Developer Options isn't just for developers. Hidden behind 7 taps on your build number lies a treasure trove of settings that can make your phone faster, help you debug issues, and unlock features Google doesn't advertise. This guide covers 25 Developer Options settings that regular users should know about.
Table of Contents
- How to Enable Developer Options
- Speed & Performance Settings
- Display & Visual Tweaks
- Debugging Powerhouse
- Network & Connectivity
- System Behavior
- App Development Settings (Useful for Everyone)
- Dangerous Settings (Use with Caution)
How to Enable Developer Options
- Go to Settings → About Phone
- Find Build Number (might be under Software Information)
- Tap it 7 times
- Enter your PIN when prompted
- "You are now a developer!" appears
Access Developer Options:
Settings → System → Developer Options
(Samsung: Settings → Developer Options)
Speed & Performance Settings
1. Window Animation Scale ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Drawing section
Default: 1x
Recommended: 0.5x or Off
This controls how fast window transitions animate. Setting to 0.5x makes everything feel snappier. Setting to "Off" makes your phone feel like it has a processor upgrade.
Try these values:
- 1x = Normal (default)
- 0.5x = Noticeably faster
- Off = Instant transitionsPro tip: Set all three animation scales (Window, Transition, Animator) to 0.5x for the best balance of speed and smoothness.
2. Transition Animation Scale ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Drawing section
Default: 1x
Recommended: 0.5x or Off
Controls animations when switching between apps. Same recommendations as Window Animation Scale.
3. Animator Duration Scale ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Drawing section
Default: 1x
Recommended: 0.5x or Off
Controls in-app animations. Setting to 0.5x makes apps feel more responsive without looking broken.
4. Background Process Limit ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Apps section
Default: Standard limit
Options: 0-4 processes, or Standard
Limits how many apps run in the background. Lower = more free RAM, but some apps might not send notifications.
Settings:
- Standard limit = Android decides (usually 4-8)
- 4 processes = Good balance
- 2 processes = Aggressive, might miss notifications
- 0 processes = No background apps (extreme)5. Force 4x MSAA ⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Hardware accelerated rendering
Default: Off
Use case: Gaming
Forces 4x multisample anti-aliasing in OpenGL ES 2.0 apps. Makes games look better but drains battery faster. Only enable when gaming.
Display & Visual Tweaks
6. Smallest Width (Display Size Override) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Drawing section
Default: Varies by device (usually 360-420dp)
This is different from the display size setting in regular settings. It lets you fit more content on screen by changing the reported screen density.
Values to try:
- 400dp = Slightly more content
- 440dp = Noticeably more content
- 480dp = Tablet-like density (might be too small)Warning: Some apps might look weird. Reset to default if you have issues.
7. Force Dark Mode ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Hardware accelerated rendering
Default: Off
Forces dark mode on ALL apps, even those that don't support it. Results vary—some apps look great, others look terrible.
Best for: Apps that refuse to add dark mode.
8. Disable HW Overlays ⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Hardware accelerated rendering
Default: Off (HW overlays enabled)
Forces GPU composition for everything. Can fix screen artifacts on some devices but uses more battery.
Enable if: You see screen flickering or corruption.
9. Show Surface Updates ⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Drawing section
Default: Off
Flashes the entire screen purple when it updates. Useful for finding apps that unnecessarily redraw and waste battery.
10. GPU Rendering Profile ⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Monitoring section
Options: Off / On screen as bars / In adb shell dumpsys gfxinfo
Shows a bar graph at the bottom of the screen indicating render time for each frame. Green line = 16ms (60fps target). Bars above the line = dropped frames.
Use for: Identifying laggy apps.
Debugging Powerhouse
11. USB Debugging ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Debugging section
Default: Off
Essential for ADB commands. Keep off when not using to prevent security risks.
12. Wireless Debugging ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Debugging section
Default: Off
Allows ADB over WiFi. Pair once, then connect wirelessly. Perfect for testing without cables.
Setup:
- Enable Wireless debugging
- Tap "Pair device with pairing code"
- On PC:
adb pair IP:PORT - Enter the pairing code
- Then:
adb connect IP:PORT
13. Bug Report Shortcut ⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Top of list
Default: Off
Adds "Take bug report" to power menu. Captures extensive system logs for debugging issues.
14. Show Taps ⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Input section
Default: Off
Shows a dot where you touch the screen. Great for screen recordings and demonstrating UI issues.
15. Pointer Location ⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Input section
Default: Off
Shows touch coordinates and path at top of screen. Useful for detecting touch screen issues.
Network & Connectivity
16. Mobile Data Always Active ⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Networking section
Default: On (usually)
Keeps mobile data active even when connected to WiFi. Enables faster network switching but uses slightly more battery.
Disable if: You want maximum battery savings on WiFi.
17. Select USB Configuration ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Networking section
Options: Charging / MTP / PTP / RNDIS / Audio / MIDI
Sets default USB behavior when connecting to a computer. No more tapping the notification every time!
Recommended: MTP (File Transfer) if you frequently transfer files.
18. Bluetooth AVRCP Version ⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Networking section
Options: 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6
Controls Bluetooth audio remote control features. Higher versions support more features but might have compatibility issues with older devices.
19. Bluetooth Audio Codec ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Networking section
Options: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC
Changes Bluetooth audio quality. LDAC = highest quality (if your headphones support it).
Quality ranking:
LDAC (990kbps) > aptX HD (576kbps) > aptX (352kbps) > AAC (250kbps) > SBC (328kbps)20. Bluetooth Audio Sample Rate ⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Networking section
Options: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz
Higher = better quality (if your audio files and headphones support it).
System Behavior
21. Don't Keep Activities ⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Apps section
Default: Off
Destroys activities as soon as you leave them. Simulates low-memory conditions.
Use for: Testing how your apps handle being killed.
Warning: Makes multitasking terrible. Don't leave on!
22. Stay Awake ⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Top section
Default: Off
Screen never sleeps while charging. Great for desk setups or using phone as a dashboard.
23. OEM Unlocking ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Top section
Default: Off (locked on carriers)
Allows bootloader unlocking for custom ROMs. Warning: Enabling may trip Knox/SafetyNet.
24. Strict Mode ⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Monitoring section
Default: Off
Flashes the screen when apps do slow operations on the main thread. The red flashing indicates bad coding practices.
Use for: Identifying badly coded apps that cause lag.
App Development Settings (Useful for Everyone)
25. Picture Color Mode (Wide Color Gamut) ⭐⭐⭐
Location: Developer Options → Media section
Default: Off
Enables wide color gamut for apps that support it. Photos and videos show more vibrant colors.
Enable if: You have an AMOLED screen and want more vivid colors in supported apps.
Dangerous Settings (Use with Caution)
These settings can cause issues if misused:
⚠️ Aggressive WiFi to Cellular Handover
Can cause unexpected data usage.
⚠️ Don't Keep Activities
Makes phone nearly unusable for normal use.
⚠️ Force 4x MSAA
Significant battery drain.
⚠️ Logger Buffer Sizes (16MB+)
Wastes RAM on logging.
⚠️ Enable view attribute inspection
Security risk—allows apps to inspect other app UI.
My Top 5 Recommendations for Everyone
- All Animation Scales → 0.5x (Instant speed boost)
- Wireless Debugging → On (When you need ADB)
- Smallest Width → 400-440dp (More screen content)
- Bluetooth Codec → LDAC (Better audio quality)
- Show Taps → On (For screen recordings)
Quick Settings via ADB
Don't want to dig through menus? Use ADB:
# Disable all animations
adb shell settings put global window_animation_scale 0
adb shell settings put global transition_animation_scale 0
adb shell settings put global animator_duration_scale 0
# Set smallest width to 440dp
adb shell wm density 440
# Enable stay awake while charging
adb shell settings put global stay_on_while_plugged_in 3Conclusion
Developer Options is one of Android's most powerful features hiding in plain sight. Whether you want a faster phone, better debugging tools, or just more control over your device, these 25 settings give you superpowers that most Android users never discover.
Start with the animation scales—you'll wonder why they're not 0.5x by default!
What's your favorite Developer Options setting? Share in the comments!
New in Android 16
Android 16 introduced several exciting changes to Developer Options and system behavior:
26. Screen Automation Permission (Android 16 QPR3+)
Location: Developer Options → Apps section
A new permission system for “computer use” style automation. This enables AI assistants like Gemini to interact with your screen programmatically. Essential for upcoming AI agent features.
27. Enhanced Location Privacy Indicator
Location access now shows as a blue chip/dot in the status bar, matching the green indicators for camera and microphone. This makes it easier to spot when apps are tracking your location.
28. Adjustable Flashlight Strength
Android 16 QPR3 adds granular control over flashlight brightness directly from Quick Settings. Developers can test different intensity levels through system APIs.
29. Samsung-Style Navigation Layout Option
Pixel devices now offer Samsung’s navigation button arrangement (Back-Home-Recents vs Google’s Recents-Home-Back). Find this in Developer Options → Input section.
30. Themed Icons Now Called “Minimal”
The themed/monochrome icons feature has been renamed to “Minimal” in Android 16. Same functionality, cleaner naming.
