How to close the developer mode on Xiaomi: all the ways and nuances

Developer mode on Xiaomi smartphones is a powerful tool for fine-tuning the system, but not all users need it all the time. Once activated, this mode remains on, displaying additional items on the menu and potentially creating security risks. If you accidentally turned it on or just don’t plan to use advanced features anymore, it is important to know how to completely close the developer mode without consequences for the system.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to turn off developer mode on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices running MIUI 12-15, including the nuances after firmware updates. You will learn why simply turning off the toggle in the settings may not be enough, how to check whether the mode is deactivated, and what to do if standard methods do not work, and special attention will be paid to hidden parameters that remain active even after “turning off” the mode through the interface.

Why Developer Mode Is Better to Disable

Many users mistakenly believe that the developer mode is harmless unless you change the settings in it, but its constant activation has several hidden disadvantages:

• 🔓 Security vulnerability: The mode allows you to install applications from unknown sources (ADB, USB-debugging), which increases the risk of malware infection.
• 📱 System instability: some experimental functions (e.g. forced operation) GPU rendering) may cause lags or overheating.
• 🔄 Update issues: Devices with active developer mode are more likely to have installation errors OTA-update.
• 🛠️ Difficulties in maintenance: official service centers Xiaomi may refuse warranty repairs if they find traces of the use of the developer mode.

In addition, the developer mode takes up space in the settings menu, making navigation difficult, such as MIUI 14 for developers and additionally duplicate each other, which confuses users, and some applications (for example, banking or enterprise) can block work on devices with enabled debugging over USB.

Method 1: Standard shutdown through settings

The easiest method is to use built-in MIUI options, which is suitable for most devices if the developer mode was enabled in the standard way (by repeatedly clicking on the build number).

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to About Phone (or About Device on some models).
3. Tap 7-10 times on the MIUI version until you become a developer! (this is to unlock access to the menu, even if the mode is already active).
4. Return to the main Settings menu and select Additional → For Developers.
5. At the top of the screen, move the developer mode slider to the off position.
6. Confirm the action by pressing OK in the window that appears.

After that, the menu items associated with the developer mode should disappear from the settings. However, this method does not always work 100% - some parameters (for example, ADB or OEM Unlock) may remain active.

adb shell getprop ro.debuggable

If answer 1 is, the developer mode is not fully deactivated, then move on to the next method.

Method 2: Reset all developer settings

If the standard shutdown didn't work, try resetting all developer mode settings to factory settings. This method removes all changes made to this menu, but doesn't affect the basic system settings.

1. Open the settings → Additional → for developers.
2. Scroll down to Reset (or Recovery on some firmware) section.
3. Select Reset developer settings.
4. Enter the screen lock password (if installed).
5. Confirm reset by pressing OK.

Once the device is restarted, all developer mode settings will be deactivated and the menu item will disappear, which is effective if you have previously changed your ADB settings, Windows Animation, or Background Processes, but now want to return everything to factory values.

⚠️ Note: On certain devices (e.g, POCO F5 Or the Redmi Note 12 Pro.+) Resetting the developer settings can temporarily block access to this menu for 24 hours. MIUI, to prevent accidental changes.

Method 3: Complete reset to factory settings

If previous methods didn't work, the radical option is hard reset, which deletes all data from the device, including the developer mode settings, but requires a pre-backup.

1. Back up important data via Settings → About Phone → Backup or Mi Cloud.
2. Open Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset.
3. Select Reset (or Erase All Data).
4. Enter the lock password.
5. Confirm the action by pressing Erase Everything.

The device will reboot and return to factory status, and once you set up "as new," the developer mode will be disabled, and this method is guaranteed to work, but has disadvantages:

• ⚠️ All installed applications and their data are deleted.
• ⚠️ Resets Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and accounts.
• ⚠️ Repeated authorization is required in Mi Account.

On devices with an unlocked bootloader, you may need to re-assign your Mi Account to unlock after reset, and if you forget your account information, this will result in a device lock (called Mi Account Lock).

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Before resetting, untie your device from your Google account in Settings → Accounts → Google to avoid FRP (Factory Reset Protection) issues.

Features for different versions of MIUI

The process of disabling developer mode may vary depending on the firmware version, and the table below shows the key differences for MIUI 12-15:

Nana POCO-shell-like POCO The launcher path may be different: for example, POCO X5 The developer menu is located in the Settings → System system → Additionally. → For developers, also on some firmware (e.g, MIUI EU) The developer mode is only disabled through ADB.

What to do if the developer mode does not turn off

If standard methods do not work, the problem may be related to:

• 🔧 Modified firmware (castom recaveri, root-rights).
• 📱 System errors after a failed update.
• 🔒 Blocking the bootloader (on some Xiaomi models, after unlocking the bootloader, the developer mode cannot be turned off without completely resetting).

In such cases, one of the following methods will help:

Method 1: Disconnection through ADB

If you have access to ADB, follow the commands:

adb shell settings put global development_settings_enabled 0


adb shell settings put global adb_enabled 0

Method 2: Remove the settings file manually (requires root)

With a root-access file manager (such as Root Explorer), delete the file:

/data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/settings.db

After the reboot, all settings, including the developer mode, will reset.

Method 3: Fastboot Flashing

Download the official firmware for your model from the Xiaomi Firmware website and run it through the Mi Flash Tool in clean all mode. This is guaranteed to remove all traces of the developer mode, but also erase all data.

⚠️ Note: On devices with a locked bootloader (Redmi Note 11, Xiaomi) 12T And now, flashing through the Fastboot without unlocking the bootloader will result in a device blink (completely inoperable.

How to check if the developer mode is actually disabled

Many users mistakenly believe that if the For Developers item is removed from the menu, the mode is deactivated. However, some settings may remain active.

1. Check through ADB: adb shell getprop ro.debuggable Must return 0. If 1 - mode is still active.
2. Verification USB-Adb shell settings get global adb_enabled I gotta get it back. 0.
3. Check through hidden settings: Enter the dialer code ##4636## and go to Phone Information. If there is Developer Mode: On, it is not disabled.
4. System Log Check: Install the Logcat Extreme app and look for DeveloperOptions or ADB mentions in the logs.

If at least one of the tests shows that the developer mode is active, repeat the disablement procedure or use alternative methods from the previous section.

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Even after the developer mode is disabled through the interface, some settings (e.g. OEM Unlock) may remain active. For complete deactivation, use a combination of methods: reset + check through ADB.

FAQ: Frequent questions