Samsung Galaxy Has A Hidden Menu You Can Only Open With A Secret Code
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
If you own a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, you're probably familiar with most of its settings and menus — the ones used for changing the wallpaper, adjusting notification permissions, muting alerts, connecting with an external display, and similar tasks. There's one menu you likely aren't aware of, though, and that's because Samsung has it hidden: the diagnostics menu.
Unlike the rest of the phone's various settings and features, the diagnostics menu sports a very basic interface and was designed for technicians servicing Galaxy handsets, not for the average consumer. That doesn't mean you won't find this menu handy, however, as it contains tools for determining whether a component in your phone is experiencing problems, including the display, S-Pen, speaker, camera, vibration motor, and more. This isn't the only secret menu found on these devices — there is, for example, the tap-based method used to open a secret menu meant only for developers.
Anyone who owns a supported Galaxy handset can open this secret menu whenever they'd like; it's as simple as dialing a phone number, literally.
How to open the secret Galaxy diagnostics menu
The diagnostics menu is available on Samsung Galaxy smartphones that feature the company's One UI, though some users may not be able to access it due to carrier-specific blocks. As well, Technastic reports the same code (or a slight variation thereof) may work on certain older Galaxy phones running TouchWiz. We tested the process with an unlocked Galaxy Note 10+ and the diagnostics menu appeared without issue. Your mileage may vary, but it's worth a try if you think the phone may be malfunctioning.
The diagnostics menu is accessed by typing a specific code using the Phone app. This process is performed the same way you'd dial a phone number, though you won't have to hit the "call" button because the diagnostics menu will automatically appear when the final symbol in the code is entered. To pull up the secret menu, follow these steps using a newer Samsung Galaxy smartphone:
1. Turn on your phone and sign in using a password, PIN, or fingerprint if applicable.
2. Tap the "Phone" icon to open the app.
3. Tap the "Keypad" tab to pull up the dialer.
4. Type in the following code: *#0*#
The diagnostics menu will automatically appear when this code is entered. You will see a light grey screen filled with square white buttons, each one assigned tests for specific components. Tapping a button will pull up its related test, making it possible to assess your phone's hardware and determine whether a component is no longer working properly.
How to close the secret menu when you're finished
Upon opening the secret Galaxy menu, you've likely noticed there's no obvious way to get back out of it. Don't panic, as the process is pretty simple, though you may have to try a couple of different methods depending on the phone model. We found there were two ways to exit the secret menu on the Galaxy Note 10+: swiping "back" twice or holding the power button until Bixby appeared, then swiping upward from the bottom of the display.
If your Galaxy device has a dedicated Home button, you may be able to exit the diagnostics menu by tapping it or, alternatively, by holding the power button and then tapping the Home button. In most cases, though, simply hitting the back button or swiping back twice should be all it takes to close the secret menu.