In order to Unlock Developer Options in Android 12, you need to have an Android 12 phone first. Thankfully, Android 12 phones are already in the hands of millions of people around the world. The first set are Google’s Pixel phones – from Pixel 3 all the way to the latest Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Others include Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra, which are now getting One UI 4, based on Android 12. The beta update is also rolling out to unlocked Samsung Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra in the US and UK.
More devices from Samsung will get the update over time, and devices from other manufacturers like Xiaomi, OnePlus, Nokia, TECNO, among others, will join the list. This means that if you own any of these devices, you can unlock Developer Options in Android 12 on them to get access to extra features.
What can I do with Developer Options?
Enabling Android’s Developer Options gives you access to some hidden, powerful tools on your smartphone. Here is a short list of some things you can do when you unlock Developer Options in Android, even in versions before Android 12.
- Tweak animation settings
- Enable/disable feature flags
- Modify mobile data activity
- Recover deleted SMS on your smartphone
- Improve video games graphics on your Android phone
- Use your phone as a microphone for your PC
- Control background processes on your Android phone
- Make your Android phone run faster
As Android 12 is new, there are new features to discover and unlock. Below are the steps to unlock Developer Options in Android 12. If you are a developer, you likely have been playing around with it for a while and have an idea of what to do. If you are new to app development, or just a regular phone user, and need to be guided, you will find the steps below helpful.
Steps to Unlock Developer Options in Android 12
As technical as the subject may sound, unlocking developer options is quite an easy process. You do not need to know how to code or know any technicalese. Here are the steps to take.
1. Launch your Android phone’s Settings menu.
2. Scroll down till you see About Phone, and tap on it.
3. On the new menu, scroll down to the end till you see Build Number, and tap on it seven (7) times.
4. After the seventh time, you will see the prompt telling you, “You are now a developer!“
5. The phone will ask you to enter your passcode to unlock developer options.
You have now enabled Developer Options and can access the menu to customize your smartphone to your needs.
Access Developer Options in Android 12
Now that Developer Options is unlocked, you need to actually access the menu for use. Follow these steps.
1. Open your phone’s Settings again.
2. Tap on System.
3. Tap on Developer Options. You will find it enabled there, and you are in the menu where you can enable and/or disable lots of options to make your phone run better or to add extra functionality to it.
You can now enable and disable a wide array of tools as you require to improve or restrict the performance of your Android smartphone. Make sure that you know what you are doing, though; it is easy to tamper with something and mess up your phone. It is a very powerful tool that should not be unnecessarily toyed with.
Don’t forget to share your comments and experiences, below.