Unlocking the Hidden Features of Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Developer Options: Ultimate Guide

Similar to other Android smartphones, the Galaxy S21 Ultra also comes with a number of advanced features that are hidden inside the Developer Options menu. Majority of these features and tools are for developers and advanced users to customize the device, optimize the device’s performance, and debug any issues that may arise.

The Developer Options menu is hidden by default and therefore requires manual unlocking for you to access the features inside it.

In this tutorial, we will delve into the Developer Options on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and explain what each feature does and how it can be used.

Let’s begin by unlocking the Developer Options menu on your Galaxy S21 Ultra. Just follow these steps whenever you’re all set to proceed.

1. To get started, launch the Settings app menu by tapping on its shortcut icon from the Home screen or Apps tray. 

The Settings app shortcut is represented by a gear icon on either screen as well as in the quick settings/notification panel.

2. While in the Settings menu, scroll down to find Software information from the given options and then tap on it to proceed. 

More software details of the phone will load up on the next display.

3. Find Build number and then tap on it seven times successively. 

This will trigger the system to unlock the Developer Options menu. 

4. You may be asked to enter your device PIN, pattern or password before the last tap. If so, then enter the correct security credentials to finally enable the Developer options menu on your phone.

A quick note saying that Developer mode is now enabled or something similar will appear beneath the display. That’s an indication that the Developer options menu is already activated and accessible on your device.

5. To access the menu and its hidden features, head back to the Settings menu then scroll all the way down to the bottom of the list. You should see Developer Options added to the list, right next to About phone. Simply tap on it to access the Developer Options menu.

On the succeeding window, you will see a long list of features and tools that are hidden in the Developer Options menu of your phone.

Developer Options features for Average Android Users

Although the developer options in Android phones are primarily designed for developers and advanced users, there are some features that are commonly used by average users as well. These include but not limited to the following:

• Animation Scale. The Animation Scale feature allows users to adjust the animation speed of the device, which can improve its performance and make it feel more responsive.
• Pointer Location. This feature displays the touch input on the screen, which can be useful for troubleshooting touch-related issues.
• Stay Awake. The Stay Awake feature forces the device to stay awake while it’s connected to a charger, which can be useful for preventing the phone from going to sleep while you’re using it.
• Force GPU Rendering. The Force GPU Rendering feature forces the device to use the GPU for rendering graphics, which can improve the performance of games and other graphics-intensive apps.
• Don’t Keep Activities. This feature prevents Android from keeping activities in memory, which can free up memory and improve the performance of the device.

• USB Debugging. USB Debugging is a feature that allows the device to communicate with a computer for the purpose of transferring data and debugging. When enabled, the device can be connected to a computer and the computer can access the device’s internal storage and run commands on it.
• OEM Unlocking. OEM Unlocking is a feature that allows users to unlock the device’s bootloader, which is a crucial step in the process of rooting the device or installing a custom ROM. When enabled, the device’s bootloader can be unlocked, which allows the user to install custom software on the device.
• Running Services. The Running Services feature displays a list of all the services that are currently running on the device, including the amount of memory they are using and the length of time they have been running. This feature is useful for identifying services that may be causing performance issues or draining the battery.
• Force GPU Rendering. Force GPU Rendering is a feature that forces the device to use the graphics processing unit (GPU) for rendering graphics and animations, rather than the central processing unit (CPU). Enabling this feature can improve the device’s performance, especially when playing games or using graphic-intensive applications.
• Window Animation Scale. The Window Animation Scale feature allows users to adjust the speed of window animations on the device. By default, the device is set to 1x, which means that animations will play at their normal speed. Users can increase or decrease the speed of the animations as desired.
• Transition Animation Scale. The Transition Animation Scale feature works in a similar manner to the Window Animation Scale feature, but applies to the transitions between screens and activities on the device. Users can adjust the speed of these transitions as desired.
• Disable Absolute Volume. The Disable Absolute Volume feature allows users to disable the device’s absolute volume control, which is the feature that automatically adjusts the volume of audio and media content based on the user’s preferences. When disabled, users will have full control over the volume of audio and media content.

When to Enable Developer Options on your phone?

There are several common reasons why you might want to enable the developer options on your Galaxy S21 Ultra, including the following:

• Debugging. One of the primary uses of the developer options is to enable USB Debugging, which allows the phone to communicate with a computer and transfer data. This is a useful tool for developers who are working on developing apps or customizing their phone’s software.
• Unlocking the Bootloader. Another common reason to enable the developer options is to unlock the bootloader of the device. This allows advanced users to install custom ROMs or other software modifications on their phone.
• Improving Performance. The developer options also provide various settings for optimizing the performance of the phone, such as adjusting the animation speed or disabling absolute volume control.
• Testing programs/applications. Developers may use the developer options to test various features and settings on their phone, such as enabling demo mode or using the Running Services feature to monitor the performance of their apps.
• Troubleshooting app/system problems. The developer options can also be useful for troubleshooting problems with the phone, such as identifying which app is causing a crash or monitoring the phone’s memory usage.

Restoring Developer Options Default Settings

If by any chance, you end up facing unexpected system errors following a series of tweaks on the Developer options features and tools of your phone, restoring the default options and values would be the ultimate solution.

To reset the developer options settings on an Android device, you can follow these steps:

• Navigate to Settings-> Developer options menu. 
• Once you’re already inside the menu, scroll to find Reset options and then tap on it to trigger menu reset. If prompted, confirm the action by tapping on Reset all options.

The developer options settings will then be restored to their default values, effectively undoing any changes you may have made to the settings. Resetting the developer options settings will not delete any apps or data on your device.

Keep in mind that the changes you’ll make to the developer options can have a significant impact on the system performance and behavior of your device, so it’s recommended to use caution when accessing any of these options and reset them if you encounter any issues.

Hope this helps!