboot in Safe Mode") and check if the brakes will remain.
3. If the problem has not gone away, make a cache reset via Recovery.

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If your smartphone stops turning on after a change in the developer mode, try Recovery (Power + Volume Up) and make Wipe Cache Partition. This won’t delete your data, but it can make it work again.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions