System UI Tuner is a hidden menu on Android that comes with a handful of Status Bar tweaks among others. This was first introduced in Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow but in the later versions, the options were hidden from the user. System UI Tuner has been reintroduced in Android 9 Pie and easily accessible.

The basic System UI Tuner that is shipped with Android by default helps you with basic options such as tweaking Status Bar icons and DND options. But, there is an app that further extends this customization to add more features and functionalities to tweak Android without root. To see how to enable Android’s System UI Tuner on any device running Android 9 Pie, Oreo, Nougat, Lollipop, and Marshmallow, read further.

Android 10/9 Pie: Tweak Status Bar Icons with System UI Tuner Settings

Access System UI Tuner with Nova Launcher

1. Download Nova Launcher from Google Play Store.
2. Simply downloading the app is enough – it is not mandatory that you set it as your launcher to proceed with the tutorial. It is totally your call.
3. Press and hold on the home screen and select ‘Widgets‘.
4. Scroll and search for Nova Launcher widget and select the widgets.
5. Next, select the widget called ‘Activities‘.
6. On the following screen, find and select the System UI option and then choose ‘System UI demo mode‘ at the bottom.
7. An app activity will be created on the Home Screen.
8. Launch it and select “Status bar”.

Alternatively, you can also use an app called Quick Shortcut Maker to get the System UI Tuner accessible.

Android 10 Themes and Tweaks: How to Enable Hidden Menu

Android 10 by default comes with some nice tweaks to customize the Android UI. But the option is hidden under developer settings. Here’s how you can enable the same:

1. Go to the Settings.
2. Look for and select the About phone menu.
3. Scroll down to the bottom and find the Build number section. Note: Please note that this setting can be buried even further in some Android devices. For example, in Samsung Galaxy devices, you should check here: Settings > About phone > Software information.
4. Next, continuously tap on the ‘Build number’ section until you see some sort of toast message like ‘You are now a developer’. ‘Developer options’ is now enabled.
5. After that, go to Settings > System > Developer options.
6. Scroll to the end to get Theming settings.
7. Under Theming you will find options like to tweak various aspects of the system UI.

Android Oreo and older | Tweak Android with SystemUI Tuner app

There is a nifty little app called SystemUI Tuner that helps you tweak the system UI of the Android devices. It not only enables the built-in system UI tuner but also adds a bunch of useful customization options such as changing the order of icons or changing the grid size in the quick settings panel.

Step 1: Download SystemUI Tuner app from Google Play Store.

Step 2: Make sure to install ADB and Fastboot on your computer.

Step 3: Connect your Android phone to computer via USB cable.

Step 4: Open a Command Prompt or Terminal Window on your computer.

Step 5: Execute the following commands in the terminal/command prompt to enable the SystemUI Tuner app.

adb shell pm grant com.zacharee1.systemuituner android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS

adb shell pm grant com.zacharee1.systemuituner android.permission.PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS

adb shell pm grant com.zacharee1.systemuituner android.permission.DUM

Done. Now you can open the SystemUI Tuner app and use it without any restrictions.

Android Nougat, Lollipop, Marshmallow | How to Enable System UI settings

1. Go to the Settings.
2. Look for and select the About phone menu.
3. Scroll down to the bottom and find the Build number section. Note: Please note that this setting can be buried even further in some Android devices. For example, in Samsung Galaxy devices, you should check here: Settings > About phone > Software information.
4. Next, continuously tap on the ‘Build number’ section until you see some sort of toast message like ‘You are now a developer’. ‘Developer options’ is now enabled.
5. After that, go to Settings > System > Developer options.
6. On Marshmallow, go to Quick Settings panel by swiping down the status bar.
7. Press and hold onto the settings icon on top-right corner.
8.  You will see a toast message saying System UI Tuner has been unlocked.
9. Go to settings and open the System UI Tuner option at the end.