Developer Options on Android phones and tablets provide access to specialized system settings for customizing and debugging. When enabled, Developer Options unlock useful features like USB debugging to connect with computers for debugging purposes; mock locations to spoof GPS positions; keep screen on to stop display sleepiness from occuring; WiFi debugging to test apps over local networks and more!
Developer options come preinstalled on some Android phones like Pixels and Galaxy phones; if this feature is hidden from view on yours, however, manually unlock it in order to gain access. Once located, unlocking Android developer options takes only seconds as soon as you know where you should look!
Our comprehensive guide below reveals all you need to know to access and enable developer settings on any Android smartphone or tablet device. Follow our step-by-step instructions below and discover a whole suite of developer settings available on your device.
How to Check if Your Phone Already Has Developer Options Enabled
Before embarking upon the steps for unlocking developer options on Android phones, first make sure that this menu exists already on the phone itself. Some manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, Motorola and Google include them by default on certain handsets.
To check if developer options are present on your Android phone or device, open your Settings app and scroll through its list until you find “Developer options” or “Development”. From here you can toggle various features like USB debugging, mock locations and other developer settings.
If the developer options already appear within your Settings, simply customize them for your use and make any necessary modifications.
However, if developer options are hidden on your Android, to enable it, just tap 7 times on the build number as explained next section. Most smartphones from Sony, Nokia, OnePlus and Xiaomi companies hide developer options by default.
How to Unlock the Hidden Developer Options Menu
On Android phones and tablets without developer options already enabled, their developer options menu is hidden by default, to prevent accidental modifications of developer settings. It must first be unlocked for you to gain access to its settings.
How to Access the Build Number Section
To enable Android’s secret developer options, tap on the build number 7 times within either About phone or Software information menus on your device manufacturer. This should trigger Android to unlock its hidden developer options.
Here are the steps for accessing build number on some popular Android skins:
On Samsung Galaxy Phones
- Open Settings
- Scroll down and tap About phone
- Tap Software information
- You’ll see the Build number section here
On Motorola Phones
- Open Settings
- Scroll down to tap About phone
- Tap Software versions
- Build number will display here
Process may differ slightly for devices from different brands like Sony, OnePlus or Nokia; please consult your device guide if necessary for directions on specific steps to take.
Tap the Build Number 7 Times
Once you locate the build number in Android’s About phone section, tap it 7 times quickly to unlock developer options on your device.
How to Locate the Developer Options Menu
Once you tap on the build number 7 times, a confirmation message stating, “You are now a developer!” or “Developer Mode has been enabled” (check above screenshot) should appear confirming the activation of developer options on your Android phone.
Now you can access your newly unlocked developer options menu in Settings app:
On Samsung:
- Open Settings
- Scroll down to find the Developer options menu now visible below the About Phone section
On Motorola:
- Open Settings
- Developer options is added in the System section
On Other Devices:
- Open Settings
- Scroll down to locate Developer options
If the menu still does not appear after tapping your build number, reboot your phone and check again.
The developer options menu provides access to settings related to USB debugging, mock locations, WiFi debugging, OEM unlocking, runtime permissions and more.
How to Customize Your Developer Options Settings
After unlocking developer options on your Android, it is now time to customize its settings according to your own individual needs.
Here is an overview of some of the most useful developer options to enable:
Top 10 Developer Options to Enable
Here are 10 of the most useful developer options you should enable on your Android phone:
- USB Debugging – Allows debugging apps on a computer via USB connection. Useful for app development.
- Mock Locations – Spoof your GPS location for location-based apps. Helpful for testing.
- Keep Screen On – Prevent your phone’s display from sleeping during long tasks. Avoid screen timeouts.
- WiFi Debugging – Debug apps through a WiFi connection without wires. Requires developer tools.
- OEM Unlocking – Unlock bootloader to install custom ROMs. Voids warranty.
- Running Services – View currently active background services and tapping to stop them.
- Show Touches – Visual feedback when you tap the screen. Good for testing accessibility.
- Show Screen Updates – Flash areas of the display that update with green. Checks for performance issues.
- Animator Duration Scale – Speed up or slow down system animations. Saves time or helps debugging.
- Force GPU Rendering – Force hardware acceleration for apps. Improves graphics performance.
These developer options give deeper system access and controls for debugging, testing, and monitoring processes on an Android device. Be mindful to enable these options with caution and reverse any changes if instability or errors arise.
Conclusion
That’s it! With just a few taps you’ve unlocked the hidden developer options menu on any Android smartphone or tablet. We went through step-by-step procedures to enable it for those whose default setting disabled them; once done you can customize newly revealed settings to enable deeper system modifications for development testing debugging purposes.
Remember when changing developer settings that they will directly impact low-level functions on your device. Reverting is advised if changes cause crashes, slowdowns or other problems after making them. But used effectively, developer options provide powerful customisation options.
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