This post shows students and new users how to turn developer mode on or off in Windows 11 to turn a PC into a development environment suitable for writing and building software.
Windows developer mode is turned off by default. Suppose you’re using Windows 11 in a normal environment to carry out basic tasks such as browsing the web, reading email, and running some productivity tools. In that case, you may never need Windows developer mode enabled.
If you are a developer writing software and building tools, you may want to enable Windows developer mode to sideload apps and access other developer features.
In addition to sideloading, the Developer Mode setting enables debugging and additional deployment options, including starting an SSH service to allow this device to be deployed.
When the Developer Mode is enabled, the device portal can also be enabled, and firewall rules are configured. SSH services can remotely install apps, including tuning on the SSH server.
To enable the developer mode in Windows 11, follow the steps below:
How to turn on developer mode in Windows 11
As mentioned above, normal users should never enable developer mode in Windows 11. If you’re trying to fix issues, the developer mode won’t help you.
Windows 11 has a centralized location for the majority of its settings. From system configurations to creating new users and updating Windows, all can be done from the System Settings pane.
To get to System Settings, you can use the Windows key + I shortcut or click on Start ==> Settings, as shown in the image below:
Alternatively, you can use the search box on the taskbar and search for Settings. Then select to open it.
Windows Settings pane should look similar to the image below. In Windows Settings, click Privacy & Security, and select For Developers on the right pane of your screen, as shown in the image below.
On the For Developers settings pane, toggle the button to turn on Developer Mode. When you do, you’ll get a pop-up with a message that turning on developer mode will enable installing and running apps from outside the Microsoft store and could expose your device and personal data to security risks or harm your device.
Select Yes to continue.
You should also enable Device Portal and Device Discovery to install development packages.
Select Yes. This could take a while depending on the computer’s speed and connections.
When packages are enabled, you must enter the Device Portal username and password if authentication is enabled.
Once all packages are downloaded and installed, reboot your Windows PC for changes to be fully applied. When you log back in, Windows Developer Mode should be enabled and ready to start helping you build your apps.
How to turn off developer mode in Windows 11
If you have turned on the Developer Mode by mistake or don’t want to build apps in Windows 11, you can turn it off. To do so, reverse the steps above by going to the Start menu ==> Settings ==> Privacy & security ==> For developers and toggle the button to the Off position.
Reboot your computer, and you’re done. That’s it!
Conclusion:
This post showed you how to enable Windows developer mode in Windows 11. If you find any error above, please use the comment form below to report.
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