Why you need a developer mode on Xiaomi and how to safely activate it
The hidden developer menu in Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones is a powerful tool for fine-tuning the system, which is disabled by default. Here you can change the animation settings, enable USB debugging, adjust background processes and even overclock performance. But why does MIUI hide these options from ordinary users?
The fact is that incorrect changes in developer mode can lead to device failures, increased battery consumption or even a “brick” (software breakage). However, for power users, this is a window of opportunity: from speeding up the interface to testing new Android features. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to safely enable developer mode on any Xiaomi device, from the flagship Mi 13 Ultra to the budget Redmi Note 12.
It's important to understand that the activation process may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI (e.g. MIUI 14 vs MIUI 12.5) and the smartphone model, but the general logic remains the same: the system requires confirmation that you are aware of the risks, followed by step-by-step instructions with all the nuances in mind.
Step-by-step: how to turn on the developer menu on Xiaomi
Activating developer mode takes less than a minute, but requires precise steps to be executed. Here is a universal algorithm for all modern Xiaomi devices (including POCO and Redmi):
- Open the "Settings" (the gear icon on the home screen or in the application menu).
- Go to About Phone (sometimes called About Device or Phone Information).
- Find the line MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row, after 3-4 clicks, a notification will appear: "You're almost a developer!"
- Continue to click until you see the message: “You became a developer!” (on some firmware, the text may differ).
- Return to the main menu "Settings" - now there will be a new item Additional → For developers.
If nothing happens after 7 taps, check:
- 🔍 Version MIUI: on old firmware (up to) MIUI 10) may need to tap the Assembly Number instead of the Version MIUI.
- 📱 Model of the device: on some POCO The way may be settings → System system → The phone.
- 🔒 Password/fingerprint: If the device is locked, the system may request proof of identity before activating.
Check the version. MIUI on the telephone"|Make sure you are using the "version" MIUI", not on the other line|Reboot your smartphone and try again.|Update the firmware to the latest version (if available)-->
On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or Redmi K50) After activation of the developer mode, additional confirmation may be required in the Security section. → Authorization and reset → Special opportunities. It's about politics. MIUI Protection against accidental changes.
Where is the developer menu after activation?
Once activated successfully, the new partition can be hidden in different locations depending on the firmware version.
| MIUI version | The path to the developer menu | Examples of models |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 14 / 13 | Settings → Additional → For Developers | Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ |
| MIUI 12.5 – 12 | Settings → About the phone → Additional → For developers | POCO X3 Pro, Mi 11 Lite |
| MIUI 11 and older | Settings → System → Additional → For Developers | Redmi 9A, Mi 10T |
| Global ROM | Settings → Additional settings → Developer options | All models with international firmware |
If you don’t see the Developer section even after 7 clicks, try searching by settings (the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner). Enter the query “Developer” or “Developer” – the system should show the hidden partition.
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On some custom firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.EU or Pixel Experience), the path may be different, in which case we recommend you to refer to the documentation of a particular build or use a universal method through ADB (we will discuss this later).
Top.-5 useful features in the menu of the developer Xiaomi
Now that you've accessed the hidden settings, let's figure out what options you should really enable to improve your smartphone, and importantly, don't change the settings that you don't know what you're trying to do, because that can cause the device to run in an unstable way.
1. Accelerating interface animation
By default, MIUI uses 1x transition animation (normal speed) and by lowering this value, you can make the interface visually faster:
- 📱 The scale of window animation → set up 0.5x or disable (Animation disabled).
- 🔄 Scale of transition animation → 0.5x.
- ⚡ Duration of the animator → 0.5x.
These changes will make navigation on the menu instantaneous, but some users note that at 0.5x, the animation looks "twitched." The optimal balance is 0.75x.
2. enable debugging over USB (for firmware and modifications)
If you plan to flash your device through Fastboot or use ADB for deep customization, activate:
- 🔌 Debugging by USB → slide on.
- 🔒 Unlocking OEM → It is necessary to unlock the bootloader (only if you plan to install custom firmware!).
💡
Before enabling OEM Unlock, make sure that the device does not have important data – this process will reset the smartphone to factory settings!
3. Optimization of background processes
To increase battery life, limit the number of background processes:
- 📉 Process limit → Select Process Maximum 2 (saves battery, but can cause applications to reboot).
- 🔄 Don't keep up → Enable aggressive closure of background tasks.
Change of screen resolution (for experiments)
On some models (for example, Xiaomi 12S Ultra) you can manually set the screen resolution below native to save charge:
- 🖥️ Minimum width → try out 360dp or 411dp scale up the interface.
5. Enable Do Not Interrupt (for games and videos)
To prevent notifications from getting in the way of games or movies:
- 🎮 Don't interrupt. → Include and add the necessary applications to the exceptions.
💡
Changing the parameters of the Process Limit and Do not save actions can lead to the loss of unsaved data in applications (for example, in messengers or editors).
Dangerous settings: what NOT to touch in the developer menu
Some of the options in developer mode can permanently disable a device or make it vulnerable to attacks.
- ⚠️ Allow fictitious locations → allows applications to fake GPS-coordinates (risk of blocking accounts in games of the type) Pokémon GO).
- 🚨 Disable application authentication → Makes the device vulnerable to malware.
- 💥 Choice of regime USB default → Incorrect setup can lead to problems with connecting to the PC.
- 🔥 Turn it on. 4x MSAA → Forced inclusion of smoothing in games drains the battery and overheats the processor.
⚠️ Note: Change of the setting Select configuration USB on RNDIS Or Audio Source can make the device invisible to the computer, and it requires a reset to restore performance!
Also avoid turning on the option Do not turn off the screen – this will lead to rapid wear and tear. AMOLED-pixel burnout and overheating of the device. If you need to keep the screen on, use the standard latency settings in Settings → Display. → Sleeping mode.
Another trap is the HCI Bluetooth Log Enabled option, which activates huge logs in the device's memory that can fill the internal storage in a few hours, and manually deleting these files is difficult because they're hidden in the system folders.
How to turn off the developer menu on Xiaomi
If you no longer need a developer mode or want to hide it from outsiders, there are two ways to do it:
Method 1: Resetting through settings
- Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
- In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and select Reset developer settings.
- Confirm the action with a password / fingerprint.
Method 2: Complete reset (if the first method did not work)
On some firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.EU), a menu reset may not work.
- Turn off the developer mode in the settings (move the slider to the "Off" position).
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find the Settings app, open its settings and click Erase Data.
⚠️ Attention: Settings will delete all your personal settings (wallpaper, sounds, shortcuts) and we recommend backing up beforehand through Settings. → The phone. → Backup.
On devices with MIUI 14 and later, additional confirmation via Mi Account may be required, a security measure to prevent unauthorized changes to settings.
Alternative ways to enable the developer mode
If the standard 7-press method does not work (for example, on custom firmware or after a system failure), alternative methods can be used.
Method 1: Through ADB (for power users)
You will need a computer with ADB drivers installed and USB debugging enabled (if it has already been activated).
adb shell settings put global development_settings_enabled 1
adb shell am start -n com.android.settings/.DevelopmentSettingsMethod 2: Engineering menu (for older models)
Some devices (such as the Redmi 4X or Mi A1) can use the following engineering menus:
- In the phone app, dial the code ##4636##.
- In the menu that opens, select Phone Information.
- Slip on the Assembly Number 7 times (similar to the standard method).
What if the ADB does not recognize the device?
Method 3: Through Third Party Applications
Google Play has utilities like QuickShortcutMaker that can open hidden menus, but this is not recommended because of security risks (apps require superuser rights).
If none of the methods worked, check firmware integrity. System files may be corrupted and Fastboot flashing is required.