How to Enable Developer Options On Samsung Galaxy Smartphones

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Author:

Danu Prasad

The “Developer Options” in the Android operating system is a hidden menu containing a set of settings meant for developers and advanced users to control system behaviors.

As Samsung Galaxy smartphones are based on the Android OS, the Developer Options feature is also available in these devices. However, the specific settings inside Developer Options can vary based on the smartphone model and the Android version it’s running on.

In this guide, you will learn the process of enabling Developer Options on your Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Also, you will also learn how to reset developer options settings, and how to hide Developer Options if you no longer need it.

Enabling Developer Options in Samsung Galaxy Smartphones

To enable developer options on your Samsung Galaxy smartphone, follow these steps below:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Scroll down and tap on “About phone”.
About phone
  1. Then, tap on “Software information”.
Software information
  1. Then, tap on the “Build number” multiple times until you see the message “You are now a developer” at the bottom of the screen.
Build number
  1. Now go back to the Settings menu and you will see the “Developer options” has appeared there right after the “About phone” option.
Developer options

Settings Available in Developer Options in Samsung Galaxy Smartphones?

As we mentioned earlier, the settings available in the Developer Options vary from one Samsung Galaxy smartphone model, and the Android version running on the device. 

For this guide, we will be focusing on the settings available in the Developer Options of the Samsung Galaxy S23 running on Android 14, which is the latest flagship model from Samsung with the latest Android version.

Here are the options available in the Developer Options of the Samsung Galaxy S23:

  1. USB debugging
  2. Stay awake
  3. Select mock location app
  4. Enable view attribute inspection
  5. Show taps
  6. Pointer location
  7. Show surface updates
  8. Show layout bounds
  9. Force RTL layout direction
  10. Window animation scale
  11. Transition animation scale
  12. Animator duration scale
  13. Background process limit
  14. Show all ANRs
  15. Force GPU rendering
  16. Force 4x MSAA
  17. Disable HW overlays
  18. Strict mode enabled
  19. Show CPU usage
  20. Profile GPU rendering
  21. Enable OpenGL traces
  22. Don’t keep activities
  23. Limit background processes
  24. Show system UI tuner
  25. Aggressive Wi-Fi to mobile handover
  26. Always allow Wi-Fi Roam Scans
  27. Minimum width
  28. Simulate color space
  29. Force allow apps on external

How to Reset Developer Options in Samsung Galaxy Smartphones?

There are two primary ways to reset developer options:

  1. Disable Developer Options: This method will turn off all developer options. However, the settings inside it will remain unchanged.
  2. Reset All Settings: This method will reset all of your device’s settings, including those in the developer options.

To Disable Developer Options:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Scroll down and tap on “Developer options”.
  3. At the top of the screen, you’ll see a toggle switch. Tap on it to turn off developer options.

To Reset All Settings:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down and tap on “General management”.
  3. Tap on “Reset”.
Reset option samsung
  1. Tap on “Reset all settings”.
Reset all settings
  1. Tap on Reset to confirm.

Note: Resetting all settings will not delete any personal data, but it will remove your personalized settings, including connections, sound settings, and display settings, among others.

How to Hide Developer Options in Samsung Galaxy Smartphones?

You can also hide developer options from your Samsung Galaxy smartphone’s settings menu. Here’s how:

Note: This method will also reset all the settings you have made to your smartphone.

  1. Open the Settings app
  2. Scroll down and tap on “Apps”
  3. Scroll down and tap on the “Settings” app.
Settings app
  1. Tap on “Storage”.
  2. Tap on “Clear Data”, and confirm your decision.

On some devices, the option to clear data for the Settings app may not be available. In such cases, you will need to perform a factory reset to hide Developer Options.  But doing a factory data reset will erase every personal data from your smartphone. 

FAQ

  1. I have enabled developer options but I can’t find it in Settings.

    If you can’t find Developer Options, it is either you haven’t scrolled enough through your device’s Settings menu or it has not yet been enabled. 
    First, check your device’s Settings menu again. You need to scroll almost to the bottom to find it. If you cannot see the Developer options there, Go back to About Phone > Software Information > Build Number and tap on it multiple times until you see the “You are a developer now” message.

  2. What can I do with Developer Options on my Samsung Galaxy smartphone?

    Developer Options allows you to enable USB debugging, show touch and pointer location, track GPU rendering, limit background processes, and more.

  3. Can enabling Developer Options harm my Samsung Galaxy smartphone?

    While Developer Options itself won’t harm your device, some of the settings within can affect your phone’s performance if not used properly. 
    Therefore, it is best to only change these settings if you’re confident in what they do.

  4. Is Developer Options available on all Samsung Galaxy smartphones?

    Yes, Developer Options is available on all Samsung Galaxy smartphones. However, the availability of certain settings under developer options varies depending on the model and Android version.

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