How to activate the developer mode on Xiaomi: instructions

Many users of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones are unaware that their device contains powerful tools to fine-tune the system. A hidden section called “Developer Options” opens up access to features that are not available by default to the average user. It is not just a set of obscure acronyms, but a real opportunity to speed up the interface, debug the connection to the PC and even change the behavior of notifications.

Including this section is the first step to deep customization of your gadget. Unlike the standard settings offered by MIUI or the new HyperOS, you can control the speed of animation, force applications to run in a dark topic or simulate a location for testing services. However, it is worth remembering that changing some parameters can affect the stability of the system, so you need to approach experiments consciously.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the hidden menu activation algorithm, the most useful features for everyday use, and how to protect your device from random changes. You will learn not only to turn on the mode, but also to understand why each setting is needed.

What Hidden Menus Are and Why You Need Them

Developer mode is a diagnostic interface designed primarily for app creators and engineers, and it allows you to get a detailed error log, test your work. USB-It's a real-time debugging and real-time check on the processor, which means for the average user, you can fix interface lags or fix computer connection problems that you can't fix with standard methods.

One of the most popular features is animation management. The standard speed of transitions between windows in Android often seems excessive, which visually slows down the smartphone. By changing the scale of animation, you can make the system response instantaneous. In addition, there are settings for emulating screen resolution and DPI pixel density.

You can also find options in this section that are related to energy saving and background processes, so you can prevent the system from killing certain applications or restricting their activity, which is especially true for owners of devices with a small amount of RAM.

⚠️ Note: Changes in settings related to Bluetooth codecs or configuration USB, This can cause peripheral devices to cease to be properly defined by the system.

It's important to understand the difference between the normal settings and the engineering menu, and if you change the wallpaper or the volume in the first case, then in the second case you interfere with the operating system logic, which is why access to these features is hidden from the eyes of inexperienced users.

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

The process of activating the hidden partition on Xiaomi smartphones is unified and takes no more than a minute. You do not need root rights or a connection to a computer.

First, open the main settings menu. Find the About Phone section, which is usually at the top of the list, and that's where you find information about the MIUI version, the processor model, and the build number.

The key element is the line "Version" MIUI" (or "Version". OS" You need to press it quickly. 7 You don't have to do it in a frantic rhythm, a fairly confident pace. 3-4 When pressed, the system will start showing pop-up messages with countdown.

Once you see the message, "You're a developer!" you can move on to the next step. PIN-If you use a code or a graphical key, you're going to need to validate it with a password, which is a security measure that prevents children from accidentally activating the mode.

Once you've successfully activated, go back to the main settings screen. Scroll down to the bottom of the list. Where there used to be only the "About Phone" item, there's now a new "Additional Settings" section, and inside it, "For Developers."

Where is the menu after switching on and how to get there?

Users are often lost after activation because the icon doesn't appear on the desktop. The path to the menu depends on the firmware version, but the logic remains the same. In most current versions of MIUI 12/13/14 and HyperOS, the path is as follows: Settings → Additional settings → For developers.

If you have an older version of the shell, the item may be right at the bottom of the list, separate from the "Additional" group, and in some firmware regions, this section may be called "Advanced Settings".

To quickly access frequently used features, you can search by settings. Just type the word "developer" or "developer" in the search bar, and the system will suggest the desired item, which is especially useful if you forgot the exact location of the menu after the system update.

Note that newer versions of HyperOS may have slightly altered menu structure, but key switches remain in place. If you can't find a specific setting, try searching inside the developer menu itself.

Top useful features for the average user

And among the dozens of technical parameters, there are a few that are really useful in everyday life, and the first thing you should look at is the Drawing block, and here you can set the scale of the animation window, the transition, and the duration of the animator.

It is recommended to change the value from 1x to 0.5x, which will make the interface more responsive without losing visual smoothness. Many users note that after this setting, the phone seems much faster, although the technical performance of the processor does not change.

Another useful option is “Don’t turn off the screen” when charging, and if you use your smartphone as a navigator in your car or as a desktop clock, this feature will prevent the screen from quenching while the device is connected to the power source.

And it's also worth mentioning the "Show Touch" feature, which displays a white circle at the touchpoint of the screen, which is very useful when you're recording screencasts or training videos, so that viewers can see where you're clicking.

For those who often connect their phone to their computer, the default USB configuration option is important. You can choose File Transfer (MTP) mode so that you don't have to manually select USB mode in the notification curtain every time you connect.

Configure debugging over USB and work with ADB

Function “Debugging by” USB" (USB Debugging is a gateway for external control of the device, allowing the computer to send commands to the phone, install applications bypassing the standard interface, and gain full access to system logs through the tool. ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

To activate, simply move the slider to the "On" position. When you first connect to a new computer, a request will appear on the smartphone screen to confirm the debugging with the display RSA-Make sure you check the key match and press "OK".

adb devices


adb shell




reboot

The use of ADB offers a lot of opportunities: removing system debris (bloatware), creating full backups of data applications, installing custom fonts without superuser rights. However, the enabled debugging makes the device vulnerable when connected to public charging stations.

⚠️ Warning: Never leave the debugging behind USB It's turned on permanently if you're not using it right now, and a phone that's connected to an infected computer that's been actively debugged can be completely intercepted by intruders.

If you plan to unlock the Bootloader to install custom firmware, enabling USB debugging is a must-have first step. Without it, the official Mi Unlock tool will not be able to identify the device in the right mode.

💡

Tip: For quick debugging activation when connecting to a PC, use the command "Always allow debugging from this computer" so as not to confirm the connection every time.

Optimize MIUI and HyperOS through hidden settings

Xiaomi shells are known for their aggressive memory work, which sometimes leads to the departure of background applications. In the developer menu, you can find the "Applications" section, where there is a parameter "Limit background processes".

The default is "Standard Limit." Changing this to "No Limits" can help messengers and activity trackers work more steadily, but beware: setting too much limit on devices with low RAM can lead to a general system slowdown.

Another important tool is "Enable logger log." There are several types of logger in MIUI. For a typical diagnostic, just select "Major logger only" to help you gather information about crashes if you plan to send a report to developers.

Also worth noting is the "Accelerated Wi-Fi Update" feature, which allows you to switch between access points faster, which can be useful in dense urban areas with many networks.

Remember that each version of MIUI may have its own features, and that which worked in MIUI 11 can be renamed or removed to HyperOS. Always check the relevance of the information for your version of the software.

How to turn off the developer mode and reset the settings

If you've finished setting up or want to return the system to its original appearance, the developer mode can be easily disabled. This won't delete your data, but it will reset all the changed settings inside the menu back to factory values.

To do this, go to the Developer menu. At the top of the screen is the master switch. Put it in the Off position. After that, the menu item will disappear from the settings list, and the system will return to standard mode.

It's important to know that just turning off your phone doesn't reset the developer's settings. If you've changed the animation scale or enabled debugging, those settings will persist even after you reboot, until you explicitly turn off the entire mode.

💡

Full reset of the developer settings occurs only when the main switch is forced off in the menu, the device reboot does not affect the saved parameters.

If the phone starts to behave unstable after the experiments, it is recommended not only to turn off the mode, but also to reset all settings of the phone to factory, this ensures the removal of any hidden configuration conflicts.