Android devices have a hidden menu called Android Developer Options. It gives advanced tools for testing, debugging, and tweaking your device. While these options are mainly for app developers, normal users can also benefit from some features.
In this guide, you will learn:
- How to enable Developer Options
- All major settings explained in simple words
- Which options are safe for daily use
- Tips to optimize your phone using these settings
What Are Developer Options?
Developer Options is a hidden menu in Android that provides access to advanced settings. These settings allow developers to:
- Test apps
- Debug errors
- Monitor performance
- Simulate conditions for testing
For everyday users, some Developer Options can also make your phone faster, more responsive, and visually smoother.
How to Enable Developer Options
Follow these steps:
- Open Settings > About Phone
- Tap Build Number 7 times
- Enter your PIN or password
- You will now see Developer Options under Settings
Once enabled, you can access all the features listed below.
All Major Developer Options Settings
Here’s a breakdown of the most useful and common Developer Options.
1. General Settings
- Stay Awake – Keep your screen on while charging.
- OEM Unlocking – Allows you to unlock the bootloader (used for rooting).
- Running Services – See apps running in the background and their memory usage.
2. Debugging Settings
- USB Debugging – Connect your phone to a PC for ADB commands and testing apps.
- Wireless Debugging – Debug apps over Wi-Fi without a USB cable.
- Select Mock Location App – Fake GPS location for testing apps.
- Bug Report Shortcut – Quickly generate bug reports for troubleshooting.
3. Networking Settings
- Mobile Data Always Active – Keeps mobile data on even when Wi-Fi is connected.
- Select USB Configuration – Choose how your phone behaves when connected to USB (Charging, File Transfer, MIDI, PTP).
- Enable Wi-Fi Verbose Logging – Shows detailed Wi-Fi info and logs.
- Bluetooth HCI Snoop Log – Record Bluetooth traffic for debugging.
4. Input Settings
- Show Taps – Displays a circle on the screen wherever you touch.
- Pointer Location – Shows touch coordinates and movements.
- Show Layout Bounds – Highlights app boundaries for testing.
5. Drawing & Display Settings
- Window Animation Scale – Speed up or slow down window animations.
- Transition Animation Scale – Adjusts transition animation speed.
- Animator Duration Scale – Controls animation time for app UI.
- Force RTL Layout Direction – Makes layout right-to-left (useful for Arabic/Hebrew testing).
- Show GPU View Updates – Highlights parts of the screen updated by GPU.
- Simulate Color Space – Test color blindness modes (Deuteranomaly, Protanomaly, etc.).
- Force Dark Mode – Force apps to use dark mode if not supported.
6. Hardware Acceleration Settings
- Force GPU Rendering – Uses GPU for 2D drawing instead of CPU.
- Disable HW Overlays – Forces GPU to handle screen composition.
- Force 4x MSAA – Improves graphics in OpenGL ES 2.0 apps (better gaming, more battery usage).
How to safe internet use for kids – Complete Guide
7. Media & Audio
- Disable Absolute Volume – Separate Bluetooth and device volume controls.
- Enable Audio Debugging Logs – Record audio debug info for testing.
8. Monitoring & Testing
- Show CPU Usage – Displays CPU usage on the screen.
- Profile GPU Rendering – Measures app rendering performance.
- Strict Mode Enabled – Flashes screen when apps do long operations.
- Don’t Keep Activities – Destroys app activities as soon as you leave them (good for testing, not daily use).
- Background Process Limit – Control how many apps run in the background.
9. Advanced Features
- Force Apps to Resize – Make apps compatible with split-screen mode.
- Override Force-Dark – Force apps to dark mode.
- Show Refresh Rate – Displays screen refresh rate (60Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz).
- Game Driver Preferences – Select GPU drivers for games.
Safe Developer Options for Normal Users
If you are not a developer, these are safe options to try:
- USB Debugging – Only if you connect to PC for data transfer or app testing.
- Animation Scale (Window, Transition, Animator) – Reduce to 0.5x for faster feel.
- Show Taps – Useful for tutorials or screen recording.
- Force Dark Mode – Makes apps dark if they don’t support it.
- Background Process Limit – Saves battery but apps reload often.
Important Warnings
Be careful with Developer Options. Some changes can:
- Drain your battery quickly
- Make apps crash
- Slow down your phone
- Cause system instability
Always change one setting at a time and observe your phone’s performance.
Tips to Optimize Your Phone with Developer Options
- Reduce Animations – Set animation scales to 0.5x for a faster phone.
- Force Dark Mode – Saves battery on OLED screens.
- Limit Background Processes – Helps save RAM for heavy apps.
- Show CPU Usage – Check which apps are using more power.
- Enable GPU Rendering – Makes UI smoother in some apps.
Android Developer Options is a powerful hidden menu. It is mainly for developers, but normal users can also benefit by tweaking animations, dark mode, and monitoring apps.
With careful use, you can:
- Make your phone faster
- Save battery
- Learn about app performance
- Test features safely