How to Enable Developer Options on Android (Any Phone)

Developer Options is a hidden settings menu on every Android phone. It unlocks the switches developers (and power users) need — USB debugging for adb, OEM unlocking, animation-speed controls, mock locations, and dozens more. Google keeps it hidden by default so people don't toggle something they don't understand, but turning it on takes about ten seconds once you know the trick.

Here's how to enable it on any Android phone, including the exact path for Samsung, Pixel, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Motorola — plus how to hide it again when you're done.

The universal method: tap "Build number" 7 times

The trick is the same across every Android version and manufacturer — only the location of the Build number entry changes.

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to About phone (sometimes "About device").
3. Find Build number.
4. Tap it 7 times in a row. After a few taps you'll see a countdown like "You are now 3 steps away from being a developer."
5. Enter your PIN, pattern, or password if prompted.
6. You'll see "You are now a developer!"

Developer Options is now unlocked. On most phones it appears under Settings → System → Developer options; on some it sits near the bottom of the main Settings list or under Additional settings.

Where "Build number" lives on your phone

The 7-tap trick is identical everywhere — you just have to find the right entry to tap.

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• Pixel / stock Android: Settings → About phone → Build number. Menu lands under Settings → System → Developer options.
• Samsung (One UI): Settings → About phone → Software information → Build number. The menu appears at the bottom of the main Settings list.
• Xiaomi / Redmi / POCO (MIUI / HyperOS): Settings → About phone → tap OS version (or "MIUI version") 7 times. Menu lives under Settings → Additional settings → Developer options.
• OnePlus / Oppo (OxygenOS / ColorOS): Settings → About device → Version → Build number. Menu under Settings → System settings (or Additional settings).
• Motorola: Settings → About phone → Build number.

If you can't find "About phone," pull down the notification shade, tap the gear icon to open Settings, and use the search bar at the top — type "build number" and it'll take you straight there.

What you actually unlock

Once enabled, Developer Options gives you switches worth knowing:

• USB debugging — the big one. Required for adb, sideloading, Android Studio, and most flashing tools. Toggle it on, then authorize your computer's RSA fingerprint when you plug in.
• OEM unlocking — permits unlocking the bootloader (needed before custom ROMs/root). Leave it off unless you specifically need it.
• Animation scales — set Window, Transition, and Animator scale to 0.5x (or off) to make an older phone feel noticeably snappier.
• Stay awake — keeps the screen on while charging, handy during development.
• Show taps / Pointer location — overlays touch points, great for screen recordings and demos.
• Mock location — lets a developer app supply a fake GPS position.

A word of caution: these are developer switches, not toggles to flip at random. USB debugging and OEM unlocking in particular can expose your device — only enable them when you need them, and turn USB debugging back off when you're done, especially before plugging into a public or unknown computer.

How to turn it off or hide it again

You can disable the menu's effects or hide the entry entirely:

• Disable without hiding: open Developer options and flip the toggle at the top of the screen to Off. The menu stays listed but all its settings are inactive.
• Hide it completely: go to Settings → Apps → Settings (the Settings app itself) → Storage → Clear storage / Clear data. This resets the Settings app and removes the Developer Options entry. You can always re-enable it with the 7-tap trick. (On some phones there's a simpler "Remove developer options" button inside the menu.)

Troubleshooting

• Tapping Build number does nothing / no countdown: make sure you're tapping the Build number row specifically — not the surrounding text — and tap quickly. On Xiaomi it's the OS version, not Build number.
• "Developer options" doesn't appear after enabling: check Settings → System and Settings → Additional settings; if it's still missing, use the Settings search bar for "developer options."
• USB debugging is greyed out: unplug the USB cable first — some phones lock the toggle while connected — flip it, then reconnect and accept the authorization prompt on the phone.
• The prompt asks for a password you don't have: Developer Options requires your real screen-lock credential; there's no separate developer password.

That's it — one hidden menu, seven taps, and your phone is ready for adb, Android Studio, and everything else the SDK throws at it.