In four years, Android has transformed from a small but ambitious project into perhaps the most complex and feature-packed mobile OS of our time. Android supports a huge number of technologies and functions, many of which are hidden from the user or hidden in places you wouldn't even think to look at. This article is a collection of tips and tricks that can be applied to any Android device without the need to root.

01. DISABLE THE AUTOMATIC CREATION OF ICONS ON THE DESKTOP

I think I’m not the only one who is annoyed by the way the market behaves when installing an application. For some reason he thinks that for any more or less software or the next game I definitely need an icon on the desktop, and he successfully creates it. And I have to delete it. And then another one. And so every time.

Fortunately, this behavior is easy to disable - just open the settings Google Play(in the left panel) and uncheck the “Add icons” checkbox. There you can also disable the forced password request every 30 minutes when purchasing applications, as well as the hated auto-update of applications.

02. DISABLE GOOGLE SEARCH AND OTHER USELESS SOFTWARE

The standard firmware of Android smartphones includes a huge amount of useless software, ranging from a bunch Google applications(do you know that Google requires manufacturing companies to include almost all the software it develops in the firmware of their devices?) and ending with all sorts of junk from the smartphone manufacturer. All of this (or at least most) can be disabled.

Go to “Settings → Applications → All”, tap on the desired software and click “Disable” (of course, you will be warned how “dangerous” this is). By the way, when disconnecting Google search Google Now will also disappear, as well as the search bar from the desktop (after a reboot), instead of which there will be an empty area.

03. RESET TO SAFE MODE

Few people know, but Android, like many other operating systems, has a so-called Safe mode. This is a mode in which the operating system boots with third-party applications disabled. Malware that is not very skillfully written (one that is not registered in the system partition) then falls off, like any software that interferes with the normal operation of the system. Safe mode can be used to bypass screen blockers, applications that cause the smartphone to freeze, or, alternatively, to identify who is actually eating up the battery - the next firmware or software update.

The mode is turned on in a rather simple, but not at all obvious way: by holding down the power button and then holding your finger on the “Turn off power” item. After rebooting, the culprit of the problem can be removed through “Settings → Applications”.

04. GET RID OF INSTRUCTIVE NOTIFICATIONS

“The construction of the castle is finished!” - how did you get these notifications? Everyone who is not too lazy is trying to notify me about all possible and impossible events: “Vasya Dzhubga replied to you on Twitter,” “You have 100,500 new messages,” “You won surgery to enlarge your right leg.” You swipe away one notification, and three new ones appear in its place.

How to get rid of all this slag: hold your finger on the notification for a long time and uncheck the “Stop” button. This is the recipe for KitKat. In Lollipop, everything is a little different, but the essence is the same: hold down, then the i button, in the window that opens, put a checkmark on “Block”. There you can also force the notification to be a priority so that it is always at the very top.

05. DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE SERVICE MENU

Another not at all obvious function is the service menu. It can be opened by dialing *#*#4636#*#*. Basically there are different Technical information like IMEI numbers, signal strength, current location, or network type. But there is also a very useful function for some situations to force the smartphone to switch to desired type networks (2G, 3G, LTE).

In conditions of poor 3G/LTE signal levels, the device tends to reset to 2G in order to save battery power and ensure subscriber availability. This behavior can be disabled. Open the service menu and in the “Set up preferred network type” item, select WCDMA only or LTE only. In the same way, you can switch your smartphone to 2G - GSM only. It will help if you need to save battery power and the Internet is rarely used. By the way, you can also disable the radio module there altogether (until the next reboot, of course).

Smartphones based on Chinese MTK chips have their own and much more sophisticated service menu. His number is *#*#3646633#*#*. There is various system information and a huge number of tests, among which you can find several useful settings, such as adjusting the volume level during a call or, for example, changing GPS/AGPS settings. The menu itself is terribly illogical and contains so much varied information that I don’t even dare to describe it, but simply send the reader to three letters - XDA.

06. USE A STANDARD BROWSER

I don't know why users don't like the built-in one so much Android browser. In my opinion, he is wonderful. Lightweight, fast, based on the Chromium engine, can synchronize with Google account(that is, it immediately includes all bookmarks and passwords from Chrome), but most importantly, it has a very convenient and almost ingenious navigation method. This is the so-called radial menu, which can be activated in the settings (only in Android 4.0–4.4).

07. MANAGE YOUR CONTACTS FROM YOUR COMPUTER

Google has web services not only for remotely installing software, blocking and searching for a smartphone, but also for managing contacts. All people's contacts ever saved and synchronized when connecting a new smartphone can always be found on the page google.com/contacts. They can be viewed, edited, added and deleted. Moreover, oddly enough, it is essentially part of Gmail.

08. MONITOR YOUR PROCESSOR LOAD

Android has a built-in function to show the current CPU load and active this moment processes on top of the screen. In theory, it is intended for application and firmware developers and is hidden from ordinary users, but no one is stopping us from activating it. But first you will have to reach the “For Developers” settings section, which by default does not exist at all.

Go to settings, then “About phone”, find the line “Build number” and tap on it seven times in a row. The message “You have become a developer!” should appear on the screen. This means that the “For Developers” item is now open, and we go to it. We rewind almost to the very bottom of the screen and in the “Monitoring” section we find the “Show CPU load” switch.

Turn it on and see a list in the upper right part of the screen. The first line is the so-called loadavg, which shows the number of processes that had to run or wait their turn to run in the last minute, five and ten minutes. To put it very roughly: if these values, divided by the number of processor cores, are above one, this means 100% processor load in the last minute, five or ten minutes, respectively. Below is a list of the most power-hungry processes (essentially, an analogue of the top command from Linux).

09. USE ADB TO BACKUP SOFTWARE ON YOUR COMPUTER

We have already written more than once about a wonderful tool called ADB, which can significantly simplify managing a device from a computer for a person who is familiar with the console (here we are mainly talking about Linux, of course). In addition to the ability to install software, transfer files to a smartphone, view logs and other useful things, ADB has recently made it possible to backup all smartphone settings and applications.

To use this functionality, install the universal ADB driver (goo.gl/AzZrjR), then download ADB itself (goo.gl/3P7klM), install the driver, then expand the archive with ADB, connect the smartphone to the computer with a USB cable, launch command line and execute the command

$ adb devices

If no devices are found, it means that ADB debugging mode is disabled on your smartphone. To enable it, go to “Settings → For Developers”, turn on the “USB Debugging” switch. Now we execute the previous command again and agree to the warning that appears on the smartphone screen. Now you can make a backup:

$ adb -apk -shared -f backup.ab

A message will appear on the smartphone screen asking you to specify the encryption password for the backup - you can safely press “Next”. The application backup process will begin, which will affect both the APK packages themselves (the -apk flag in the command) and their settings. All applications from the memory card will also be included in the backup. You can restore a backup using the following command:

$ adb restore backup.ab

10. DISABLE BACKGROUND DATA TRANSFER IN APPLICATIONS

Working in the background, applications can actively use the Internet for a variety of purposes, from updating their content to leaking information about your location. In addition, such activity in any case leads to increased battery consumption.

Android has the ability to selectively restrict applications from transferring data in the background, but it is located in a place where most users would hardly ever look. To prevent any application from using the Internet in the background, you need to go to settings, then “Data transfer”, scroll down the screen to the list of applications actively using the network (for some it will be a surprise that it is there at all) and tap on the desired software. At the bottom there will be an option “Limit background mode" It is worth keeping in mind that the option will disable data transfer only over the mobile network, so data will continue to flow over Wi-Fi.

11. USE THE SEARCH BAR

Often, owners of Android smartphones neglect search bar at the top of the main screen. This is really logical, given the ability to search by typing a query into address bar any mobile browser.

Meanwhile, the desktop search bar does much more than just redirect your request to google.com. It allows you to search contacts, applications, calendar events, bookmarks and web browser history in automatic mode. For normal smartphone use, it may not be as useful, but when connecting an external keyboard, it is an indispensable tool. Just click and enter the name of the application, contact or anything else, and it immediately appears on the screen.

12. USE SMART LOCK

Smart Lock is one of those features that you don’t think about, but once you try it, you can’t live without it. This is one of the most notable new products Android Lollipop and one of the most useful functions added to Android in Lately. The idea of ​​Smart Lock is extremely simple - it disables the PIN code or other lock screen protection if there is a specific Bluetooth device or map location nearby.

By default, Smart Lock is “sort of” disabled. That is, it does not light up anywhere, but after pairing with a new Bluetooth device (of any type), it will definitely offer to add it to its white list. After this you will forget about her again. But only until you enable lock screen protection in the “Security” section of the settings. Now it will work as it should.

The Smart Lock settings themselves are in the same section, and, in addition to adding new Bluetooth devices, you can specify “safe places” there, along with a list of options based on Google Now “observations.” By the way, if you disable it, as described in the first tip, then this functionality will also be lost.

13. SAVE ENERGY RIGHT

Another notable innovation from Lollipop is its power saving mode. It migrated to standard Android from the firmware of smartphone manufacturers, who previously sold it independently. Now the function is in pure Android- you use your smartphone to the fullest, and when the battery charge reaches 15%, the system suggests turning on the power saving mode, which turns off background transmission data, reduces brightness to a minimum, disables some sensors and reduces screen rendering FPS to a couple of tens of frames per second. For clarity, the status bar and on-screen buttons at the bottom of the screen turn red - so you don’t forget.

To save battery life on a smartphone with an AMOLED screen, you can set black wallpapers and use apps with black backgrounds.

The energy saving mode is customizable. Go to “Settings → Battery → menu → Power saving mode.” Here you can specify a condition automatic switching on mode (though the choice is meager: 5%, 15% or never) and, most importantly, turn on the mode right now. Very convenient if you have a long trip ahead without the possibility of recharging.

14. MONITOR TRAFFIC

Most likely, smartphone manufacturers, as usual, will shovel the standard Android 5.0 interface and change everything (hello Samsung - the biggest fan of breaking interfaces), but in the standard Lollipop curtain, or rather, in the “second curtain” with
flasks quick settings There is one highlight. The data transfer button in the center does not switch data transfer at all, but expands into an interface that allows you not only to view the current traffic consumption, but also to disable data transfer using the switch on top.

15. SHARE NOT YOUR PHONE, BUT THE APPLICATION

Especially for those who like to give their phone to other people, Lollipop has a Screen pinning feature that allows you to lock your smartphone on one application without the ability to close it or switch to another. Like many other useful features, it is completely invisible and hidden quite deep in the settings. To activate, go to “Settings → Security”, scroll almost to the very end and turn on the “Block in application” option.

Now if you click the view button running applications(“Browse”), an pushbutton will appear at the bottom of the current application’s thumbnail. Once you tap the icon, the screen will be locked on the selected app and you will need to hold the Back and Overview buttons simultaneously to go back. In this case, you will have to enter a PIN code if it is set for the lock screen.

XX. USE ACITIVITY LAUNCHER

Any graphic Android application includes one or more so-called “activities”. Each of them is an application window (screen), for example the main screen or the settings screen, maybe even a file selection window. By default, you can open directly (from the desktop) only those activities that the application developer marks as main; the rest are accessible only through the application itself and only if the developer himself allows this.

However, having the right tool at hand, you can reach any other activity of any application and even create a shortcut for it on the desktop. Activity Launcher does just that. Just install the application, select “All actions” in the menu at the top and find the software you need. All of her activities will appear on the screen, and any of them can be opened with a simple tap or placed on the desktop by holding your finger for a long time.

An example of useful “internal” activities is the Chrome bookmarks window (Chrome →Bookmark), access to the hidden AppOps mechanism in Android< 4.4.2 (Настройки → AppOps), запуск поиска в TuneIn Radio (tunein.ui.activities.TuneInSearchActivity). Очень много активностей имеет в себе ES Проводник, включая редактор, музыкальный плеер, просмотрщик изображений и многое другое. Любую из них можно запустить напрямую с рабочего стола. Таким же образом можно открыть любой раздел настроек и получить доступ к некоторым функциям ОС, достучаться до которых проблематично. Это абсолютно легальная функцио нальность, и она не требует root.

Android has big set hotkeys for connected keyboards. You can use Arrow, Tab, and Enter to navigate the desktop and various menus. In addition, the following key combinations are available:

Esc - “Back” button;
Win + Esc - Home button;
Ctrl + Esc - “Menu” button;
Alt + Tab - switch between applications;
Ctrl + Space - switch layout;
Ctrl + P - open settings;
Ctrl + M - control installed applications;
Ctrl + W - change wallpaper;
Win + E - write a letter;
Win + P - music player;
Win + A - calculator;
Win + S - write SMS;
Win + L - calendar;
Win + C - contacts;
Win + B - browser;
Win + M - google maps;
Win + Space - search;

To find out your MAC and IP address, go to “Settings → Wi-Fi → menu → Advanced
new functions". MAC and IP will be at the very bottom.

Lollipop has a built-in Flappy Bird style game. Go to “Settings → About phone”,
tap several times on the item “ Android version“, then hold your finger on the “lollipop” that appears. Let's play.

Google Now supports a large number of Russian-language voice commands. All of them can be divided into two groups: voice search and the voice commands themselves. Voice search allows you to perform smart searches on Google, where the system displays a specific answer on the screen instead of a list of links, and voice commands allow you to perform certain actions, for example, send an SMS or set an alarm. The list of commands is shown in the Google Now Voice Commands image. Voice search includes more than a dozen different types of questions:
Weather. What will the weather be like tomorrow morning?
Addresses. Where is the nearest pharmacy?
Flight information. When does Aeroflot flight number 2336 depart?
Time. What time is it in London?
Events. When is sunset today?
Computing. What is the square root of 2209?
Translation. How do you say "cucumber" in Spanish?
Sport. When does Spartak play?
Finance. What is the S&P 500 index today?
Data. What is the height of the tallest building in the world?
Exchange Rates. Convert 2600 rupees to US dollars.
Images. Show photos of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Interestingly, Google Now understands a large number of much less obvious questions in English. As an example we can give:
Should I wear a jacket today?
How much tip for 420 rubles?
Where is my parcel?

This, of course, is not all that could be talked about, but it will not be possible to lengthen the article, and many of the other possibilities are already known. Don't forget about these tricks, and your smartphone will become
a little more convenient.

Engineering menu on Android devices is a special “built-in” application into the operating system that allows you to fine-tune the device. This is necessary to debug the operation of the hardware and, of course, software. But often users want to change some settings at their own discretion. In this case, the question arises of how to enter the Android engineering menu. This can be done with special service codes or third party software.

What options does the engineering menu have?

Settings and menu design on Android devices may vary depending on the phone manufacturer. In general, users resort to using the engineering menu for the following reasons:

• Setting up audio on the phone (ringer volume, interlocutor’s voice during a conversation);
• Changing camera settings;
• Using recovery mode;
• Setting microphone sensitivity;
• Disabling unused frequencies to save phone battery;
• Obtaining information about the device's MAC address;
• Setting up Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

The Android engineering menu provides the user with almost limitless possibilities. But you should always remember that only advanced users can use it. Changing some settings may cause incorrect operation smartphone or tablet. If you don't know what each menu item directly does, simply leave it alone.

The developer mode includes setting up Hardware Testing equipment and also contains the following items:

• Audio – volume control in the phone speakers.
• Camera – allows you to configure various camera parameters (image size, type, etc.).
• Diving current camera shows the current of the camera.
• CPU Stress Test performs a test load on the central processor.
• De-sense is a device manager that manages configuration parameters.
• Display – setting the frequency of the outgoing signal.
• IO – setting up input/output operations.
• Memory – key information about memory.
• Power – information about the battery.
• SD Card Test - testing a memory card.
• TouchScreen - settings touch screen, sensitivity test.
• USB - testing operation USB port on your phone.

In the Connectivity tab you can get information about devices that work with the outside world. These include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and FM module. The Log and Debugging tab allows you to view the battery log, set the debugger level and run a special MTK log. In the Others tab you can change fonts, as well as view the temperature of the processor and battery.

How to enter the engineering menu: using code combinations

To enter the engineering menu as quickly and easily as possible, you will need special engineering codes. Each manufacturer has its own combination, which opens access to the engineering menu in Android.

To enter the menu you need to:

In most cases, this technique allows you to open the service menu. Below are some combinations for the most popular phones:

• Models from HTC - *#*#3424#*#*, *#*#4636#*#* or *#*#8255#*#*;
• Samsung devices - *#*#197328640#*#* or *#*#8255#*#*;
• Sony smartphones - *#*#3646633#*#*, *#*#7378423#*#* or *#*#3649547#*#*;
• Huawei phones - *#*#2846579#*#* or *#*#14789632#*#*;
• Mobile from ZTE - *#*#4636#*#*.

There is also a universal code that is suitable for most smartphones and tablets running on an MTK processor. You can look in the specifications of your device to see what processor you have installed. If this is a MediaTek (MTK) product, then try using the combination *#*#54298#*#* or *#*#3646633#*#*.

If it works, you will see the developer menu in front of you. Some engineering codes for Android do not work in operating versions 4.2.1 and 4.2.2.

What third-party applications can be used to enter the engineering menu

How to enter the engineering menu on Android if Android codes does not work? There is a way. To enter the engineering menu, you will need one of the applications that will allow you to enter developer mode without entering a combination. IN official store Google Play has several similar programs. One of them is “Launch the MTK engineering menu”.

To use it, you need:

1. Go to the Play Market and enter the name of the program in the search bar.
2. Download and install it.
3. Launch on your phone.

After that, you will see a couple of tabs with different settings.

The application allows you to perform various tests (for example, a processor stress test), obtain information about the modem or memory, and much more. You can also make changes to the hardware. To do this, you just need to open the appropriate sections and configure the settings. In this case, the phone will be on all the time.

An alternative option is the Mobileuncle tools program. You can download it on the Internet. Install the application, and then go to the “Engineer Mode” submenu. Almost all developer menu items will be available in it.

The engineering menu provides access to manual setting the “hardware” part of the smartphone. To login you need to enter special code or install the application, but there are a number of features that are worth paying close attention to. If you were unable to enter the engineering menu the first time, then you did not take into account the features of the device. It is worth immediately clarifying that any interference with the operation of the device may lead to its inoperability and loss of warranty.

Hidden capabilities of the system

At the last stages of setting up a smartphone, developers test the system for errors and check the operation of all sensors on the device. Especially for this, Android has a special subroutine built into it - the engineering menu, which provides access to hidden settings of the Android OS and allows you to reconfigure them yourself. In addition, the menu contains detailed information about the device. The full list of menu options is known only to the platform developers, so you should make your changes with caution.

Secret paths of developers

To enter the engineering menu, dial the code *#*#3646633#*#*. On some models, you additionally need to press the call key. It is worth considering the features of phones: for different brands there are different combinations of numbers. The Android version does not affect the functionality of the engineering menu.

Enter a special code to enter the engineering menu

If no problems arise, you will be taken to an additional menu for fine-tuning your smartphone.

Enter the menu subsection

Depending on the system version and processor model, the engineering menu may be incomplete or missing. In the photo above there is a subsection of the menu with elements for testing smartphone sensors, setting up a USB connection, and performing internal and external memory tests.

If it doesn't work out the first time

Not all devices can access the engineering menu. Let's look at a number of common problems and ways to fix them.

Android is difficult operating system Unix based. If you can’t do something, you haven’t taken into account all the nuances of the functioning of a particular subroutine.

List of special codes

One of the common reasons for blocking entry to the engineering menu is an incorrect special code. The combination of numbers depends not only on the device model, but also on the type of processor. For example, most devices based on the MTK chip are equipped with an engineering menu. If we talk about Qualcomm, not all smartphones based on this platform have an engineering menu built into them. The list of combinations is given in the table. If you don't find the one you need, try entering a different combination.

Table: code options for different Android models

DIY engineering menu

If none of the special codes work, don’t worry. There are many applications on the network with engineering menu functionality. It is worth noting that the MTK prefix in the names eloquently indicates compatibility only with MediaTek processors.

The first option is Mobileuncle MTK Tools. In this program, in addition to required set There are several settings additional functions: firmware update, recovery update, GPS receiver enhancement mode and much more.

Mobileuncle MTK Tools provides a set of settings

Another program is MTK Engineering Mode. The program completely replicates the standard engineering menu.

MTK Engineering Mode repeats the standard engineering menu

For those whose device is not equipped with an engineering menu, there is another option: installing third-party firmware. Assemblies from third-party developers often contain a wide range of customization settings.

Where to begin

When you first enter the menu, you can get lost in the jungle of parameters.

Engineering menu settings

Settings open up enormous possibilities for users.

Depending on the hardware platform, some items may not be available or may be missing.

In this section you can configure settings mobile communications.

1. Auto Answer. You can enable or disable automatic answering of an incoming call.
2. Band Mode. Allows for manual mode choose frequency range for GSM module operation. You will see all technologies and frequencies for them supported by your smartphone model. If you wish, you can uncheck bands that are not used by your carrier. This will significantly save battery power. To save the settings, press the set button.
3. CFU Setting (Call forwarding Settings). The option enables or disables conditional forwarding. It must be supported by the operator.
4. AT Command Tool. A utility for developers that supports AT commands. This menu item will be of interest to programmers and developers. Using this menu, you can perform various queries directly to the system without visual add-ons.
5. Modem Test. Configuring compatibility of the “access point” option with various types connected devices.
6. Network Selecting. Here you can select mobile communication standards (GSM, WCDMA, LTE). For additional energy saving, turn off unused ones.
7. NetworkInfo. Select one or more options to display information about the status of parameters cellular communications. Once selected, open the additional menu (three dots in the upper right corner) and click Check Information. This option is convenient for checking the quality of cellular operator services.
8. GPRS. Setting up a connection to the mobile Internet, selecting an active SIM card (if there are several of them).
9. HSPA Info. Information about the 3G network if supported by your mobile operator.
10. Mobile data service preferred. The Internet will be given priority over voice traffic to increase data transfer speeds. Incoming calls may not go through.
11. Fast Dormancy. Allows you to save battery energy in third generation networks. The option must be supported by your telecom operator.
12. RAT Mode (Phone Info). Allows you to select the priority communication standard. You should change the parameter carefully, it blocks the settings of the Network Selecting item.
13. RF De-sense Test. You can select a frequency range and a specific channel to check the communication quality.
14. SIM ME Lock. This subsection allows you to configure the regional parameters of the GSM module (MNC, NCC) manually.

Photo gallery: mobile communication parameters

We get to the main window of the subsection Enable or disable auto answer Enable or disable conditional forwarding Configure the “Modem” mode Display information from the GSM module Configure Mobile Internet Select the priority of the connection type Configure the operation of the 3G mode Select the type of mobile connection Check the network power Configure regional communication parameters

Wireless interfaces

This section is intended for testing wireless data transmission modules (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, FM).

1. Bluetooth. A wide range of settings and tests for the module of the same name in order to check the reception and transmission of data, and start the debugging mode.
2. CDS Information. Information about the parameters of wireless interfaces.
3. FM Receiver. Checking the FM module of the device.
4. Wi-Fi. Testing the module for transmitting and receiving information on the specified frequency channel.
5. Wi-Fi CTIA. Recording logs of wireless technology tests.

Photo gallery: wireless data transmission

Select the section for checking the device’s wireless modules Check the bluetooth operating mode Find information about the wireless interfaces Configure the FM module Check the operation of the WiFi module Write data about checking the WiFi module to a log file

1. Audio - fine-tuning audio playback parameters.
2. Camera - a set of parameters for taking photos and videos that are not included in the Camera application.
3. Driving Current Camera - takes current readings from the sensor in the camera circuit.
4. CPU Stress Test - performing tests of all subsystems central processor.
5. Deep Idle Setting - disable sleep mode in standby mode.
6. Sleep Mode Setting - sleep mode settings.
7. ChargeBattery - View battery information.
8. Sensor - sensor calibration.
9. Multi-Touch - checks the number of available points for simultaneously pressing the screen.
10. Location Engineer Mode - checking the parameters of the GPS module.

Photo gallery: equipment testing

Go to the section for checking electronic components Adjust the volume of the conversation speakers Adjust the camera's power supply Adjust the standby mode Adjust the frequency of the central processor Adjust the sleep mode View information about the battery Adjust the touch screen Check the capabilities of the multi-touch function Configure the GPS module

Adjusting the speaker volume

In the subsection you can adjust the overall volume level, headphone and speakerphone volume.

You should be careful when changing volume settings. All parameters are individual for specific model devices. Incorrect configuration may result in poor hearing performance.

There are a number of general parameters:

1. MaxVol - general volume level. The range of values ​​is from 0 to 160. The higher the number, the higher the volume.
2. Sph - volume during a telephone conversation.
3. Mic - microphone sensitivity.
4. Ring - speaker volume for incoming calls.
5. Media - volume level when watching movies, listening to music and playing games.

Very often, users are unhappy with the speaker volume during a conversation. To improve audibility, go to the Normal Mode menu and change the Sph parameter to 150. If the phone rings quietly when there is an incoming call, then you need to increase the value of the Ring parameter. We advise you not to set the value above 200, as this may damage the speaker. To make you better heard, change the Mic parameter from 100 to 172. This will increase the sensitivity of the speaker.

ROOT is a panacea for a smartphone

On a smartphone without root rights functionality The engineering menu is limited: some items are not displayed, changes made are not saved. Any interference with the operation of a smartphone requires open access to the system. Don't forget that gaining root access can damage your gadget and will void the device's warranty. We strongly recommend doing backup important information to a memory card and synchronize with your Google account and remove it to avoid data loss. To unlock full access to the system, you can use one of the existing methods.

Installing the application directly on the device (KingRoot)

Superuser access can be opened from a smartphone using special programs. Let's look at the sequence of operations using the KingRoot program as an example:

After this, you can safely change the parameters in the engineering menu, all changes will be saved. If the result is negative, we move on to the next method.

Obtaining superuser rights via PC (Kingo Root)

This method is slightly different big amount preparatory activities:

The engineering menu is used to configure the device and test the operation of the hardware. This is a built-in system routine that is an indispensable tool for both experienced users and newcomers to the world of mobile devices. However, it should be noted that manipulations with the engineering menu can render the gadget inoperative.

Having become the owner of a Meizu phone, the user may find that his device does not always work correctly. The sound turns out to be too quiet, the connection is not always stable, and other dysfunctions are observed that need to be corrected. To solve these and similar problems there is a special engineering menu (engineering mode), allowing fine tuning your phone, and also track its key characteristics along the way. After I talk about entering the engineering menu on Meizu phones An order of magnitude more opportunities will open up for you. But it is worth mentioning that, or it is possible without entering the specified menu.

Necessary information about the engineering menu in the phone

As you know, a full engineering menu is available only for Meizu gadgets running on MediaTek processors. On alternative Qualcomm processors, this menu is either absent or available in a rather stripped-down form, with very poor functionality.

By default, the engineering menu is hidden from the user's view. This is explained by the desire of the developers to protect important settings phone from interference from the incompetent owner of the gadget. If you need, use my recommendations at the link.

After all, the main purpose of the engineering menu is to debug the phone at the final stage of testing, check the functionality of system components, and take readings of individual sensors by the developer and the direct manufacturer. Making unqualified changes to the phone through the engineering menu may result in the Meizu device failing, with the possibility of turning it into a lifeless brick.

Therefore, if you decide to make any changes through the engineering menu, then make sure that you know what you are doing and that the changes you make will not cause your phone to malfunction.

How to open the engineering menu on Meizu devices

To go to the engineering menu on Meiza, you can use several methods:

• Use special code, which is dialed in the dialing application. Go to the appropriate application on your phone, and type there:

*#*#3646633#*#*

If nothing happens after typing this combination, try alternative combinations:

*#*#4636#*#* or *#15963#*

• If for some reason these codes did not work, then to gain access to the engineering menu I recommend using special mobile applications level “MTK Engineering Menu”, “MTK Engineering Mode” and other analogues. You will need to download them through the application store, launch them, and then use them to access the engineering menu of your gadget.

After entering the appropriate code, the corresponding interface (engineering mode) will open in front of you. Let's take a closer look at its features.

Additional menu options from Meizu

Despite the fact that the features of the engineering menu may differ depending on the specific Meizu phone model, usually such a menu has six main tabs, each of which contains a number of relevant parameters. Let's take a closer look at these tabs:

By working with the capabilities of a particular tab, you can more finely customize your gadget to suit your requirements. At the same time, your intervention must be of a qualified nature, so I would not recommend simply changing the parameters as you please.

Conclusion

In most cases, to switch to the engineer mode, you need to dial the specified combination *#*#3646633#*#*, and you will immediately be taken to the “engineering mode” on your gadget.

AND interesting features, hidden from prying eyes.

Why are they hidden? Firstly, so that an inexperienced user does not break anything, and secondly, they are needed in especially rare cases and are not used regularly. Today we will talk about the engineering menu - a section for programmers, testers, geeks, experienced users and those who want to get into the very “heart” of gadget settings.

What is an engineering menu?

This is about special program or system partition, which developers usually use at the final stage of configuring the software platform mobile device. With its help, they make the latest changes to the operation of the device, check the functioning various sensors and perform testing of system components. Also, the hidden functionality of the service menu is used to obtain a large amount of system information, conduct various tests (about 25 pieces) and configure any Android parameters - various sensors, mobile networks, equipment, etc.

The engineering, service or system menu is available on smartphones and tablets running on MediaTek processor. On the Qualcomm chipset it is either reduced or absent altogether.

Attention! This section is intended for experienced users who bear full responsibility for the consequences. Careless actions can cause harm file system and bring their smartphone out of order.

How to enter the engineering menu?

To enter the engineering menu, you need to enter a special command in the dialing application: *#*#3646633#*#*. On some versions the code *#*#4636#*#* or *#15963#* may work.

If the engineering menu code on Android does not work, or there is no dialing application on the phone (relevant for tablets that do not support calls), the MobileUncle Tools or MTK Engineering applications, which can be downloaded for free via Google Play, will help.

After entering the command or launching the application, the desired section will open. It may close immediately - you need to have “Developer Mode” activated on your smartphone. To do this, go to the gadget settings, find the kernel version there and quickly click on it 5-10 times in a row.

Engineering menu functions

The engineering menu is divided into several categories, each of which will be discussed separately.

1. Telephony. All settings related to mobile communications are located here. For example, you can activate or disable certain BandModes (frequencies for 2G/3G/4G operation), check the operation of SIM cards, and even disable mobile data transfer in the background.
2. Connectivity: Configure Bluetooth, Radio, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi CTIA settings. For example, in the radio settings you can specify the radio wave, antenna type (you need to use headphones) and sound format (mono or stereo). The radio will play straight from this section.
3. Hardware Testing. In this section you can configure the operation of various device components, in simple words, hardware: sound levels of headphones and speakers, setting microphone sensitivity, various camera parameters (aspect ratio of photos, adjusting ISO, HDR, focusing and much more), operation of the touchscreen, sensors (calibration right there) and so on. This category is very large and global; you need to understand each section separately and have serious knowledge and skills.
4. Location. In this category, you can configure GPS operation, see how many satellites the gadget has picked up, and simply conduct testing.
5. Log and Debugging. Here logs (logs) of the battery are kept (percentage of charge, voltage, operating time, temperature) and other little-known to a simple user functions.
6. Others. Contains two functions also unknown to the average user.

Engineering menu settings

The engineering menu opens up enormous possibilities for customizing the phone; we will consider the most interesting ones in detail.

• SAR Test - determining the level of harmful radiation from a smartphone or tablet.
• Connections - testing available types wireless connection: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, WLAN CTIA and FM receiver.

• Audio - adjusts the sound in the speakers, microphone and headphones. About how to increase the Android volume through the engineering menu.

• Camera - configure various camera settings.

• Turning on the current camera - the operating current of the camera is displayed (in our tablet it is 2 mA).
• Load test of the CPU (central processing unit) - checking the stability of its operation, identifying errors in the operation of the processor-memory channel, testing the cooling system and power supply of the processor.
• Device Manager - activate automatic SMS registration, manage configuration parameters.
• Disable detection - adjust the signal frequency.
• Display - Sets the pulse width modulation indicator cycle, which affects the perceived brightness of the screen by quickly turning the backlight on/off; backlight adjustment; controller for vertical and horizontal lines display.

• Wake mode - its activation will not allow the device to “go” into sleep mode.
• IO - management of data input/output operations.
• Memory - detailed information about the RAM module.
• To a certain extent - detailed information about the battery (the strange name of the section is most likely due to errors in the automatic translation of names in the application, but the ability to switch to English language absent).
• SD card test - the name of the tab speaks for itself.
• Touch screen - checking the sensitivity and response of the display when pressed, as well as setting its additional settings.
• USB - testing the operation of the USB port.

• UART/USB switch - switching between two data transfer modes.
• Sensor - calibration (adjusting clarity and sensitivity) of the touch screen. Standard methods.
• Location - testing the GPS performance and determining the exact location.
• Battery log - detailed information about the battery and the ability to activate the recording of battery consumption information.

• MTKLogger - collection of system logs (MobileLog, ModemLog and NetworkLog).
• Temperature sensor - shows the battery and processor.
• Font parameter - change the font size.

When installing the application, some features may not be available without .

Xiaomi engineering menu

Despite the fact that our test Redmi 2 runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, it also has the functionality that interests us. To enter it, you need to tap on the “Kernel version” item several times in a row.

The menu is represented by five items:

1. Automatic Test. Automatic test of all device parameters.
2. Single Item Test. Each of the 25 tests is taken separately. We will talk about this in detail below.
3. Test Report. Report on the completed texts and their results.
4. SW add HW version. Information about the smartphone version, IMEI and other numbers.
5. Device View. Smartphone hardware data.

Of course, the most interesting point is the Single Item Test, where you can take a huge number of tests.

Let's make a reservation right away that there was no way to configure anything in the device we tested - only a functionality test. At the end of each procedure, you need to note its status: successful (success) or not (failed).

• Key - performance physical buttons. Interestingly, it was not possible to complete it successfully, since when checking the power button, the smartphone turns off.
• Backlight - display brightness.

• TouchPanel. The touch screen test includes two procedures: “Crossed calibration” and “Touch panel calibration”. The first one checks so-called “swipes”, the second one checks single taps on the screen. An easy way to calibrate your display.

• TFlash. Testing a memory card with two results: either everything is fine, or the card is damaged.
• Bluetooth. Searches for available devices.
• SIM Card. Test for the presence of SIM cards.

• Vibration. The gadget vibrates - everything is ok.
• RTC (Real Time Clock) - operation of the built-in clock.
• Speaker. Testing the conversational speaker. We didn’t understand how to get through it. We will be grateful if you can tell us in the comments.
• Receiver. Translated as receiver, receiver, but music plays during testing.
• Headset. Testing the 3.5mm jack to detect headphones, play sounds, and support headset control buttons.

• LED. Notification indicator, everything is obvious here.
• FM (radio). Click Search, and if you hear noise in the headphones, then everything is working properly.
• Camera. Everything is obvious: a test of the main and front optics, as well as the flash.
• Battery. An informative section with information about the correct operation of the USB cable (charging), the condition of the battery, its charge level and temperature. Similar data can be obtained more.

• Wi-Fi. Detection of nearby access points. There are no settings.

• Torch (flashlight): shines/does not shine.
• The loopback test includes a test of the spoken microphone. First, click Recording, then Playing.
• LCD. Screen colors.
• GPS. Detection of available satellites.
• Gyro (gyroscope). Three parameters - X, Y, Z - change depending on the position of the device in space.
• G-sensor (Accelerometer). Rotate the gadget in all planes and turn it over. The three parameters should be ok.
• Proximity Sensor. It is usually located near the speaker and is designed to dim the gadget screen during a conversation, thereby eliminating accidental clicks.
• Optical and Magnetic Sensor (optical and magnetic sensors) - points we don’t understand, share your knowledge in the comments.

After passing all tests, you can go to the Test Report section. As you can see, our “animal” is in excellent shape and has passed all the tests, which is very pleasing.

conclusions

Above we have listed the main sections of the engineering menu available on the tested devices. Now let’s summarize what features the user receives during installation:

• Formatting, restoring to factory settings.
• Testing the operation of individual elements of a smartphone or tablet, such as sensors, touch screen sensitivity and calibration accuracy.
• Detailed information about the device and its parts. For example, you can track battery consumption since the last charge and view statistics on the programs used.
• Energy optimization. Alternatively, unnecessary frequency ranges are turned off. In Russia, the standard indicators for working in 2G and 3G networks are 900 and 1800 MHz, while in the USA they are 850 and 1900 MHz.