Unlocking Power: How to Use Developer Options to Your Advantage on Android

Android smartphones are packed with powerful features, and many of them are hidden behind the “Developer Options” menu. Initially designed for developers to test and debug apps, these options can be incredibly useful for the average user too, allowing you to optimize your device’s performance, enhance functionality, and even personalize the user experience. In this guide, we’ll show you how to access and use Developer Options to your advantage on Android in 2025.

How to Enable Developer Options

Before you can start using Developer Options, you’ll need to unlock them. Here’s how:

1. Go to Settings: Open the Settings app on your Android device.

2. Scroll Down and tap on About phone.

3. Find Build Number: Scroll down to find the Build number entry.

4. Tap 7 Times: Tap on Build number 7 times in quick succession. You’ll see a message telling you that Developer Options have been unlocked.

5. Enter Your Password (if prompted): To complete the process, you may need to enter your device’s password or PIN.

Once enabled, you’ll find Developer Options in the System section of your Settings.

Must-Have Developer Options Features to Try

Now that you’ve unlocked the Developer Options menu, here are some of the best features you can use to your advantage:

1. Increase Animation Speed for Faster UI

Android’s animations, like transitions between apps or opening menus, can make your phone feel a bit slower than it actually is. In Developer Options, you can tweak the speed of these animations to make your device feel snappier.

How to Use It:

• Go to Settings > System > Developer Options.

• Scroll down to Drawing.

• Adjust the values for Window animation scale, Transition animation scale, and Animator duration scale.

  • Set them to 0.5x for faster transitions, or even Off to disable animations entirely for the ultimate speed boost.

Why It’s Useful: By reducing or disabling animations, your device’s interface becomes more responsive, which is especially useful if you’re trying to improve performance on an older device.

2. Limit Background Processes to Save Battery

Android apps often run in the background, even when you’re not using them, which can drain your battery. You can limit how many apps are allowed to run in the background using Developer Options.

How to Use It:

• Go to Settings > System > Developer Options.

• Scroll down to Apps.

• Tap on Limit background processes and choose the number of processes you’d like to allow (e.g., No background processes, At most 4 processes).

Why It’s Useful: This setting helps improve battery life by preventing unnecessary background apps from consuming resources. It’s especially beneficial for devices with lower RAM or older phones.

3. Force GPU Rendering for Smoother Graphics

If you’re experiencing sluggish graphics or choppy performance, you can force your Android device to use the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) for rendering 2D graphics. This can lead to smoother visual performance, especially in apps that involve heavy graphics.

How to Use It:

• Go to Settings > System > Developer Options.

• Scroll down to Hardware accelerated rendering.

• Toggle on Force GPU rendering.

Why It’s Useful: By enabling GPU rendering, your phone’s graphics performance may improve, particularly for graphic-intensive apps, games, or even basic system animations.

4. Stay Awake While Charging

If you’re constantly tinkering with your phone or need to keep the screen on while charging, the Stay Awake feature in Developer Options prevents your screen from turning off while charging.

How to Use It:

• Go to Settings > System > Developer Options.

• Scroll down to Display and toggle on Stay awake.

Why It’s Useful: This is perfect if you want to keep your phone’s display active during a long download, setup, or while you’re using your device as a control panel. It ensures your phone won’t go to sleep during those important moments.

5. Enable Mock Locations for Location Testing

Mock locations are typically used by developers to test location-based apps, but you can also use this feature to spoof your location for various purposes (such as privacy or testing location-based apps).

How to Use It:

• Go to Settings > System > Developer Options.

• Scroll to the Debugging section and enable Allow mock locations.

• You can now use a third-party app to simulate a location for testing or privacy purposes.

Why It’s Useful: Spoofing your location can help maintain your privacy by masking your real location. It’s also useful for developers testing location-based apps, but regular users can use it for fun or privacy reasons.

6. USB Debugging for App Testing and File Transfers

USB Debugging is a feature that allows your device to communicate with your computer for various tasks like file transfers, app installations, or debugging apps. This is essential for developers, but regular users can also use it for more control over their device.

How to Use It:

• Go to Settings > System > Developer Options.

• Toggle on USB debugging.

Why It’s Useful: This option is a must for those who need to transfer large files between their device and PC or install apps via ADB (Android Debug Bridge). It’s also helpful for anyone who likes to tinker with their device or use Android’s developer tools.

7. Enable / Disable Auto-Rotate for Specific Apps ↔️

Sometimes, you may not want your screen to auto-rotate when you’re using specific apps. Developer Options let you control auto-rotation behavior more precisely.

How to Use It:

• Go to Settings > System > Developer Options.

• Look for Force activities to be resizable and toggle it on.

Why It’s Useful: Enabling or disabling auto-rotation gives you more control over how your apps behave, especially when using apps that don’t respond well to automatic screen rotations.

8. View and Monitor System Usage

Developer Options allow you to monitor system stats in real-time, providing detailed insights into how your phone is performing, including CPU usage, RAM usage, and more.

How to Use It:

• Go to Settings > System > Developer Options.

• Scroll down to Monitoring and enable options like Show CPU usage, Show refresh rate, or Profile GPU rendering.

Why It’s Useful: Monitoring system usage can help you identify which apps or processes are consuming the most resources, which can be helpful if your phone feels slow or is draining battery too quickly. This data can guide you to make adjustments for better performance.

Conclusion: Master Your Android Experience

The Developer Options menu on Android is a treasure trove of features that can help you take control of your device’s performance, enhance your user experience, and even tweak system settings to your liking. While some features are designed for developers, many of them are useful for everyday users who want to make their phones faster, more efficient, and better suited to their needs.

By unlocking Developer Options and experimenting with these features, you can optimize your Android device for better performance, battery life, and an overall smoother experience. Whether you’re looking to speed up your device, save battery, or unlock hidden functionalities, these tips will allow you to get the most out of your Android device in 2025.