In this guide, you will learn how to turn off developer mode on Android Phones in three easy ways.
Developer mode is a hidden section of your Android device’s settings that contains a variety of features that are useful for developers. Enabling the developer mode allows you to access advanced settings which display additional settings that are not normally visible.
These options are designed to help developers test and debug apps, and other functionalities such as generating bug reports, verifying installed apps over USB, etc.
3 Ways to Turn Off Developer Mode on Android
Knowing how to use and turn off the developer options will allow you to take full advantage of the features and customization options available on your Android device. Here are three methods on how to disable developer mode on Android phone:
- Using the Android Developer Mode Toggle Bar
- Clear Settings Storage or Data to Turn off Developer Mode on Android
- Restore Phone to Factory Settings
Note that I’ve used a Samsung A32 phone running on Android 13 in this guide. Let’s get into it.
1. Use Toggle Bar to Disable Developer Mode
This is the easiest method for turning off the developer options on your device and will not interfere with your app configurations or delete any of your files.
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your phone.
Step 2: Scroll down to the last option and tap on Developer Options.
Step 3: Toggle off the developer options button. The developer options option will be hidden once you go back to the settings menu.
2. Clear Settings Storage or Data to Turn off Developer Mode on Android
Another option you can use to disable developer mode on Android is by clearing the storage data on your setting app.
Here is how to turn off developer mode on Android by clearing the settings app storage:
- Go to Settings on your phone
- Scroll down and select the “Apps” option.
3. Then scroll down and tap on Settings app from the menu or simply use the search bar to find the Settings app.
4. Under the settings app, tap on Storage
5. Once you select Storage, you will see a list of storage space used. Tap on Clear Data and then select Delete in the next dialog box to turn off developer mode on your phone.
Note that clearing the settings app data will permanently delete all of the app’s data including all files, configurations accounts, databases, etc.
3. Restore Phone to Factory Settings
The third method that you can use to turn off developer mode on Android is to restore your device to factory settings. This method resets your phone to factory settings and will permanently erase all data and downloaded apps on your device. So remember to back up all your important files or data before factory resetting your device.
To turn off Android developer mode by resetting your Android device to factory settings, you can follow these general steps:
- Open the “Settings” app on your Android device.
- Scroll down and select “General Management“
- Under General Management, Select the Reset button to open more reset options.
4. Tap on the “Factory Data Reset” button. You may be prompted to enter your device’s PIN, pattern, or password for security purposes. Once the process is complete, your phone will reboot in its default state, and developer mode should be turned off.
This option will also reset your phone to its factory default settings. And as such, you will need to back up all your data.
Benefits of Developer Options on Android Phone
1. USB Debugging
Android developer mode has a built-in USB debugging feature on Android devices that allows you to connect your phone to a computer and interact with it using the Android Debug Bridge (ADB)
2. Force Dark Mode
The developer options has a force dark mode feature that enables you to force applications to use the dark mode even if they are not fully supported. Once you have enabled Force Dark Mode, all apps that support it will automatically switch to dark mode. Note that this feature may not work properly on all apps and some apps may not look good in dark mode. So it is important to test them out to see if you like the look.
3. Generate Bug Reports
A bug report is a file that contains information about a problem that you are experiencing with your phone. This information can be helpful for developers who are trying to fix the problem.
4. Check Memory Usage
By enabling developer options on your Android device, you will be able to check memory usage. This will help you to identify apps that are using a lot of memory resources especially if you are experiencing performance problems or if you are trying to conserve battery life.
5. Verify Apps Over USB
This developer feature allows you to check apps installed via ADB/ADT for harmful behavior. When this setting is enabled, Google will check any app installed from outside of the Play Store for known harmful behavior. If an app is found to be harmful, it will not be installed on your device. This helps to protect your device from malware and other harmful apps that may be installed using ADB/ADT.
6. Root Your Phone
If you want to root your phone, you will need to enable Developer Options. Rooting your phone gives you more control over your phone, but it can also void your warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Turn off Developer Mode on Samsung
Follow these steps to turn off developer mode on your Samsung Phone:
1. Go to Settings
2. Scroll down and tap on Developer options
3. Tap on the developer options button to turn it off. Once it is toggled off, the developer options menu will be hidden and in case you need to enable it again, you can follow the steps on how to turn on the developer options.
Where Is the Developer Option in Android?
The developer options on Android are usually hidden. Once you’ve enabled the developer mode, here is how to find the developer options: Go to Settings, scroll down to the very last option, and then tap on developer options.
Can I Remove the Developer Option From My Phone?
You can disable the developer options from your phone using three methods: using the toggle bar method, clearing settings storage or data from your phone, and resetting your phone to factory settings.
Does Turning Off Developer Mode Delete Everything?
When you turn off the developer mode by using the restoring phone to factory settings method, all your phone data and everything else will be permanently deleted. So before you use the method, ensure to back up your data. You can retrieve the data after resetting your device.
However, you can use the other two methods discussed above (toggle bar or clearing settings storage or data) to disable the developer mode. These two methods will not erase your phone data.
Why Is Developer Mode Hidden on Android?
In Android phones, developer options are hidden by default. This is because they’re designed for use by developers to debug and test various phone applications and functionalities. These tests may cause significant changes on the phone and may impact the phone’s performance.
Wrapping Up
It is important to remember that developer mode is a powerful tool and should be used with caution. If you are not a developer, it is best to leave the developer options turned off unless you are sure of what you are doing. If you do need to use the developer options, make sure to turn them off when you are done to prevent any unwanted changes to your device.
Finally, remember to keep your device updated. This includes downloading and installing the latest security patches and updates. This will ensure your device is secure and protected from any potential threats.