Differences Between Android Devices¶
This page shows, for each preparation step, what Prepare does on each brand and where to find the setting if you need to set it by hand, for example when the Prepare result email lists the step as failed. The step-by-step pages are Samsung, Xiaomi and Pixel.
Menu names differ between OS versions. Samsung versions are One UI versions (Settings > About phone > Software information); Xiaomi versions are MIUI 14 (Android 13) or Xiaomi HyperOS (Android 14 and later).
Turn Off Connections¶
Prepare turns airplane mode off and Wi-Fi off.
By hand: Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi off, Airplane mode off.
Prepare turns airplane mode off and Wi-Fi off.
By hand: Settings → Wi-Fi off; Airplane mode off in Control center.
Prepare turns airplane mode off and Wi-Fi off.
By hand: Settings → Network & internet → Internet → Wi-Fi off; Airplane mode off.
Unlock Screen¶
Prepare sets the screen lock to None.
By hand: Settings → Security and privacy → Screen lock and biometrics → None (One UI 8.5). One UI 6.1 to 8.0: Settings → Lock screen and AOD → Screen lock type → None; One UI 6.0 and older: Lock screen instead of Lock screen and AOD.
Set by hand; Prepare does not change it.
Settings → Fingerprints, face data, and screen lock (MIUI 14: Passwords & security) → Screen lock → Turn off screen lock.
Set by hand; Prepare does not change it.
Settings → Security & privacy → Device unlock (Android 13: Device lock) → Screen lock → None.
Accidental Touch Settings¶
Prepare turns it off.
By hand: Settings → Display → Accidental touch protection off.
Prepare turns it off.
By hand: Settings → Lock screen → Pocket mode off.
This setting does not exist on Pixel phones.
Mute Device¶
Prepare mutes the device.
By hand: Settings → Sounds and vibration → Mute, or tap the sound mode tile in the Quick panel until it shows Mute.
Prepare turns on silent mode.
By hand: Settings → Sound & vibration → Silent mode on.
Prepare mutes the device with a key command.
By hand: press a volume button, then tap the ringer icon in the volume panel until it shows Mute.
Set Time Format to 24 Hours¶
Prepare turns on the 24-hour format, and on this page also automatic date and time and automatic time zone.
By hand: Settings → General management → Date and time → Use 24-hour format on.
Prepare sets the 24-hour format.
By hand: Settings → Additional settings → Date and time → Time format → 24-hour (13:00). On some versions it is a 24-hour switch.
Prepare sets the 24-hour format.
By hand: Settings → System → Date & time. Turn off Use locale default, then turn on Use 24-hour format.
Disable Software Updates¶
Prepare disables the software update service.
By hand: Settings → Software update → Auto download over Wi-Fi off.
Not done by Prepare.
By hand: Settings → About phone → Xiaomi HyperOS (MIUI 14: MIUI version) → ⋮ → Update settings → Download automatically off.
Not done by Prepare. Turn off Automatic system updates in Developer options (see below).
SMS Input Mode¶
Android 13 only (Samsung Messages). Prepare sets it.
By hand: Messages → ⋮ → Settings → More settings → Text messages → Input mode → Automatic.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Set SMS App¶
Prepare configures the messages app. Android 13 uses Samsung Messages; Android 14 and later use Google Messages, set up as in the Xiaomi tab.
Samsung Messages by hand:
- ⋮ → Settings → More settings → Multimedia messages: turn on Download automatically and Download automatically while roaming.
- Settings → Chat settings: turn off Chat features.
- Set Default message type to Text or multimedia.
Prepare configures Google Messages.
By hand, in Google Messages:
- Tap the profile icon → Messages settings → RCS chats: turn off Turn on RCS chats and confirm Turn off.
- Messages settings → Advanced: turn on Auto-download MMS and Auto-download MMS when roaming.
Prepare configures Google Messages.
By hand, in Google Messages:
- Tap the profile icon → Messages settings → RCS chats: turn off Turn on RCS chats and confirm Turn off.
- Messages settings → Advanced: turn on Auto-download MMS and Auto-download MMS when roaming.
Chrome for Development¶
Prepare turns mobile data on, opens Chrome, dismisses the first-run screens and checks that the address bar is shown.
By hand: open Chrome and go through the welcome screens (decline sign-in and sync) until a web page can be opened, then close Chrome.
Set Timezone¶
Done by Prepare in the 24-hour step.
By hand: Settings → General management → Date and time → turn on Automatic date and time and Automatic time zone.
Prepare turns on automatic date, time and time zone.
By hand: Settings → Additional settings → Date and time → turn on Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically.
Prepare turns on automatic date, time and time zone.
By hand: Settings → System → Date & time → turn on automatic date and time and automatic time zone.
Disable Call Forwarding Settings¶
Prepare erases unconditional call forwarding only. To erase all forwarding types (unconditional, busy, unanswered, unreachable), dial ##002# in the Phone app. The code depends on the network and also removes forwarding to voicemail.
Manual check: Phone → ⋮ → Settings → Supplementary services → Call forwarding (→ Voice calls, if shown). Turn off Always forward, Forward when busy, Forward when unanswered and Forward when unreachable.
Manual check (Google Phone app): Phone → menu (☰ at the top left; ⋮ at the top right in older app versions) → Settings → Calling accounts → your SIM → Call forwarding. Turn off Always forward, When busy, When unanswered and When unreachable.
Disable Screen Rotation¶
Prepare turns auto rotate off and also turns off landscape mode for the Home screen.
By hand: in the Quick panel, tap Auto rotate so that it shows Portrait.
Prepare turns the rotation switch off in Settings → Additional settings → Accessibility → Physical.
By hand: lock the orientation in Control center (Lock orientation tile on).
Prepare turns auto-rotate off.
By hand: Quick Settings → Auto-rotate off, or Settings → Display (Android 16: Display & touch) → Auto-rotate screen off.
Enable Developer Options¶
Manual.
- Settings → About phone → Software information.
- Tap Build number 7 times.
- Developer options appears at the bottom of Settings.
Manual.
- Insert an active SIM card and sign in with a Xiaomi account.
- Settings → About phone.
- Tap OS version (MIUI 14: MIUI version) 7 times.
- Developer options appears in Additional settings.
Manual.
- Settings → About phone.
- Tap Build number 7 times.
- Developer options appears in System.
Check if Developer Options is Enabled¶
Manual. In Developer options, turn on the switch at the top and USB debugging.
Manual. In Additional settings → Developer options, turn on the switch at the top, USB debugging, Install via USB, USB debugging (Security settings) and Skip screen lock.
Manual. In System → Developer options, turn on the switch at the top and USB debugging.
Enable Stay Awake¶
Manual. Developer options → Stay awake on.
Manual. Developer options → Keep screen on on.
Manual. Developer options → Stay awake on.
Disable System Auto Update¶
Manual. Developer options → Auto update system off.
Manual. Developer options → Automatic system updates off. Also turn off automatic downloads in the updater (see Disable Software Updates above).
Manual. Developer options → Automatic system updates off.
Disable Adb Authorization Timeout¶
Manual. Developer options → Disable adb authorization timeout on. Without it, Android revokes the Test Node's USB debugging authorization when the phone has not been connected for 7 days.