How to get out of developer mode on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Developer mode on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones is a powerful tool for fine-tuning the system, but many users turn it on accidentally or forget to turn it off after use. Left active, it not only clutters the Settings menu, but also creates potential security risks, from accidental changes in critical parameters to vulnerabilities when connecting to public networks. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to exit developer mode on devices with MIUI 14/15, including hidden nuances and solutions to typical errors.

It’s important to understand that simply “hiding” a menu item through a tap counter reset (as many forums advise) doesn’t shut down the mode completely — it keeps running in the background. We’ll show you how to completely deactivate it, and what to do if standard methods fail due to custom firmware or system failures. All instructions have been tested on models from 2022-2026, including the Xiaomi 13/14 Series, Redmi Note 12/13 and POCO F5/X5.

Why is the developer mode not disabled in the standard way?

On most Xiaomi devices, the developer mode is activated after 7-10 clicks on the MIUI version in the About Phone menu. It is logical to assume that to turn off this meter is enough to reset — but this does not always work.

• 🔹 Systemic constraints MIUI: Starting with MIUI 12.5, Xiaomi blocks automatic disabling of the mode if the settings have been changed (for example, debugging by debugging is enabled). USB or changed the limit of background processes).
• 🔹 Castom firmware: On devices with Xiaomi.EU, PixelExperience or other unofficial builds, the shutdown mechanism may differ or be turned off altogether.
• 🔹 Cache errors: Damaged files /data/property/persist.sys.dev_mode (those responsible for the state of the regime) lead to the "sticking" of the function.
• 🔹 Security Policy: On some models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra), the developer mode is tied to the Mi Account and requires additional authentication.

If, after resetting the tap counter, the Developer For option continues to appear in the settings, the system recognizes the active changes, in which case alternative methods will be required, which we will discuss later.

Method 1: Standard shutdown through resetting the meter

This method works on 70% of devices with official MIUI firmware, unless critical changes are made to the developer mode.

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI version line (usually at the bottom of the screen) and click on it 1 time.
3. The system will show a message: "You're almost there! There are still presses: X" (where X is the number of remaining presses before activation).
4. Repeat the press until the notification appears: “Developer Mode is disabled!”.

If after that, the item For developers disappeared from the Settings menu → In addition, the mode was successfully deactivated. But: on devices with the unlocked bootloader, this method may not work due to a modified kernel.

Method 2: Resetting developer settings manually

If the standard method didn’t work, try resetting the mode settings through the Developer Menu itself.

• 📱 You have not changed the critical parameters (for example, the, OEM Unlock or Minimum width).
• 🔧 You have official firmware. MIUI (non-custom).
• 🔒 The device is not tied to corporate policy (for example, through Android Enterprise).

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
2. Scroll down and find the developer mode switch (usually at the top of the screen).
3. Turn it off, the system will request confirmation.
4. After disconnecting, return to About Phone and reset the meter (as in Method 1).

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi) K50 Gaming, POCO F4 GT) After manual shutdown, access to debugging may disappear USB Even after the regime is re-activated, it's connected to security policy. MIUI game-device.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If previous methods have failed and the developer mode is interfering (e.g. blocking OTA updates), you can disable it via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires a PC and basic command line knowledge.

Preparation:

• 🖥️ Install. ADB Tools on the computer.
• 📱 Turn on Debugging. USB developer-setting.
• 🔌 Connect your phone to your PC via the original cable (important!).

Instructions:

adb shell settings put global development_settings_enabled 0


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

After the commands are executed:

1. Reset the device.
2. Check the disappearance of the item for developers in the settings.
3. If the item is left, run the additional command: adb shell settings delete global development_settings_enabled

⚠️ Note: pm clear com.android.settings will reset all personal settings (wallpaper, sounds, brightness, etc.) to factory settings. Use it only if other methods have not worked, and pre-backup through Settings → Google → Backup.

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If ADB does not recognize the device, try reinstalling the drivers via Google USB Driver or using the Mi PC Suite program to install automatically.

Method 4: Reset to factory settings (extreme case)

If the developer mode is activated on a device with an unlocked bootloader or custom firmware, and you can't turn it off with standard methods, you have a hard reset, which is guaranteed to remove all traces of the mode, but also erases:

• 📸 All photos, videos and documents (unless saved in the cloud).
• 📱 Installed applications and their data.
• 🔑 Accounts (re-entry required).
• ⚙️ All system settings (including Wi-Fi passwords).

How to perform the reset:

1. Create a backup through Settings → Google → Backup or Mi Cloud.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data (hard reset).
4. Enter the pattern lock/PIN-code and confirm the action.

Once rebooted, the device will be as new as it is, with no developer mode or other user data, and it is important that some models (Xiaomi 12S Ultra, Redmi K60 Pro) may require re-assigning the Mi Account to unlock after reset.

Method 5: Disconnect via Mi Flash (for devices with unlocked bootloader)

If you previously unlocked the Bootloader to install custom firmware, standard methods for disabling developer mode may not work, in which case, reflashing the official software through the Mi Flash Tool will help.

Step-by-step:

1. Download the official firmware for your model (choose the Fastboot version).
2. Unpack the archive into a folder without Cyrillic characters (e.g., C:\MIUI\).
3. Install the Mi Flash Tool.
4. Turn off the phone and press Volume Down + Power to log into Fastboot Mode.
5. Connect the device to the PC and in Mi Flash select the folder with the firmware.
6. Press Refresh, then Flash (choose the Clean All option for full cleanup).

After flashing:

• 🔄 Developer mode will be turned off.
• 🔒 The bootloader will remain unlocked (if you do not flash Fastboot with locking).
• 📱 All data will be erased (as in a hard reset).

⚠️ Note: Firmware via Mi Flash on devices with a locked bootloader (Bootloader Locked) will lead to a knock (complete failure) of the phone. Before the procedure, make sure that the bootloader is unlocked (checked by the fastboot oem device-info command - look for the line Device unlocked: true).

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even following the instructions, users face problems, and consider typical scenarios and how to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, check:

• 📌 Version MIUI: On beta (MIUI Beta) may be a bug with the mode shutdown. Try upgrading to stable build.
• 📌 bootloader status: On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T Pro) developer mode is tied to status OEM Unlock. If it's on, it won't shut down.
• 📌 If the phone is linked to a corporate account (for example, through Android Enterprise), the developer mode can be blocked by the administrator.

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If you plan to sell or transfer a device, be sure to turn off the developer mode and perform a factory reset, otherwise the new owner can access your data via USB Debugging or other tools.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions