How to completely disable the developer mode on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 is one of the most popular smartphones in the budget segment, but its owners often face the need to turn off the developer mode. This hidden section of settings, activated by repeatedly clicking on the build number, can interfere with the normal operation of the device: display unnecessary notifications, block MIUI updates or even reduce performance due to the enabled debugging functions.

The problem is that simply “turning off” the switch in the developer menu often does not give a result – many parameters remain active in the background. In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods to fully deactivate the developer mode on the Redmi Note 9 (including the Pro and Pro Max modifications), and explain why the standard method through settings does not always work. MIUI 12-14 and Android 10-13.

Why is the developer mode not disabled through settings?

Many users try to remove the developer mode by simply moving the slider to the Off position in the Developer Menu. However, after the device is rebooted, the section often reappears. MIUI:

• 🔧 Cached data: The system saves the developer settings in a separate cache that is not cleared when manually disabled.
• 📱 Activation flag: When the mode is first activated, a hidden flag is installed in the system development_settings_enabled, non-resetting.
• 🔄 Updates MIUI: After the firmware update, some developer parameters can be restored from the backup.

On the Redmi Note 9 with firmware older than MIUI 12.5, standard menu shutdown only works 30% of the time, as confirmed by data from the 4PDA and Xiaomi Community forums.

Method 1: Standard shutdown via settings (not always working)

If you've just activated the developer mode and haven't made any changes to it yet, try this method. It's the simplest, but unfortunately, it's not always effective.

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. 7 times quickly tap on the item MIUI version (if the mode is already on, skip this step).
3. Go back to the main settings menu and find a new Developer section (usually at the bottom of the list).
4. Move the top switch to the off position.
5. Reboot your smartphone (Power → Reboot).

If the developer section is gone after the reboot, congratulations! Otherwise, move on to the following methods.

⚠️ Note: On some versions MIUI The partition may be hidden, but it's actually active. Check this out by connecting the phone to your PC and running the adb device command -- if the device appears in the list, the developer mode is still running.

Method 2: Reset all settings (without data loss)

This method removes all custom settings, including the developer mode flag, but does not affect photos, apps and files.Suitable for those who do not want to do a full reset before factory settings.

1. Go to Settings → System and device → Additional → Resetting.
2. Select Reset all settings (not to be confused with Reset to factory!).
3. Confirm the action by entering PIN-code.
4. After the reboot, check for the lack of a Developer section.

If this method didn’t work, then the developer mode flag is in the system partition, in which case only a complete reset or manual removal through ADB will help.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

The method requires connecting your smartphone to your computer and using Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which is guaranteed to remove all traces of the developer mode, but if you do not do it, it can disrupt the system.

First, prepare the PC:

• 💻 Install. ADB Fastboot Tools by Google.
• 🔌 Turn on the smartphone Debugging on USB on the Developer Menu.
• 🔒 Allow debugging for your computer (a request will appear when you connect).

Now run commands in the terminal (command line):

adb shell


settings put global development_settings_enabled 0




settings put global adb_wifi_enabled 0




pm clear com.android.settings




reboot

Once you reboot, the developer mode will be completely disabled and the partition will disappear from the settings. If the command does not work, try an alternative:

adb shell am broadcast -a com.android.settings.ACTION_HIDE_DEVELOPMENT_SETTINGS

⚠️ Note: Some of the firmware Redmi Note 9 after ADB-Teams may be missing the section For developers, but debugging on USB Check this with the adb device command -- if the device is identified, perform adb disable-verity and repeat the reset.

💡

If ADB doesn’t recognize the device, try reinstalling Xiaomi USB Drivers drivers or using the original cable from the kit. Cheap cables often don’t support data transfer.

Method 4: Complete reset to factory settings (radical method)

If none of the previous methods worked, then all that remains is hard reset, which removes all traces of the developer mode completely, but also erases all data from the device. Use it as a last resort.

Instructions:

1. Create a backup of important data (photos, contacts, messages).
2. Go to Settings → About Phone → Resetting → Delete all data.
3. Choose to erase everything and confirm the action.
4. After restarting, set your phone as new.

On the Redmi Note 9, the reset takes 3-5 minutes. After the procedure, all system flags, including the developer mode, will be reset to factory values.

Method 5: Manual removal via the settings editor (only for MIUI 12–13)

On MIUI 12-13 firmware, you can manually remove the developer mode flag through the hidden Settings Database menu, which does not require a PC, but you need to be careful - incorrect changes can disrupt the system.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##36446337###.
2. In the menu that appears, select Settings Database.
3. Find the record. development_settings_enabled And change it to 0.
4. Save the changes and restart the device.

If the menu doesn't open, your version of MIUI doesn't support this method, and the alternative is to use the Activity Launcher app from Google Play to access hidden settings.

💡

On MIUI 14 and later, the Settings Database editor is blocked. For these versions, only methods 1, 3 or 4 are suitable.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you turn off the developer mode, users often make common mistakes that lead to the opposite result.

• ❌ Incomplete shutdown: Just turning off the switchboard in the menu is not enough - you need to clear the settings cache (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Settings → Clear the cache).
• ❌ Use of non-original firmware: on custom ROM (For example, LineageOS, standard methods may not work, and then only flashing the firmware will help.
• ❌ Interruption ADB-Commands: If you interrupt the adb shell command until it's complete, the system may freeze.

Another common problem is that the developer mode appears after the MIUI update, which is because the system restores some settings from the backup, and to avoid this, before the update:

1. Turn off the developer mode in any of the described ways.
2. Perform a cache reset (Settings → Memory → Cleanup).
3. Only then do you install the update.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions