How to completely disable the developer mode on Xiaomi Redmi 9: 3 proven ways

Why the developer mode can interfere with the smartphone

Developer mode on Xiaomi Redmi 9 is a hidden feature designed to test and debug applications. It gives access to advanced system settings that are not normally available. However, many users activate it accidentally (for example, trying to speed up the interface animation or enable debugging over USB), and then face unexpected problems.

In addition, some MIUI functions (e.g., automatic memory optimization) are turned off, which can cause a smartphone to run in an unstable way, such as spontaneous reboots, errors in applications, or even accelerated battery drain. If you notice that the phone is performing worse after activating this mode, it should be deactivated.

In this article, we will discuss three official ways to disable (including resetting settings and using the ADB), And we also explain why sometimes the mode doesn't disappear from the menu even after it's deactivated. MIUI 12–14.

Method 1: Disconnecting through the basic MIUI settings

The easiest method is to deactivate the developer mode in the settings menu, which works if you haven’t made critical changes to system settings (for example, you haven’t blocked permissions for MIUI applications).

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Settings app on your Redmi 9.
• 🔍 Scroll down and select About Phone (or About Device in New Versions) MIUI).
• 🔄 Tap 7-10 times on the item Version MIUI, until the notification “You are a developer!” appears (this is to unlock the menu, even if the mode is already active).
• 🔙 Go back to the main Settings menu and find a new section. → For developers (or Advanced settings) → Developer mode).
• 🔘 At the top of the screen, translate the developer mode slider to the off position..
• 🔄 Reboot your phone to make the changes take effect.

If you leave the Developer section on the menu after that, don't panic. It's normal MIUI behavior, because the partition will disappear only after you completely reset or update your firmware, but any changes made to that mode will be reset.

Remember the current settings USB-Debugging (if used)|Check if the option "Do not turn off the screen" is enabled"|Disable all active debugging sessions (e.g., in Android Studio)|Make a backup copy of important data

-->

Method 2: Reset all settings to factory

If the developer mode does not turn off via the menu (for example, due to a failure in MIUI or blocking system permissions), a soft reset will help. This method does not delete user data (photos, applications), but returns all system parameters to the state out of the box.

Important: Before resetting, disable your Mi Account if it is tied to your phone, otherwise, after the reboot, the device may require you to enter a password from your Xiaomi account.

Step-by-step:

• ⚙️ Go to Settings. → The phone. → Resetting settings.
• 🔄 Select Resetting (not to be confused with Resetting to Factory, which deletes all data!).
• 🔐 Enter a pattern lock or PIN-code, if requested.
• ✅ Confirm the action by clicking Reset Settings.
• 🔄 After the reboot, check the Settings menu – the Developer section should disappear.

⚠️ Note: If you used the developer mode to unlock the bootloader (OEM Unlock, resetting settings may result in the device being locked.Before the procedure, make sure the bootloader is locked back (in the Developer Menu). → Unlocking OEM).

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can turn off developer mode using Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires a computer and basic command line knowledge, but is guaranteed to drop all developer flags.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with installed drivers Xiaomi Redmi 9 and package ADB Tools.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🔐 Included debugging by USB (If it's been disabled, this method won't work).

Instructions:

1. Connect Redmi 9 to your computer and allow debugging over USB (a request will appear on the phone screen).
2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb shell settings put global development_settings_enabled 0


adb shell settings put global adb_enabled 0

1. Reboot your phone with the command:

adb reboot

Once you reboot, the Developer section should disappear. If not, follow the additional command:

adb shell pm clear com.android.settings

💡

If ADB doesn’t recognize the device, try reinstalling Xiaomi drivers manually through Windows or using MiFlash for automatic installation.

Why can’t the developer’s mode be turned off?

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the developer mode remains active despite all the manipulations, the reasons can be different:

A critical feature of Redmi 9 is that if you unlock the bootloader through the developer mode, re-locking it can cause all data to be reset, in which case you need to block the bootloader back through Fastboot before you turn off the developer mode.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI (For example, global versions for Europe, the Developer section may reappear after the system update. To avoid this, disable developer mode before upgrading and reset the cache via Recovery.

What do you do if nothing helps?

If none of these methods work, radical measures remain:

1. Update your firmware through Recovery. Download the latest version of MIUI for Redmi 9 from Xiaomi’s official website, move update.zip to the phone’s root directory, and update via Settings → Software Update → Select a firmware file.
2. Fastboot flashing. This is an extreme method that requires an unlocked bootloader. Use MiFlash and the official firmware for your model. All data will be deleted!
3. If the phone is warranty, it is better not to risk self-manipulation, and Xiaomi service center will be able to drop the flags of the developer without losing data.

💡

Before radical actions (reset or flash), always back up your data through Mi Cloud or third-party applications like Titanium Backup (requires root).

How to avoid accidentally turning on a developer mode in the future

To avoid facing problems again, follow simple rules:

• 🚫 Do not press the Version repeatedly. MIUI needlessly.
• 🔒 If the developer mode is needed temporarily (for example, for debugging), disable it immediately after use.
• 📱 Check the Settings menu regularly for unknown partitions.
• 🔄 Before selling or transferring your phone to another person, make a complete reset.

It is also useful to disable the automatic appearance of the section For developers after the updates.

1. Activate the developer mode (if it is turned off).
2. Go to For Developers → Configuration MIUI.
3. Turn off the option to Show Developer Mode.

FAQ: Frequent questions about disabling developer mode