Android engineering menu: settings, tests and functions. How to enter the engineering menu on Meiza How to open the engineering menu

Almost all phones experience software glitches, the source of which may be in the firmware. To identify them and determine the type of failure, there is a special service menu through which you can test each module in the phone and identify the essence of the problem.

In this article, we will tell you what it is engineering menu xiaomi, login methods, as well as the main functions that may be useful to you.

What is the engineering menu and main functions

This hidden settings smartphone aimed at testing and correcting errors. These settings are not available in the regular menu, because... inexperienced users may mess up the correctly set parameters, after which the phone may stop ringing, the connection may be lost, etc. Therefore, be very careful not to harm the system.

Engineering menu on xiaomi phone redmi 3 performs the following functions:

Setting the sound in the main speaker;
Setting the sound in the conversational speaker;
Microphone settings;
Setting up networks;
Camera setup;
Testing GPS operation;
IMEI repair;
Ability to optimize the system for less battery consumption.

These are not all functions, but rather the main ones that are in greatest demand.

How to enter the engineering menu

Let's look at ways to enter the engineering menu using an example Xiaomi Redmi note 3 pro. There are only two standard methods. The third option is through applications, which is worth using if standard methods does not work.

Through settings

Note that this method is universal; it is also suitable for Xiaomi redmi 3s. So, let's go to the smartphone settings. Scroll down and tap on “About phone”. We look for the line “Kernel version” and slowly click on it three times. Perhaps the message “You only have to press two more times” will appear at the bottom. In the same way, slowly press two more times.

Look " secret settings"like this (depending on the phone, the view may differ slightly):

Using a special code

Open the dialer and dial the code *#*#6484#*#*. The same thing will appear as above in the screenshot. This code should fit all Xiaomi devices. If nothing happens when you dial this combination, you should try the following codes: *#*#3646633#*#* or *#*#4636#*#*.

On some other models, the engineering menu looks like this:

If you can’t open the engineering menu

If Xiaomi redmi note 3 pro does not enter the engineering menu, then you should use alternative ways entry, namely special software. Let's look at two programs that will help you: MTK Engineering and MobileUncle Tools. You can find many more similar applications on your own.

MTK Engineering – fast and convenient program, it looks like this:

In the Android Testing section there are Android settings, namely:

Phone information;
Battery information;
Usage statistics;
Wi-Fi information.

We need the MTK Engineer Mode item - this is the engineering menu itself. The appearance may be slightly different, but the essence will not change.

MobileUncle Tools is a more powerful program than the previous one, in that it additionally allows you to perform many other operations with the system, however, only for devices with MTK processors, which are not found in all Xiaomi devices.

To get started, you need to click “Engineering Mode” and then select “Engineering Menu (MTK)”. It is worth adding that this program requires root rights. Currently, this program has been removed from the Play Market, but it is not difficult to find on the Internet. Because the this application is developed by a Chinese author, you can meet with the English or Chinese version.

Conclusion and translation of functions

Finally, we would like to caution you to be careful with your many system settings. If you need to repair or check any module in your phone, you should not immediately change the parameters of the engineering menu yourself; it is better to first look for instructions on our website or on the Internet specifically for your case. For convenience, we have translated all functions (the Xiaomi Redmi Three smartphone was taken as an example).

Users of mobile devices often confuse the Android engineering menu with the developer menu, although the vast majority of users know nothing and are not even aware of its existence.

But those who don’t chase new products and don’t buy smartphones/tablets every time they appear new version Android also dream of expanding the capabilities of their device.

To solve the problem, you can go in several ways:

obtain superuser privileges (root rights);
install several applications that add new features and provide access to features hidden from the user’s eyes;
use the developer menu (mainly for comprehensive verification and testing of the device);
go to the internal system menu (engineering)

We’ll talk about the purpose and capabilities of the latter, having previously found out how you can get into it on various gadgets, firmware and editions of the mobile OS.

How to login

The most common calling option on an Android device is to enter a combination "*#*#3646633#*#*".

Attention! There are a couple of nuances here:

firstly, after entering the combination, you do not need to press the call button; a couple of seconds after entering the last asterisk character, the required interface will appear on the smartphone screen;
The method is applicable to most, but not all devices and firmware versions, especially to Chinese devices;
The appearance and functions provided may differ on different devices (number of categories, names, differences in versions, etc.).

On other models you should try entering *#*#4636#*#* or *#15963#* . Combinations for mobile devices from the most popular manufacturers are shown in the table below.

Table 1 – Codes for calling Engineer Mode on devices of different developers

Samsung	*[##4636##]* *[##8255##]*
LG	*[#546368#818#]*
Sony	*[##7378423##]*
Huawei	*[##2846579##]* *[##2846579159##]*
Acer	*[##2237332846633##]*
HTC	*[##3424##]* *[##4636##]* *[##8255##]*
Fly Philips Alcatel	*[##3646633##]*

If you can't call

It is very rare, but it may be that none of the above combinations resulted in the required window being called. In this case, download the Mobileuncle MTK Tools application (removed from the Play Market).

It works similarly to the methods described above, with the difference that the commands for entering codes are sent to the mobile operating system automatically, determining its version and gadget model after calling the “Engineer Mode” command.

Before using the program, it is strongly recommended to create a backup of the firmware; it is not for nothing that it has been removed from the application store - many dozens of users have “killed” the firmware of their devices due to inept and careless handling of the software. In addition to calling options, the program allows you to:

free up permanent and RAM memory;
restart recovery;
manage autostart;
backup, restore and edit IMEI;
display detailed information about the smartphone hardware.

To gain access to all the features of Mobileuncle MTK Tools, as well as the capabilities of the options, you should acquire root rights for your mobile device.

Composition of the extended interface

Engineer Mode for the user is presented in the form of a multi-tab window, where each tab contains certain types of functions.

Telephony

The first tab contains functions to perform general settings phone: , network testing and obtaining information about used network technologies, changing GPRS parameters, configuring the camera and a lot of sub-items that are incomprehensible to a beginner.

Connectivity

Responsible for changing parameters and displaying information about ports for communication:

Bluetooth;
Wi-Fi module;
FM receiver if available.

You can request comprehensive information about each module, test its operation, change the configuration and look through the logs.

Hardware Testing

The title of the section indicates that there are tools for working with hardware: testing it, extracting any information about hardware components, changing their operating modes.

On Android it supports more than a dozen audio playback modes for various conditions (games, calls, alarms).

As for the camera, a huge range of parameters is available here, which includes changing preview videos and specifying the default video frame rate and many other items.

To test stability and performance central processor Through it you can run a processor stress test.

Changing its voltage and operating frequency in order to overclock or save the battery should be done with extreme caution and being aware of the possible risks.

The processor has the option of putting it into sleep mode under certain conditions, as well as turning off the display.

Engineer Mode also contains a huge number of items for retrieving information and debugging the operation of the processor, touch display, random access memory, sensors.

There are functions to stop removable flash memory and change the operating mode of the USB port.

Location

For those who like to use GPS capabilities, who sometimes lack its settings, there is an abundance of items available in this tab.

Resetting to original settings

It has never happened to anyone that the thirst for experimentation led to small disasters.

If something goes wrong during use, everything can be returned, especially if backup copy firmware has been done.

Even if you haven’t acquired it, you shouldn’t lose heart, we’ll reset the device to factory settings and that’s it.

The first and most reliable way– rollback the system state to reserved.
Resetting the firmware via recovery (BackUp and Wipe).
Download Mobile Uncle, call “Restart to Recovery Mode” and click on “BackUp”

The engineering menu is truly an indispensable tool for fine tuning smartphone/tablet, which allows you not only to take full control of your gadget, but also, sometimes, to return one of the non-working functions. However, its careless use can lead to problems.

Majority Android devices have hidden functions, which include engineering Xiaomi menu, and any other phone. It is hidden primarily from inexperienced users so that they do not mess things up.

Why do you need an engineering menu?

The engineering menu is used by developers to final configure the device. Here you can check the operation of all sensors and test the main components. There are about 25 different types of tests in total.

How to open the engineering menu on Xiaomi smartphones?

There are 2 ways to enter the Xiaomi engineering menu:

Method number 1 - through dialing

This method works for everyone Xiaomi smartphones Mi and Redmi lines - you need to enter in dialing mode: *#*#6484#*#*. If this code doesn't work, try it *#*#4636#*#* .

Method number 2 - through settings

The algorithm of actions is simple:

Open " Settings» smartphone
Go to the menu " About the phone«
We find the item “ Kernel version" and quickly click on it 5 times

It is worth noting that depending on the model of your smartphone, the engineering menu may differ.

This is what the engineering menu looks like on Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite:

In this case, the menu has 32 items (their number may also differ depending on the smartphone model):

Check version info— information about the version. Here you can see the IMEI and serial number;
SIM card- shows SIM cards installed on a smartphone;
Support TFCard— information about a third-party SD drive;
touch sensor— touchscreen test;
Display— display test;
Receiver— standard speaker test;
speaker— conversational speaker test;
Light sensor— light sensor test;
Proximity sensor— proximity sensor test;
OTG— testing external USB;
Charger test— charging check (you need to connect the charger);
Battery indicator— displays the charge level and temperature of the battery;
Read camera— rear camera;
Rear sub camera— rear auxiliary camera;
Rear dual camera— rear dual camera;
Front camera- front-camera;
FPC fingerprint sensor— checking the fingerprint sensor;
Keyboard test— checking the “volume up”, “volume down” and “lock” keys;
Vibrator test— vibration test;
Notification light (LED)— flashlight and display brightness test;
Main MIC— test of the main microphone;
Top MIC— test test of the top microphone;
Headset test- headphone test;
Wi-Fi AP Scan— scanning Wi-Fi networks;
Wi-Fi Address- address Wi-Fi networks, to which the smartphone is connected;
Bluetooth scan— search for bluetooth devices;
Get Bluetooth address— bluetooth address of your device;
Accelerometer— checking the acceleration sensor;
Gyroscope— checking the gyroscope;
Magnetic sensor— magnetic sensor test;
GPS— checking the GPS sensor;
SAR Sensor— level of electromagnetic radiation.

And here's what it looked like on the old Xiaomi Redmi 3s:

The menu consists of five items:

Automatic Test. All parameters will be tested automatically.
Single Item Test. Here you can run any of the tests separately.
Test Report. Here you can view the test results.
SW add HW version. Find out the version of your smartphone.
Device View. All information about the device's hardware.

If everything is clear with points 1,3,4,5, then the second one needs to be discussed separately, since it includes a bunch of tests.

Key– performance check physical buttons
Blacklight– testing the display for brightness
TouchPanel– sensor testing
TFlash– checking the memory card
Bluetooth– searches for all available devices
SIM Card– checking the availability of SIM cards
Vibration– vibration test
Loopback– tests the conversational microphone for recording and playback
LCD– display colors
GPS– search for satellites
Gyro– gyroscope operation
G-sensor- speed sensor
Proximity Sensor– responsible for fading the screen during a conversation
Optical Sensor– optical sensor
Magnetic Sensor– magnetic sensor
RTC– built-in clock
Speaker– checking the speaker
Receiver– checking the standard speaker
Headset– test the headphone jack, headsets and sound playback
LED– notification indicator
FM– checking the radio operation
Camera– testing the camera and flash
Battery– battery and charging operation
WiFi– looking for access points
Torch– checking the flashlight

As you can see, using the engineering menu on Xiaomi you can get a lot of information. An experienced user will be able to use it to roll back the smartphone to standard (factory) settings, test the operation of all sensors, find out more detailed information about the device, optimize battery consumption and much more.

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 Google settings Play (in the left panel) and uncheck the “Add icons” option. 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 disabled third party applications. 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 call volume 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, smartphone owners Android based neglected 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 noticeable new Android products 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, music player, image viewer and much more. Any of them can be launched directly from the desktop. In the same way, you can open any section of the settings and gain access to some OS functions that are difficult to reach. This is completely legal functionality and does not require 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 an intelligent search on Google, when 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 various types 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.

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 configuration stage software platform mobile device. With its help they contribute last changes into 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 a 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 through Google Play.

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.

Telephony. Here are all the settings related to mobile communications. 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.
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.
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.
Location. In this category, you can configure GPS operation, see how many satellites the gadget has picked up, and simply conduct testing.
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.
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. How to increase 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) 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:

Automatic Test. Automatic test of all device parameters.
Single Item Test. Each of the 25 tests is taken separately. We will talk about this in detail below.
Test Report. Report on the completed texts and their results.
SW add HW version. Information about the smartphone version, IMEI and other numbers.
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 - functionality of 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.