How to enable the developer menu on Xiaomi with MIUI 12: secrets and features

Why do I need a developer mode on Xiaomi?

The developer menu in MIUI 12 is a hidden settings section that gives you access to advanced operating system features, designed to test applications, optimize performance and fine-tune the device, without which you can't activate USB debugging, change interface animations, or enable additional diagnostic options.

Many Xiaomi users are unaware of the existence of this menu, although it can significantly improve the experience of using a smartphone, for example, here you can speed up the system by disabling unnecessary animations, or turn on the mode. USB-debugging ADB. But it’s important to remember that not all of the options in this section are safe to change without understanding their purpose.

In this article, we will discuss in detail how to activate the developer mode on the MIUI 12, which features become available after that, and what to look for to avoid harming the device.Instructions are suitable for most Xiaomi, Redmi and other models POCO zip-size.

Preparation for activation of the developer mode

Before you start turning on the developer menu, make sure your device meets a few basic requirements. First, you must have MIUI 12 or more installed on your smartphone, and check this in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

Second, note that once developer mode is activated, some features may not work as well if you change settings without understanding their purpose, for example, disabling MIUI Optimization can lead to slowdowns or application errors.

It is also recommended that:

• 🔋 Charging the device at least 30% – this will prevent a sudden shutdown during the setup.
• 📱 Backup important data through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.
• 🔍 Make sure there are no important unfinished operations on the device (e.g. software updates).

⚠️ Note: If you plan to use the developer mode to unlock the bootloader or firmware custom software, note that this can lead to loss of warranty and unstable operation of the device.

Step-by-step: how to open the developer menu

Activating developer mode on MIUI 12 takes less than a minute if you know the right sequence of steps, a process that is universal for most Xiaomi devices, including the Redmi Note 9, POCO X3, Mi 10 and other models with this version of the shell.

Follow this instruction:

1. Open the Settings app on the home screen or in the app menu.
2. Scroll down and select the About Phone section (sometimes called About the Device).
3. Find the MIUI version string and tap it 7 times in a row.
4. After the seventh press, a notification will appear: “You became a developer!”
5. Return to the main Settings menu – now there will be a new section Additional → For developers.

If nothing happens after seven taps, check:

• 📱 Are you clicking on the version correctly? MIUI, not on the other lines.
• 🔄 Restart the device and try again.
• 📋 Make sure that there are no restrictions on the device (e.g. parental controls).

What can I do in the developer menu on MIUI 12?

Once you activate the developer mode, you'll see more than 20 additional settings, some of which are useful for optimizing your smartphone, others for debugging apps or testing new features.

One of the most popular settings among power users is to speed up animation and enable debugging over USB. For example, reducing the animation scale to 0.5x makes the interface more responsive, and debugging over USB is necessary for working with ADB or installing custom recovery.

⚠️ Note: Change of Minimum Width parameter (in the section For developers) → Screen scaling can cause some applications to display incorrectly. If the interface looks distorted, return the value to the standard one (360dp).

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If after changing the settings in the developer menu, the smartphone began to slow down, try to disable the option MIUI Optimization (in the section For developers → Special features) and restart the device.

How to turn off the developer menu on Xiaomi?

If you no longer need a developer mode or want to hide it from outsiders, it can be easily deactivated, without having to reset to factory settings, just a few simple steps.

Methods of shutdown:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
2. In the upper right corner, click on the switch to turn off the developer mode.
3. Confirm the action in the window that appears.

After that, the Developer section will disappear from the settings menu, and if you need to access these features again, you will have to re-activate the activation procedure (7 clicks on the MIUI version).

You can also reset the developer settings to standard, without disabling the mode itself:

• 🔧 Go to Settings. → Additionally. → For developers.
• 📛 Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Reset Settings.
• 🔄 Confirm the reset – all changes will be cancelled, but the section itself will remain available.

Common mistakes and their solutions

When you try to activate or use a developer menu, users often encounter typical problems, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

Problem 1: After 7 clicks on the MIUI version, nothing happens.

• 🔍 Check that you are clicking on the line with the version MIUI, Not on the Android version or the device model.
• 📱 Reboot your smartphone and try again.
• 🔄 Make sure there are no restrictions on the device (e.g., parental controls are enabled).

Problem 2: There are some options missing from the developer menu (e.g., OEM unlocking).

• 🔒 On some Xiaomi devices, the OEM unlock option may be hidden until you link your Mi Account to your device.
• 📋 Check that the latest version is installed on the smartphone MIUI — Some functions only appear after updating.

Problem 3: After changing the settings, the smartphone began to slow down or overheat.

• 🔥 Return the parameters to the background processes and MIUI Optimization to the standard state.
• 🔄 Reboot the device – sometimes it helps to restore stability.
• 📉 If the problem persists, reset the developer settings (see previous section).

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If after changing the settings in the developer menu, the smartphone stopped turning on, try going to Fastboot Mode (press Power + Volume down) and reset using the Mi Flash Tool.

Hidden MIUI 12 features for power users

The developer menu is just the tip of the iceberg. There are other hidden features in MIUI 12 that can be activated with special commands or setting changes, some of which require root rights, but some are available without them.

Here are some interesting opportunities:

• 🎨 Dark Theme for All Apps: Enables through Settings → Screen. → Dark subject. → Forced Incorporation (Developer Mode Required).
• 🔊 Headphone monosound: Good for people with hearing impairments. Activated in Settings → Special facilities → monosound.
• 📡 Hidden network settings: Enter the dialer ##4636## to open the network and battery testing menu.
• 🔒 Blocking advertising in MIUI: Disabled through Settings → Memory. → Cleanup → Settings → Disable recommendations.

One of the most useful hidden features is the performance mode, which can be enabled via ADB. To do this, connect your smartphone to your PC, activate Debugging over USB and follow the command:

adb shell settings put global force_high_performance true

This will make the processor run at maximum frequency, which is useful for gaming or resource-intensive tasks, but remember that this increases battery consumption and heat the device.

⚠️ Note: Using hidden commands through ADB Before experimenting, back up your data and make sure you know how to undo changes.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the developer menu on Xiaomi