Android 4.2 developer settings still unavailable

Asked 8/1, 2013 at 20:49 Answered 2/8, 2015 at 17:23

How do you access Android 4.2's developer settings when the method prescribed on their developer site does not work?

I followed the directions on a Nexus 7 tablet. I went to Settings > About tablet, scrolled to the bottom of the screen, and clicked the Build Number 7 times. I was greeted with the message "Congratulations, you're now a developer." But apparently, I'm still not one.

I checked Settings and scrolled all the way down to the bottom, but no Developer options were available. I reset the tablet and restarted it, with no result. When I click on Build Number again, it says "No need, you're already a developer"."

UPDATE:

Something else that might be an issue. There are two tablet user accounts. The account I'm using to access the developer settings is the second one. The first account is probably not set up as a developer.

Hom answered 8/1, 2013 at 20:49 Comment(4)

Sure you don't have them? It will be the second to last selection on the bottom. I just confirmed these steps on my Nexus7. – Governance 8/1, 2013 at 20:55

No, only the Date and Time, Accessability, and About tablet under System. – Hom 8/1, 2013 at 20:57

+1 for a good question with referenced directions from a classmate – Acroter 8/1, 2013 at 20:59

"The account I'm using to access the developer settings is the second one" -- my guess is that only the initial user can be a developer, despite the Toast to the contrary, but that's only a guess. – Howie 8/1, 2013 at 23:36

I have ran into the same problem yesterday. Only the initial user (or Owner) shows the developer options in the settings menu, when turning on developer mode.

Turn on developer mode for your initial user and you should be able to see the developer options.

I wonder why the secondary user cannot be in developer mode.

EDIT: I am now using the secondary user in developer mode and running my project from Eclipse works just fine!

Antineutron answered 18/4, 2013 at 8:53 Comment(6)

I'm guessing secondary users can't get the dev menu so they can't hack around any access restrictions placed on them by the tablet owner. – Tanika 6/5, 2013 at 3:22

Can you elaborate your answer on how to get secondary user in developer mode, when you first mentioned they're not allowed to do so? – Eckhardt 15/5, 2013 at 0:16

Well, the developer options won't show up in the settings menu of the secondary user, but you can have the secondary user signed in and then run the project from eclipse. That's what I meant when I said that it works fine. – Antineutron 31/5, 2013 at 9:45

It does not work for me with Android 6.0.1. The main account is well configured with the developer mode and it authorized the computer, but then the app cannot be deployed on the guest or the user account using the USB debug mode. Any ideas? – Sparke 12/12, 2015 at 15:18

Still works OK with Android 8.0.0 (Sony phone) and Android studio. One thing you may need to do is uninstall the app you're debugging from the main user. Then log in as the testing user and install the app again from Android studio. Unfortunately, you don't get to see the developer options as the second user, so you can't turn on "stay awake" for instance. Or so it seems. – Wallow 12/6, 2018 at 12:33

Developer mode just works fine for me. But, is it possible to allowing usb debugging mode in secondary user ? Android said it must be on primary user to allowing usb debugging – Eslinger 25/6, 2019 at 6:59

Ok, I was having the very same issue, and yet, I had previously used this exact same device for development.

In my case, the issue was that each User account gets its own "install" of your release (or debug) APK.

Android will apparently "reference" the app and actually keep the package on the system until you do a separate uninstall for each account.

After doing this, I was able to debug without issue on the alternate account.

So, YES, you CAN debug your app using a second account on Android, just be aware that instances of the app installed in various accounts (release vs debug) cannot co-exist!

Photothermic answered 2/8, 2015 at 17:23 Comment(0)

I installed Lollipop and created a second user.

Eventually i too ran into the same issue but there is a very simple workaround/flaw.

Go to the primary account, from android studio, Run the app like you always do.

Go to the second account and the app was present over there. Go ahead and launch or debug and continue working :)

Patmos answered 24/10, 2014 at 9:1 Comment(0)

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