How To Access Developer Options On Android
By default, developer options in Android are hidden, and to gain access, they must first be activated based on which version of Android you're running and which device manufacturer, such as Samsung, may modify where certain menus appear. Your device's Settings app usually offers this information by way of strong>About Phone > Build Number/strong>; on Android 8. x devices, this may appear under System > About Phone >Build Number or even called "About Tablet," respectively; for customized Android builds such as Samsung devices it could even appear under About phone >Software information >Build number.
Your device might feature a customized build of Android, which could alter where certain settings reside. To locate them quickly, press the search button (usually near the top with magnifying glass icon) in the Settings app and type in "build number," press if it appears, and view "About Page." It should highlight when selected from there.
Once the Build Number reaches zero, tap it repeatedly until confirmation appears on-screen. Older Android devices usually automatically enable Developer Options upon reaching it; newer phones and tablets might require entering your lock screen password before tapping Build Number again to activate Developer Features. After doing so, a pop-up should appear stating: "You are now an Android developer". Your device's Android operating system and the manufacturer will determine where this menu appears within the Settings app; typically, it can be found either at the bottom of your main settings screen (like Samsung smartphones and tablets) or moved elsewhere via the System menu or search feature in Settings app you should be able to use search to locate this menu easily.
Developer Options: How To Use Every Setting
Let's review each Android Developer Options menu setting and explain its purpose and usage. Depending on the device used, some manufacturers also add custom options which we will discuss here, as well, as future updates of Android may add or remove specific options from this list. Based on Android 12.L/12.1 for reference future versions could have added or subtracted certain settings
Main Options
By tapping this, you can view how much RAM your device uses and averages over 3, 6, 12, or 24-hour periods or one day. Furthermore, your phone displays all applications grouped according to how much memory each uses; check this screen if your phone frequently needs to reload applications when switching apps.
Bug Report: When filing an Android system bug report or another critical system component bug with Google, they may ask for your report of its bugs as part of the resolution process. You can generate such reports directly on Android.
Bug Report Handler: Alter the application that handles Bug Report shortcuts on your device - typically not recommended.
Desktop Backup Password: Creates a password to use ADB commands to back up and restore device apps and data.
Stay Awake: Toggling this toggle allows your device to avoid sleeping while charging and prevents its display from turning off, making it perfect for testing apps or performing other tasks that require your phone to be unlocked for some time before charging is finished. It may be especially useful during Android App Development or other processes requiring leaving it unlocked for extended periods.
Enable Bluetooth HCI Snoop Log: This saves all Bluetooth HCI packets to /sdcard/btsnoop_hci.log for analysis or troubleshooting purposes using tools like Wireshark.
OEM Unlocking: To unlock your bootloader, activate this toggle though note it may not be available on every device.
Running Services: Opens a screen that lists running applications and system processes running on your device and how much RAM they're taking up, similar to Memory but more useful for quickly checking its state.
Picture Color Mode: This switch sets your device to use sRGB color space. While useful at one point, many modern devices now default to using it by default, so this switch has little bearing today.
Implementation Of WebView: Change in which the application is responsible for rendering embedded web content within Android applications without valid justification or cause, resulting in lost app data and may lead to its corruption or even destruction.
Automatic System Updates: By switching off, your device won't apply any system upgrades when restarting if one was previously downloaded. Some devices may override or provide another way to handle upgrades; please check for specific instructions with each model device.
DSU Loader: DSU Loader was introduced with Android 11, allowing users to boot into a Generic System Image temporarily.
Demo Mode For System UI: Demo Mode is intended primarily to produce clean screenshots without distracting details; for instance, showing battery level at 100% and time as noon are used as indicators of success in Demo Mode.
Quick Settings Developer Tiles: From here, you can add toggles to the quick settings on your device (where WiFi and Bluetooth reside).
Debugging
USB Debugging: By activating USB Debugging, the Android Debug Bridge software on your computer will communicate with your Android device over USB and allow ADB commands, system settings changes, app permission grants, and more to occur on its behalf. Please be aware that some applications and games will no longer launch properly should this feature be activated.
Revoke USB Debugging Authorizations: To connect to your device via ADB for the first time, all ADB authorizations need to be set by this computer. Using this option, you can deauthorize all ADB connections which have previously been authorized, ideally if computers you previously utilized no longer exist!
Wireless Debugging: Android's early days also saw its use, with ADB available over WiFi networks to conduct debugging sessions instead of USB connections. Google first implemented wireless debugging via this mode with Android 11, though you could access this setting long before that point.
Disable ADB Timeout: Most devices include security measures that automatically revoke USB Debugging Authorization after seven days if no Debugging activity occurs. However, this toggle allows for temporarily disabling this feature if absolutely necessary. Please consult a source before doing this, though, as there could be consequences.
Bug Report Shortcut: Add a button to the Power menu to generate bug reports.
Enable Verbose Vendor Logs: More detailed and confidential bug reports could contain additional data that might prove valuable for problem resolution.
Enable Attribute Inspection Of Views: Layout Inspector can quickly inspect all views in your applications, particularly helpful when building apps. This feature makes life much simpler.
Select Debug Application/ Wait For Debugger: Bug reports and debugging alone may not provide all of the data necessary when developing apps, particularly when trying to figure out why an application crashes on startup. With this setting enabled, you can select an additional debugging application that will launch before any app configured with "wait for the debugger".
Verify Applications Over USB: Verify sideloaded apps using ADB to ensure they contain no potentially malicious code, similar to how Google Play Protect verifies apps downloaded directly onto devices. This could come in handy for downloading applications online before installing ADB on a computer.
Verify The Bytecode In Debuggable Applications: Another default security measure enabled.
Logger Buffer Size: This setting adjusts the maximum file size of a logger; increasing it will show older logs, while decreasing it will only display recent activity.
Feature Flags: Google sometimes tests experimental features through Android Developer Previews or Betas, and these experimental features may appear here in Feature Flags; typically, though, devices running an up-to-date Android version will leave this menu without anything.
Enable GPU Debug Layers: This feature allows Vulkan Validation Layers to be downloaded locally for easier testing and troubleshooting. Google provides extensive documentation with more details.
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Graphics Driver Preferences: For certain applications, you can override your graphics driver by installing another. Esper's blog explains this method in more depth.
App Compatibility Changes: This Menu lets you assess every API change in Android versions recently released against an older application, making the android development process for app updates simpler and faster. Unfortunately, this only works with debuggable apps, so it may not be very beneficial outside software development environments.
Display Refresh Rate: Display refresh rate counters are useful when dealing with devices that dynamically switch their refresh rates; they don't serve as frame rate counters.
Allow Overlays In Settings: To reduce security risks, modern versions of Android do not permit overlays while the Settings app is open; this setting overrides this behavior; change only if there's a good cause!
System Tracking: An effective means for optimizing Native Android App Solutions performance is system tracking.
Networking
Wireless Display Certification: Traditionally, this toggle allowed you to cast the screen of your device to any TV that supported Miracast; however, since Google pulled this code years ago and replaced it with its Chromecast standard instead, this toggle generally does not do anything on most devices anymore.
Enable WiFi Verbose Logging: This will display each network's Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) within your WiFi settings. RSSI can help determine signal strength; however, other apps like WiFi Analyzer may perform better.
WiFi Safe Mode: Available on certain devices, WiFi Safe Mode prioritizes network stability by protecting against potential security breaches.
WiFi Scan Throttling: This feature restricts how often your device scans WiFi networks, helping reduce battery drain and making connections more time-consuming between known and unknown networks.
WiFi Non-Persistent MAC Randomization/ Enhanced WiFi MAC Randomization: Android can switch between persistent MAC randomization or non-persistent MAC randomization when connecting to WiFi networks depending on what works best, depending on their needs. When activated here, non-persistent MAC Randomization would make Android use this tactic, effectively tricking networks into believing each time someone connected was a brand new device, useful when dealing with capacitive logins or configuration problems on such networks.
Mobile Data Always Active: By default, Android disables mobile platform data whenever WiFi connections drain battery life; this option may be beneficial if you wish to avoid waiting until LTE or 5G reconnects when disconnecting WiFi though this could reduce battery life considerably.
Hardware Acceleration For Tethering: By default, this setting enhances tethering connections using special hardware features to speed them up however, modifying this may not be necessary for most instances.
USB Default Configuration: Changes the mode when plugging your device into a PC (or another USB host). Most devices' default setting for most purposes is "No data transfers"; however, you may select "File Transfer" to avoid selecting it each time via USB transfer of files occurs although note that this setting only takes effect after unlocking your device!
Display Bluetooth Devices Without Names: By default, Android ignores Bluetooth devices without names. Still, in this setting, they will appear alongside all the other Bluetooth devices.
Disable Absolute Volume: Modern Android versions feature absolute volume capabilities in Bluetooth outputs for maximum control over volume levels. While certain headphones and headsets may work properly with this feature enabled, if your speakers or headphones sound too low, you may wish to turn this off (rather than on), which will reduce its volume level and bring down overall volumes.
Enable Gabeldorsche: This will activate Google's latest Bluetooth stack since Android 11. The name Gabeldorsche refers to Denmark, although most users won't require its use right now, and some devices even hide this feature.
Disable Bluetooth A2DP Hardware Offload: You can rectify Bluetooth speakers or headphones that do not function normally.
Bluetooth MAP Version/ AVRCP Version: These two settings alter how Android handles media control via Bluetooth and may or may not be necessary.
HD Audio: By default, this toggle switches Bluetooth audio to the higher-quality SBC codec. However, its selection could become grayed out if no better options exist or no connected devices are present.
Bluetooth Codec: Android's menu for audio codec support lists all supported codecs; any option not compatible will appear grayed out upon connecting Bluetooth headphones or speakers, though Android will select an optimal audio codec automatically for you anyway; but using this menu allows for fast identification of what codecs may support particular Bluetooth audio devices.
Bluetooth Audio Sample Rate/Bits Per Sample: This allows tweaking some quality settings of Bluetooth sound; these may or may not be necessary.
Bluetooth Channel Mode: Your audio device's channel mode selections depend upon whether it supports Mono or Stereo audio streams, similar to choosing codecs. Unfortunately, only certain modes may be supported on certain audio devices.
Maximum Bluetooth Audio Devices Connected: Some smartphones and tablets support connecting multiple Bluetooth audio devices simultaneously; no changes need to be made as it already shows at its maximum limit.
Input
Show Taps: This feature shows where fingers touch the screen when recording screencasts or videos; useful when trying to detect where people may have been touching. Many screen recorders include this option that automatically activates itself during recording sessions.
Pointer Location: Similar to "Show Taps," but displays coordinates for your taps on the main display.
Read More:
What technologies and tools do you use to develop Android apps?
Drawing
Display Surface Updates: When enabled, this setting will alert the entire screen whenever anything has changed within an app useful when debugging but potentially annoying for sensitive eyes. Disabling may provide better performance overall.
Display Layout Bounds: This feature displays an organized grid layout for all elements, making it simpler to view margins on certain elements and thus providing easier margin control when developing apps. This option may only prove valuable during the app creation process.
Force RTL Layout Direction: When enabled, this setting forces all text to display as right-to-left regardless of its writing in any current language (such as Arabic). This feature can help test how apps look when used for various languages without altering your device's language settings.
Window Animation Scale/ Transition Animation Scale/Animator Duration Scale: These three settings enable Android users to control the speed of animations. Setting these at values such as 0.5x can result in faster yet choppy experiences on your device.
Simulate Secondary Display: When activated, this feature emulates an external monitor connected to an Android device and its display as an opaque layer at the top of your screen. This function is useful when testing apps interacting with external screens, such as TV monitors.
Minimum Width/ Smallest Width: Another way to alter Android scaling is by using smaller or higher values. While normally, using the Display Size feature in Settings App to change screen sizes will work fine, higher values could cause tablet taskbars to appear instead.
Display Cutout: Here, you can customize any notches, camera holes, or cutouts on the screen of your device. If there already exists one on it, selecting 'Hide" will move its status bar below it and move everything back onto its previous spot on the screen.
Hardware-Accelerated Rendering
Show Hardware Layers/ Show View Updates: Similar to the Show Surface Updates setting, application developers testing an app should only use these options.
GPU Overdraw Debug: This color coding depicts how many pixels were drawn during one frame by an application and shows you where rendering excesses may exist.
Debug Clip Operations That Are Not Rectangular: Switches off the canvas's clipping region to create non rectangular canvas areas.
Force-dark Override: This Android 10 feature was intended to force applications with dark themes to use it even if the application does not already include one; unfortunately, it never worked reliably, nor has its usefulness diminished over time; most Android applications already feature their dark mode anyway! It should no longer be necessary for most apps.
Force MSAA 4x: Enabling Multisample Anti-Aliasing (MSAA), this setting forces Multisample Anti-Aliasing in all OpenGL ES 2.0 apps.
Disable Hardware Overlays: Hardware overlays enable apps to display information on-screen with minimal processing power usage and video memory usage; without them, apps must constantly check clipping/collision detection before rendering images properly, requiring constant refresh rates of their images and clipping/collision checks which consume considerable processor resources. It should not be modified without solid justification from an expert source.
Simulate Color Space: With this function, switching between various display modes monochrome, for instance on and off quickly and easily is possible.
Media
Disable USB Audio Routing: When this option is selected, Android no longer automatically identifies new USB audio devices such as headsets or headphone adapters, making this feature useful if you don't wish to utilize audio output from USB adapters with headphone jacks but instead wish to connect a device which already features one.
Media Transcoding Settings: Here, you can adjust how your device loads media files; however, these should remain undisturbed and undeletable.
Monitoring
Strict Mode Enabled: This Android developer tool enables developers to monitor for accidental storage or network access on an app's main thread.
Profile Rendering HWUI: Although GPU activity on your device can be monitored, its primary benefit lies in cross-platform development testing.
Apps
Don't Keep Activities: This function closes applications that move into the background when moved from their current positions on the screen - similar to swiping the Recents screen making this useful when testing an application and needing to reload it regularly during the mobile app development and testing phases.
Background Process Limit: Allows for changing maximum applications that can remain active as background processes before being cleared away by Android OS. There's no reason to adjust this, though doing so might extend battery life due to frequent app relaunches using up additional processing power.
Always Display Crash Dialog: As its name implies, this option displays a pop-up window when an application crashes to facilitate bug reporting more easily.
Show Background ANRs: By activating this option, you will be able to see App Not Responding messages when apps are running in the background, in addition to their default behavior of only showing these notifications when apps become frozen on the screen.
Suspend The Execution Of Cached Apps: Android applications shouldn't run in memory when cached, but this feature prevents that from occurring. While this might improve battery life, performance could suffer; taking longer for apps to restore when opened again could reduce their cached state.
Show Warnings About Notification Channels: Android apps generally organize notifications into categories that can be enabled or disabled individually in Android settings. With this setting enabled, if an app sends out notifications without assigning them to one category, a warning will be shown making this feature especially helpful for developers to ensure all notifications are categorized appropriately. If you need to know which channel sent it, press and hold its notification icon within your notifications panel.
Reset The Priority Of Notifications: Android attempts to sort notifications based on importance over time; clicking this button will reestablish this behavior.
Standby Applications: Here, you can view a list of apps currently in standby mode on your device.
Force Apps To Be Installed Externally: Android applications allow users to choose whether their data will go onto external storage (usually microSD slots). With this setting activated, any apps which support it would normally install there instead; therefore, it would be wiser not to change this setting and move unsupported apps onto external storage for easier use.
Force All Activities To Be Resizable: This fix (though somewhat flakey) provides a workaround for apps that won't run in split-screen mode or Chromebooks that can't resize themselves properly.
Enable Freeform Windows: Once activated, this feature enables apps to open as floating windows even though your device was not initially designed to accommodate it (like many phones). Once this option has been activated, select it by holding down an icon on the Recents screen; similar functionality already exists with custom versions of Android, such as Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets with "Pop-up View".
Force Desktop Mode: Connecting an external monitor (via, for instance, USB Type C) will force the device into using a desktop interface that includes windows of any size and customized launchers; this implementation varies based on Android version/ skin/ device type; certain devices override this setting altogether.
Enable Non-Resizable In Multi-Window/Multi-Window For All Apps: This allows applications that do not support resizing (like many games) to still function in multi-window mode.
Reset Rate-Limiting For Shortcutmanager: Android limits how often an app may update its shortcuts to avoid performance slowdowns, and this option resets a rate-limiting timer that's particularly beneficial to developers.
Other Sections
Autofill: This section allows for testing the Android Autofill Framework. It is unnecessary unless testing an application that utilizes Autofill Data or Provider.
Storage: The Android system only contains one way of showing any shared files; this option will usually remain empty with an error message such as, "There are no shared documents for this User."
Location: You can use our "Select fake location app" feature with GPS Joystick apps to change the physical location of your device, deceiving mobile device service providers about where your location lies.
Games: On some Samsung Galaxy devices has an optional setting named GPUWatch which adds overlays that display FPS or CPU load information that differs from the refresh rate counter found under the Display section and shows the FPS of the currently running application or game rather than the display refresh rate counter. In general, FPS displayed here may be lower.
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The Conclusion Of The Article Is:
Sometimes it can be unclear which options in Android App Developer Options do what, even though many can be useful. While enabling any option will not cause irreparable damage to your phone or tablet, certain settings could create unexpected side effects if enabled without knowing beforehand what each setting does. In this roundup, we cover them all so you know exactly what each setting does, and we are here if you would like an experienced developer on hand for hire, Contact us if interested.
