Where in Xiaomi to find debugging on USB: hidden settings and step-by-step activation

Why USB Debugging Mode Is Hidden in Xiaomi and Why You Need It

You're trying to connect Xiaomi to a computer for firmware, root rights or application testing, but the system stubbornly doesn't see the device? 90 percent of the time, the problem is that the manufacturer is specifically hiding USB debugging, a feature that the manufacturer is specifically hiding from ordinary users. It's not a bug, but a conscious decision: the mode opens access to system files, which can disrupt the stability of the smartphone if used improperly.

Debugging by USB (or USB Debugging is the bridge between your Redmi, POCO or Mi and the computer through the protocol ADB (Android Debug Bridge is impossible without it:

• 🔧 Install custom firmware through fastboot or TWRP
• 📱 Get root rights with Magisk or SuperSU
• 🖥️ Testing apps in Android Studio or Unity
• 🔄 Recover data after resetting through ADB backup

But why doesn't Xiaomi make this option available by default? It's simple: most users don't need low-level access, and accidentally enabling debugging can lead to security vulnerabilities. For example, through ADB, an attacker with physical access to a phone can steal data or install malware, so the feature is hidden behind a developer section that you first need to unlock.

How to open the hidden section "For developers" on MIUI

Before you look for the debugging itself, you need to activate the developer menu.This process is the same for all modern Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11, etc.), but may differ on very old models (until 2018).

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the line MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row (the system will count the remaining clicks).
3. After the 7th tap, a notification will appear: “You became a developer!” – this means that the hidden menu is unlocked.

If you can’t find the MIUI version, check out:

• 📱 On some firmware, the path may be: Settings → System system → The phone. → Version. MIUI.
• 🔍 Nana POCO shelled POCO Launcher is sometimes required to select Additional in the About Phone section first».
• ⚙️ On the Chinese versions. MIUI (For example, for Xiaomi 13 Pro with China firmware ROM) You may need to switch to English in the settings.

Important: Once the developer menu is activated, it may disappear after resetting or updating the firmware, in which case the procedure will have to be repeated.

Where exactly is debugging on USB in the settings Xiaomi

Now that the developer menu is available, the debugging option itself is located, depending on the MIUI version and the smartphone model, and we've put together the current paths for different versions:

If you haven’t found the Developer section after activation, try:

1. Reboot the smartphone.
2. Use the search by settings (the magnifying glass icon at the top) and enter the debugging request.
3. Make sure you’re tapping into the MIUI version, not the device model or Android version.

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On some firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.eu), USB debugging may be blocked by default due to security policy, in which case, first enable the OEM Unlock option in the same developer menu.

Step-by-step instructions: how to enable debugging and connect to the PC

Now, let's get to the practice. Follow this algorithm to activate the debugging correctly and avoid connection errors:

1. Turn on debugging on your phone: Go to Settings → For developers. Activate the USB debugging slider. In the window that appears, click OK (or Allow if permission is requested).
2. Connect your phone to your computer: Use the original cable (cheap cables may not support data transfer). Select File Transfer (MTP) or Image Transfer (PTP) mode in the notification curtain.

Allow debugging on the PC:

• On the phone screen, a request will appear: “Allow debugging over USB from this computer?”.
• Check Always Allow from this computer and click Allow.

If nothing happens on the PC screen, check:

• 🖥️ Drivers installed ADB (You can download from the official Google website or through the Mi Flash Tool).
• 🔌 Try another one. USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0 on the back of the system unit).
• 📱 Reboot your phone and PC, then reconnect.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Even after the debugging is activated correctly, users face problems, and we have collected the TOP-5 errors and their solutions:

1. Error: "Unauthorized" Reason: The phone has not confirmed a debugging request from this PC. Solution: Turn off and reconnect the cable. Go to Settings on the phone → Annexes → Application management → All applications, find Settings, click Storage → Clear the data. Reboot the phone and reconnect.

Error: "ADB device offline"

Reason: Unstable connection or driver conflict.

Decision:

adb kill-server


adb start-server




adb devices

If it doesn’t work, reinstall Google USB Driver drivers.

Error: "No devices found"

Reason: The phone is not recognized as ADB-device.

Decision:

• Check if File Transfer (MTP) is enabled.
• In the command line, do: adb usb adb reconnect

You can also hide the developer menu completely if you don’t need it:

• Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
• Find the Settings app (cog icon).
• Press Warehouse. → Clear the data.

This will reset all settings, including the developer section.

• 🔄 After cleaning the data, the developer menu will disappear, but it can be activated again (7 taps according to the version). MIUI).
• 🔒 Disabling debugging does not remove previously installed ADB applications or changes to the system.

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If you frequently switch debugging, add a shortcut for quick access: hold an empty space on the home screen → Widgets → Settings → drag the shortcut for developers.

Additional settings for developers in Xiaomi

In addition to debugging on USB, there are many useful options hidden in the developer menu, and here are some that can be useful even for ordinary users:

Be careful with the following settings:

• ⚠️ Background Limit Process – Changes can lead to spontaneous closure of applications.
• ⚠️ Turn off the absolute volume level – disturbs the sound balance in Bluetooth devices.
• ⚠️ Turn it on. 4x MSAA — Improves graphics in games, but greatly heats the processor.