How to enable developer mode in Windows 11

This article will show you how to enable developer mode in Windows 11. But before you start, we need to mention that regular users should not bother with developer mode on their computers. Windows 11 allows installing apps from any source, not just from the Microsoft Store.

However, if you are a developer (beginner or pro), developer mode is a must-have feature on a computer with Windows 11. Besides, you might need developer mode when installing an exotic piece of software.

You can turn on developer mode in Windows 11 only if your account has Administrator privileges. Also, note that developer mode is SKU-agnostic, which means it is available on any Windows 11 version, not only Pro or Enterprise.

The Settings app is the easiest and fastest way to enable developer mode in Windows 11. Here is how you do that.

Enable developer mode in Windows 11

1. Press Win + I to open the Settings app. You can also right-click the Start menu button and select Settings.
2. Go to the Privacy and Security section and click For developers.
3. Find the Developer Mode section and toggle on the "Install apps from any source" option.
4. Confirm the action by clicking Yes.

That is it. Developer mode in Windows 11 is now ready for all your developer things.

Enable developer mode with Group Policy

This section is for Windows 11 Professional, Enterprise, or Education users because it features the Local Group Policy editor unavailable on Windows 11 Home.

Tip: You can check your Windows SKU by pressing Win + R and entering the winver command.

Important: After enabling developer mode in Windows 11 using the Local Group Policy editor, you will notice a puzzling message in the Settings app. It will say that your organization manages some settings. That is by design.

To enable developer mode in Windows 11 with Group Policy, do the following.

1. Press Win + R and enter gpedit.msc.
2. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > App Package Deployment.
3. Click "Allows development of Windows Store apps."
4. Change the default value from "Not Configured" to "Enabled" if you want to turn on developer mode on Windows 11.
5. Select "Disabled" to prevent other people from enabling developer mode.
6. Click OK to save the changes.

To disable developer mode in Windows 11, repeat the steps above and select "Not Configured."

Using the Registry Editor

Finally, you can turn on developer mode in Windows 11 using the Registry Editor. This will also lead to a message about an organization managing some of the settings on your computer.

To enable Windows 11 developer mode in the Registry, do the following.

1. Press Win + R and enter the regedit command. This will work on any Windows 11 edition.
2. Go to HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Appx. Copy the path and paste it into the address bar in Registry Editor.
3. Right-click anywhere on the right side of the window and select New > DWORD Value (32-bit).
4. Rename the value to AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense.
5. Open the value and change its data from 0 to 1.

Keep in mind that enabling developer mode using Registry Editor disables the toggle in the Settings app. To disable developer mode, go back to Registry Editor and delete the AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense value. You can also change its value data to 0 to turn off developer mode and prevent others from enabling it in the Settings app.

Ready to use files

You can automate the procedure described above using ready-to-use registry files. They will make all the necessary changes for you without the risk of messing up the registry in your system.

1. Download REG files in a ZIP archive using this link.
2. Extract the files to any folder you like.
3. Open the Enable developer mode in Windows 11.reg and confirm changes in the registry.
4. To disable developer mode, open the Disable developer mode in Windows 11.reg file.
5. Finally, you can block developer mode in the Settings app. To do so, use the Block developer mode in Windows 11.reg file.

That is it. Now you know how to enable or disable developer mode in Windows 11.