While checking out AMOLED Cinema on my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, my friend was fascinated and wanted to try the same hidden display modes on his Samsung phone. He found that the USB Debugging option was greyed out in Developer Options on his phone. After tinkering around, I found the culprit and fixed it. If your USB Debugging option is also greyed out, this guide will help you.
Before we begin, here are some simple solutions you may want to try:
- Restart your phone and PC.
- Try a different USB cable.
- Try a different port on your computer.
Table of Contents
1. Turn Off Auto Blocker
The USB Debugging option on your Samsung Galaxy phone may appear greyed out due to the Auto Blocker feature. This security feature protects your device by preventing the installation of apps from unauthorized sources, blocking malicious activity, and preventing commands from computers, malicious chargers, and other devices when connected via USB.
In our case, the Auto Blocker was enabled and that caused the USB Debugging to appear greyed out. We temporarily disabled Auto Blocker, which allowed us to enable USB Debugging and proceed with our task. If you’re experiencing the same issue, temporarily disable Auto Blocker:
- Open Settings on your Samsung Galaxy phone.
- Scroll down and tap on Security and privacy.
- Tap on Auto Blocker.
- Here, you can either: Toggle off Block Software updates by USB cable or toggle off Auto Blocker altogether.
2. Change USB Connection Mode
If USB Debugging isn’t working on your Samsung Galaxy phone, the USB connection mode might be set to Charging Only instead of the one that allows file transfer or debugging.
To change it:
- After connecting your phone to the computer, swipe down from the top of your phone’s screen to open the notification panel.
- Tap on the USB charging notification.
- Change it to Transferring Files.
Alternate Way:
- Go to Developer Options on your phone.
- Scroll down and tap Default USB Configuration.
- Set it to File Transfer.
This will enable USB Debugging if it was previously blocked due to the connection mode setting.
3. Turn On USB Debugging Before Connecting Phone
If USB Debugging is turned on but your phone isn’t connecting, ensure you enable USB debugging before connecting your phone to the computer.
When you connect your phone to the computer with USB debugging enabled, the computer recognizes it as a device in developer mode. This allows the two devices to communicate for actions such as file transfers, app installations from unknown sources, and the use of debugging tools.
By enabling USB debugging beforehand, you ensure that your computer recognizes your phone correctly. Don’t forget to accept the Allow USB debugging prompt on your phone when connecting it to the computer.
Fixing USB Debugging on Samsung Galaxy
For most users, turning off Auto Blocker will resolve the issue of USB Debugging being greyed out on any Samsung Galaxy phone. If that doesn’t work, try other solutions like changing the connection type, checking the cable, or restarting your device. After you enable USB debugging, use it to connect your phone over ADB, transfer files, install apps, or mirror your phone’s screen on your PC.
