The developer options that are actually useful
Tapping the build number seven times unlocks a screen full of settings intended for people debugging apps. A handful are genuinely useful in ordinary use, a couple are the most effective performance change available on Android, and the rest should be left exactly as they are.
The ones worth changing
| Setting | Change it to | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Window animation scale | 0.5x | The interface feels noticeably quicker |
| Transition animation scale | 0.5x | Same |
| Animator duration scale | 0.5x | Same |
| Don't keep activities | Leave off | Sounds helpful, breaks apps constantly |
| Background process limit | Standard | Restricting it causes more reloading, not less |
| USB debugging | Off unless in use | A real attack surface while enabled |
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Useful when you need them
- USB debugging For installing from a computer or removing preinstalled apps. Turn it off afterwards, every time.
- Wireless debugging The same, without a cable. Also worth turning off when finished.
- Show taps and pointer location Genuinely useful when recording a tutorial, and confusing if left on.
- Force peak refresh rate Keeps a high refresh display at its maximum. Costs battery and it is your choice to make.
- Bluetooth audio codec Worth looking at once if a specific pair of headphones sounds wrong.
What to leave alone
- Animation scales
- Show taps, while recording
- USB debugging, temporarily
- Standby apps, for reading
- Don't keep activities
- Background process limits
- Force GPU rendering
- Aggressive Wi-Fi handover
- Anything involving OEM unlocking
OEM unlocking deserves a specific warning. It permits unlocking the bootloader, which wipes the device and permanently changes its integrity status. Banking apps will refuse to run afterwards on many phones, and the flag is not something to toggle out of curiosity.
Two settings people recommend that make things worse
Don't keep activities destroys every app the moment you leave it. It exists so developers can test that state restoration works. In daily use it means every app restarts from its first screen when you switch away for ten seconds.
Background process limit, set to one or two, does not make the phone faster. Android is already managing memory, and forcing it to kill more means apps reload constantly, which costs more battery and more time than leaving them cached.
Set the three animation scales to 0.5x. Turn USB debugging off when not using it. Ignore the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Does enabling developer options void the warranty?
No. Unlocking the bootloader is a different action and that one does, on many devices.
Will animation scale changes hurt the battery?
No. If anything they help slightly, since the screen spends less time animating.
Should I turn developer options off afterwards?
The screen itself is harmless. USB debugging is the setting to turn off.
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