Turn On Developer Options For Android
To start development work on a new Android phone, the Developer Options must be turned on first. A few years ago, Google hid the Developer Options on Android to prevent non-developer users from misconfiguring their phones. Now you need to perform something like a secret video game cheat code, kind of like the Konami Code, to enable Developer Options.
Here are the steps of the secret code 🤫
- Open the Settings app
2. Scroll down to the bottom, and tap About phone
3. Scroll down to the bottom, and look for Build number
4. Tap the Build number text, with slow, deliberate taps, 7 times. As you continue tapping, small messages appear to show your progress.
5. Once you complete the 7 taps, go back to the Settings screen, and tap System
6. Tap Advanced to expand the options, and near the bottom, now you should see Developer options
With Developer Options enabled on your phone, you can do things like turn on USB Debugging, Stay Awake, Show Taps, and a bunch of other useful things for development. Google explains the options in the Android Studio User Guide.
I performed these steps on a Google Pixel 3a, running Android 10. On other phones, the menus may look a little different, but the general process should be the same. Once you turn on Developer Options, your phone becomes a powerful tool for development!
