How to Enable Developer Options on Android

To enable Developer options on Android, open Settings, tap About phone, and tap Build number seven times. Enter your PIN, pattern, or password if asked, and wait for the message “You are now a developer!” On Samsung Galaxy phones, Build number is inside About phone > Software information. The new menu then appears in Settings > System > Developer options on a Pixel, or at the very bottom of the main Settings list on a Galaxy.

Developer options is a hidden Settings screen that Google built for people who test apps. It holds controls such as USB debugging, animation speed, and a switch that keeps the screen awake while charging. Showing the menu does not change how your phone behaves. Only the individual settings inside it do that, and you can switch the whole menu off again whenever you like.

Before You Start

• Android version: Google says the screen is hidden by default on Android 4.2 and higher, so these steps apply to every current phone and tablet.
• Screen lock: if your phone has a PIN, pattern, or password, have it ready. Samsung notes that you are asked for it before the menu turns on.
• Labels vary: Google warns that on some devices the screen is located or named differently. The paths below cover Pixel and Samsung Galaxy, with notes for other brands.
• Work or school phones: an organization that manages the phone may block this menu. If the steps do nothing on a managed device, ask your administrator.

How to Turn On Developer Options

These steps follow Google’s Android Developers guide to on-device developer options.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap About phone. On a tablet this is About tablet.
3. Find Build number. On a Pixel it is near the bottom of the About phone screen. On a Samsung Galaxy, tap Software information first.
4. Tap Build number seven times in a row. Tap quickly and on the same line each time. After the first few taps, a small message counts down how many taps are left.
5. Enter your PIN, pattern, or password if the phone asks for it.
6. Look for the message You are now a developer! That message confirms the menu is switched on.

Nothing else changes at this point. USB debugging and every other developer setting stay off until you turn them on yourself.

Where Build Number Is on Different Phones

The seven taps are the same everywhere. Only the location of Build number changes. Google’s guide lists these paths:

Device	Path to Build number
Google Pixel	Settings > About phone > Build number
Samsung Galaxy S8 and later	Settings > About phone > Software information > Build number
OnePlus 5T and later	Settings > About phone > Build number
LG G6 and later	Settings > About phone > Software info > Build number
Google Pixel Watch	Settings > System > About > Versions > Build number

If your phone is not in the table, open Settings, use the search box at the top, and type Build number. Some brands are reported to use a version line of their own instead of Build number, so check the phone maker’s support site if the search finds nothing.

Where to Find the Developer Options Menu

After you see the confirmation message, go back to the main Settings screen and open the menu:

• Pixel: Settings > System > Developer options.
• Samsung Galaxy: scroll to the very bottom of the main Settings list and tap Developer options.
• Other brands: search Settings for Developer options. It is usually in the main list or under System.

To confirm it worked, open the menu and look at the switch at the top of the screen. It should be on. If you tap Build number again later, the phone tells you that you are already a developer instead of repeating the countdown.

Useful Developer Options Settings

Most of the menu is meant for app testing and should stay at its default. Google and Android describe these options as the ones non-developers use most:

• USB debugging: lets a computer talk to your phone through Android Debug Bridge (adb), a command tool that is part of Google’s developer kit. Android Studio and some phone-to-computer tools need it.
• Wireless debugging: does the same job over Wi-Fi. Google says phones need Android 11 or higher, and the phone and computer must be on the same network and paired with a QR code or pairing code.
• Window animation scale, Transition animation scale, and Animator duration scale: control how fast animations play. Google notes that a lower scale gives a faster speed, so choosing 0.5x for each makes menus open more quickly.
• Stay awake: keeps the screen on while the phone is plugged in.
• Show taps: draws a circle under your finger, which is handy when you record your screen.
• Quick settings developer tiles: adds chosen developer switches to the Quick Settings panel.

Warning: leave OEM unlocking alone unless you know exactly why you need it. Android’s own guide says unlocking the bootloader can void your warranty, can make the device unusable, and has security implications. Settings such as Don’t keep activities and Background process limit can also make everyday apps reload or close, so do not change them out of curiosity.

How to Turn On USB Debugging Safely

Read this before you switch it on: USB debugging gives a connected computer deep access to your phone. Use it only with a computer you own or trust, and switch it off when you finish.

1. Open Developer options.
2. Scroll to the Debugging section and turn on USB debugging.
3. Read the warning and tap OK to confirm.
4. Connect the phone to the computer with a USB cable and unlock the phone.
5. When the phone asks whether to allow USB debugging from that computer, approve it only if you recognize the computer.

Google’s Android Debug Bridge documentation explains that this prompt is a security check. It shows the computer’s RSA key, a kind of digital fingerprint, and adb commands cannot run until you unlock the phone and accept it. If you only want faster animations or the Stay awake switch, you do not need USB debugging at all.

How to Turn Off Developer Options

1. Open Settings and go to Developer options.
2. Turn off the switch at the top of the screen. On Pixel phones it is usually labeled Use developer options.

Google says that with the switch off, most options are disabled, apart from those that do not need the phone to talk to a computer. That is not a promise that every value returns to its original setting, so note what you change and set it back by hand if needed. Samsung says the same switch also hides the menu on Galaxy phones; see its Developer options instructions. To bring the menu back, tap Build number seven times again.

If Developer Options Will Not Turn On or You Cannot Find It

• Nothing happens when you tap: make sure you are tapping Build number, not Android version, Kernel version, or the model number. Tap seven times quickly without pausing.
• Build number is missing: on a Galaxy, open Software information. On other brands, search Settings for Build number.
• No confirmation message: if the phone asked for your PIN and you backed out, start again and enter it. If it says you are already a developer, the menu is on.
• The menu is not where you expect: look in Settings > System, scroll to the bottom of the main list, or search Settings for Developer options.
• Options are grayed out: check that the switch at the top of the Developer options screen is on. Google notes that some options, such as Wait for debugger, stay unavailable until a related setting is chosen first.
• A computer does not see the phone: unlock the phone, reconnect the cable, and accept the USB debugging prompt. Turning on the menu alone does not authorize a computer.
• The phone belongs to your employer or school: the organization may have disabled developer settings. Only its administrator can change that.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to turn on Developer options?

Showing the menu only reveals advanced controls. The risk comes from changing settings you do not understand. Samsung states that it does not support use of developer options and that they may affect your phone’s performance, and Android’s guide recommends changing only the settings you understand.

Does turning on Developer options also turn on USB debugging?

No. They are separate steps. USB debugging stays off until you switch it on inside the menu, and a computer still cannot use it until you unlock the phone and approve that computer.

Will enabling Developer options erase anything?

No. Tapping Build number only reveals a menu. It does not delete apps, photos, or settings. Individual options, such as unlocking the bootloader, are a different matter and can erase or damage a device, which is why they carry their own warnings.

Can apps tell that Developer options is on?

Possibly. Android’s guide says some apps may behave differently or refuse to run while developer options are enabled. If an app stops working after you turn the menu on, switch it off and try the app again.

Why would I need USB debugging?

It is mainly for building and testing apps with Android Studio, and for running adb commands from a computer. If you only want to install an app file on the phone itself, you do not need it; read how to install an APK on Android instead.

Next Step

Turn the menu on, change only the one setting you came for, and write down its original value so you can undo it. For more Android help, see where to find the clipboard on Android.