Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones who want to gain full control of their device sooner or later face the need to activate a hidden menu. The standard interface of the MIUI shell or HyperOS hides many useful features that are not visible to the average user. It is in the settings section for developers that the controls are located to speed up the interface, debug applications or connect the phone to the computer for deep diagnostics.
But you can't just find it on the menu -- it's hidden by default for security reasons. Many users mistakenly search for it in deep subcategories, unaware of the simple activation trick. In this article, we'll go into detail on the on-line process, explain the assignment of basic parameters, and warn of the risks of rash changes to the system.
Before you start modifying your system settings, you need to understand that you are accessing tools for engineers. Incorrectly changing the debugging settings can lead to operating system instability or loss of data. So follow the instructions carefully and do not change the values of parameters that you do not know the purpose of.
What is hidden in the developer menu
The developer section is not just a set of random switches, but a powerful toolkit for controlling Android behavior, where you can force background processes to stop, zoom in fonts, or turn on real-time Internet speed display, and for advanced users, it's the ability to fine-tune a smartphone to your needs without getting root rights.
One of the most popular features is USB debugging, which allows you to transfer data between your computer and your phone at a low level, install apps directly from ADB, or make full backups of your system. Without activating this mode, many PC phone management programs simply won't see your device.
And there are settings that affect visual performance, like shortening window animations and transitions, which subjectively makes MIUI work faster and more responsive, especially in the past, where CPU resources are not as big.
The danger of changing the limit of background processes
Step-by-step instructions for activating the mode
The process of turning on the hidden menu on Xiaomi devices is standardized and takes only a few seconds. You do not need to connect a cable or use third-party software - everything is done with the usual system tools.
First, open the main settings menu of your device. Find the About Phone section, which is usually at the top of the list. Inside this section, you need to find the MIUI version (or OS version in new firmware) bar. This is the line you need to quickly click 7 times in a row.
☑️ Algorithm of Including Developer Mode
After the seventh press, you will see a pop-up toast notification with the text “You became a developer!” If the system requests a password to unlock the screen or PIN-code SIM-From now on, a new hidden item will appear in the settings menu.
Where to find the included menu in MIUI and HyperOS
Once activated successfully, the new partition does not appear on the home settings screen, but hides in the sub-menus of additional parameters, the path to it may vary slightly depending on the shell version, but the logic remains the same for all Redmi and Poco models.
Go back to the main Settings menu and scroll down to the Additionals section, which in some versions of the firmware may be called Advanced Settings, and inside you find a new item called Developer's, and clicking on it will put you on the list of all available engineering options.
If you don't see this item after multiple clicks on the MIUI version, try restarting the device. Sometimes the system takes time to apply the changes, and also make sure you click on the build number, not the logo.
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To quickly find the menu in the future, use a search by settings. Just type the word "developer" in the search bar of the main settings menu, and the system will open the desired section.
Main parameters and their purpose
Inside the menu, you'll see a long list of options, many of which are marked with red warnings. Don't be alarmed, it's just an indication that changing the setting can affect stability. Let's take a look at the most useful features that the average user will need.
You should pay special attention to the Debugging section. This is the USB Debugging switch, which allows the computer to execute commands on the phone, and you can also turn on Wi-Fi Debugging, which allows you to connect to the device wirelessly while on the same network.
In the "Drawing" or "Hardware acceleration" section, you can find animation settings. The options "Duration of window animation", "Transitions" and "Animator scale" are 1x by default, changing them to 0.5x or "Animation disabled" visually speeds up the interface.
Below is a table describing the key parameters that most often require change:
| Parameter | Function | Recommended value |
|---|---|---|
| USB debugging | Allows connection to ADB | VL (as required) |
| Window animation | Application Opening Speed | 0.5x or No animation |
| Keep the screen down. | The screen burns when charging | Off (for OLED) |
| Show touch | Visualization of pressing | Off (for screencasts) |
Factory tests and CIT-menu
A special mention is made of the CIT (Customer Integration Test) test menu, a set of diagnostic tools that allow you to test the performance of each smartphone module, from touchscreen and vibration to proximity sensors and GPS.
Not only can you get there through the developer's settings, but you can also get it through a special code in the "caller." Type ##6484##, and the phone automatically goes into testing mode, which is useful when buying a used device or diagnosing malfunctions.
There is also a "Incoming SIM" option on the developer menu that allows you to test the modem, but beware: some tests may reboot communication modules, which will lead to temporary network loss.
⚠️ Warning: Do not run the Write to Memory or Erase of Data test on the engineering menu unless you are sure of your actions. This can lead to a complete loss of user information without the possibility of recovery.
Security and resetting settings
Using developer mode carries certain risks. Enabling debugging over USB could theoretically give an attacker with physical access to a phone the ability to copy data or install malware. So don't keep this feature on all the time.
At the top of the developer menu is always a switch that turns off the entire mode at a single click, and if you notice strange behavior after changing any parameters, the first thing you do is turn off this switch.
There's also a Reset Developer feature, which returns all the settings in this section to factory values, but doesn't affect your personal files, photos or installed apps, which is a great way to fix errors that have arisen after experiments.
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Developer mode is a powerful tool that should only be turned on while specific tasks are being performed. In normal smartphone usage, it is best to keep it off.