23 Useful Android Build Prop Tweaks For Better Experience | 2024 Edition

The one thing that makes Android superior to other operating systems is the level of customizability it offers to its users. It even allows you to configure the system files. 

Its open nature has encouraged a large community of developers to use the open-source code and add new features for advanced users. That’s why it has the most extensive installed base of any operating system.

What exactly is Build.prop? 

Build.prop stands for Build Properties. It’s a file located in the system folder that contains all the information about the device. One can change the device behavior by tweaking build.prop. The file is usually invisible to users, so you need to root your device to tweak its internal functions.

How to tweak Build.prop?

You can use any file manager app with root browser support to tweak Build.prop. After installing the app, go to System/Build.prop, and then open it in a text editor. Copy the code of your choice and paste it at the end. Click save, and you’re done. Some tweaks require a restart to take effect.

We bring you some of the useful Build.prop tweaks for your rooted Android device. They work for Android Jelly Bean, KitKat, Lollipop, Marshmallow, Nougat, Oreo, Pie, Android 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14. Make sure you find the specified entries (if not, add them) in your Build.prop file and change the values as mentioned.

Warning: Take a full backup of your files before making any changes to Android OS. 

Did you know? 

Smartphone manufacturers often make their own modifications to the build.prop file to tailor the Android experience to their devices. This may include adding custom features, branding, and performance optimizations. 

23. Better Scrolling

You might have noticed your phone is not that smooth while scrolling the screen. You can fix this by altering the minimum and maximum fluid velocity. This will improve your overall scrolling experience.

windowsmgr.max_events_per_sec=150
ro.min_pointer_dur=8 
ro.max.fling_velocity=12000
ro.min.fling_velocity=8000
persist.sys.scrollingcache=3
debug.sf.hw=1

22. DVM Tweaks

The DVM (short for Dalvik Virtual Machine) optimizes the virtual machine for performance, memory, and battery life. Although it has been discontinued, some people use it on their older devices. If you are one of those users, you can change configurations for fast switching between lightweight applications.

Dalvik.vm.heapgrowthlimit=96m
Dalvik.vm.heapmaxfree=8m
Dalvik.vm.minfree=2m
Dalvik.vm.heapsize=200m
Dalvik.vm.heapstaetsize=16m
Dalvik.vm.heaptargetutilization=0.75

21. Auto Rotation for Homescreen and Lockscreen

The new versions of Android do not support auto-rotation on lockscreen. Likewise, Numerous OEM launchers and stock launchers do not have auto-rotation support for the homescreen. Well, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. You can enable these rotations by adding this command –

lockscreen.rot_override=true  // for Lockscreen
log.tag.launcher_force_rotate=VERBOSE  // for Homescreen

20. Better Internet Speed

If your browsing speed is not up to the mark, or if you are suffering from slow download speed, you can improve it by increasing the TCP’s buffer size. Also, forcing your device to use Google’s DNS could unlock more speed.

net.tcp.buffersize.default=4096,87380,256960,4096, 16384,256960
net.tcp.buffersize.wifi=4096,87380,256960,4096,163 84,256960
net.tcp.buffersize.umts=4096,87380,256960,4096,163 84,256960
net.tcp.buffersize.gprs=4096,87380,256960,4096,163 84,256960
net.tcp.buffersize.edge=4096,87380,256960,4096,163 84,256960
net.rmnet0.dns1=8.8.8.8
net.rmnet0.dns2=8.8.4.4
net.dns1=8.8.8.8
net.dns2=8.8.4.4

19. Modify Logcat

You can control the Android Logcat file generation, which is mainly used for debugging. Disabling logcat would reduce extensive disk reads/writes.

logcat.live=disable

18. Disable Black Screen Issue After Call

You might have noticed a black screen for a few seconds after disconnecting a voice call. If this is happening to you on a regular basis, it means your device’s proximity sensor is not functioning properly. It can be fixed by changing the proximity delay value.

mot.proximity.delay=0
ro.lge.proximity.delay=25

17. Ring Your Phone Immediately

When you get a call, the Android system usually waits and verifies the connection before it sends the signals to ring the phone. However, if your device takes more than the usual time before it starts to ring, you can change this by adding the following code.

ro.telephony.call_ring.delay=0
ring.delay=0

16. Improve Voice Call Clarity

You can control the AMR audio codec’s property, which is used for voice calls. Also, you can adjust the volume of your voice calls. By default, Android provides seven audio levels for calls. You can change this number to manage it more precisely. The integer value ranging between 7 and 20 is recommended.

ro.ril.enable.amr.wideband=1
ro.config.vc_call_steps=20

15. Improve Image Quality

In order to reduce the processing power, Android does not display the entire content of an image. It only renders the picture at a lower quality, which is good enough but not the best. If you think your device has enough power to handle the image processing task, you can force your hardware to display the original quality.

ro.media.enc.jpeg.quality=100

14. Increase Panorama Image Resolution

You can force the panorama mode in the camera app to save the picture at a higher resolution. However, this may not be supported by all devices.

ro.media.panorama.defres=10800x2442
ro.media.panorama.frameres=3264x1840

13. Quick Power On

When your device boots up, there are a lot of services that boot up along with Android. The more applications you have, the longer it will take. However, you can force your device to boot faster by enabling “quickpoweron”, a process in which most of the data is stored as a hibernation file, which is loaded upon the next boot, saving a few seconds.

ro.config.hw_quickpoweron=true

You can also disable the boot animation by adding the following code

debug.sf.nobootanimation=1

12. Rotate Screen to 270 Degree

Most of the apps choose to rotate only 90°. However, the Android system supports three default rotation degrees – 90°, 180°, and 270°. You can leverage this feature and force all your apps to rotate 270°.

windowsmgr.support_rotation_270=true

11. Modify Error Profiler

Most users don’t even require error profiling. However, a few apps might use this to generate error reports. You can enable or disable the error profiler by adding the following code. Put 0 for enabling or 1 for disabling the feature.

profiler.force_disable_err_rpt=1
profiler.force_disable_ulog=1

10. Keep Key Lights On While Screen Is On

If your phone has backlit capacitive keys, you might have noticed that the key lights usually turn off after a few seconds you press it. If you want these key lights to be permanently turned on as long as the screen stays awake, just change the backlit’s timeout value.

ro.mot.buttonlight.timeout=0

9. Keep Your Launcher In Memory

If you are using an Android Launcher app, you can force it to stay in the main memory (RAM) by adding the following code. Your device must have enough free memory for this; otherwise, you will see significant lags and performance will be degraded severely.

ro.HOME_APP_ADJ = 1

8. Save Power

Many Android devices come with built-in battery-saving features. Sony, for example, has “Stamina” and “Ultra Stamina” modes that halt background processes in order to save battery. You can do it by yourself by adding this code.

ro.mot.eri.losalert.delay=1000  //this may brake tethering
ro.ril.power_collapse=1
pm.sleep_mode=1
wifi.supplicant_scan_interval=180
ro.mot.eri.losalert.delay=1000
power_supply.wakeup=enable
ro.config.hw_fast_dormancy=1
ro.config.hw_power_saving=1

7. Disable Automatic Error Reporting

App crashing is common on all platforms. Obviously, it doesn’t feel good, but continuous notifications of those errors are even more frustrating. You can get rid of this built-in error reporting function by adding the following code.

profiler.force_disable_err_rpt=1
profiler.force_disable_ulog=1

To disable error checking, use this –

ro.kernel.checkjni=0
ro.kernel.android.checkjni=0

And to disable the strict mode checking, add this line –

persist.android.strictmode=0

6. Change Screen DPI

DPI stands for Dots Per Inch, which is also the ratio of your device’s resolution to the display size. Usually, its values are a multiple of 160, but you can set any value you want.

ro.sf.lcd_density=420

5. Change WiFi Scan Interval

By default, Android scans for WiFi networks at an interval of 15 seconds. In order to save battery, you can increase this interval with the following code. The value is in seconds, so if you want to change the interval to (let’s say) 10 minutes, write 600, instead of 120.

wifi.supplicant_scan_interval=120

4. Improve Gaming Experience

If you use your phone for extensive gaming, try adding the following code at the end. This will enable tile rendering, fully utilize processing power, and improve 3D performance.

persist.sys.NV_FPSLIMIT=60
persist.sys.NV_POWERMODE=1
persist.sys.NV_PROFVER=15
persist.sys.NV_STEREOCTRL=0
persist.sys.NV_STEREOSEPCHG=0
persist.sys.NV_STEREOSEP=20
persist.sys.purgeable_assets=1

debug.enabletr=true
debug.qctwa.preservebuf=1
dev.pm.dyn_samplingrate=1
video.accelerate.hw=1
ro.vold.umsdirtyratio=20
debug.overlayui.enable=1
debug.egl.hw=1
ro.fb.mode=1
hw3d.force=1
persist.sys.ui.hw=1
ro.sf.compbypass.enable=0
debug.sf.hw=1
debug.composition.type=c2d
persist.sys.composition.type=c2d
debug.performance.tuning=1

ro.media.dec.jpeg.memcap=8000000
ro.media.enc.hprof.vid.bps=8000000
ro.media.dec.aud.wma.enabled=1
ro.media.dec.vid.wmv.enabled=1
ro.media.cam.preview.fps=0
ro.media.codec_priority_for_thumb=so

3. Modify MMS APN Retry Timer

If an SMS/MMS fails to send, Android tries to send it again after 5 seconds. You can change the number of reattempts and intervals between those reattempts. The following code will force 4 retries every 8 seconds.

ro.gsm.2nd_data_retry_config=max/_retries=4, 8000, 8000, 8000, 8000

2. Improve Touch Responsiveness via Hardware Rendering

You can force the Android system to use GPU for rendering each 2D frame in apps. Since Android generally uses frame-by-frame rendering of the screen, the following code will offload the heavy rendering process to GPU. Moreover, it will increase processing, provide better RAM management and make the experience smoother (if your device has a powerful graphic processor).

debug.sf.hw=1
persist.sys.ui.hw=1
debug.performance.tuning=1
video.accelerate.hw=1
debug.egl.profiler=1
debug.egl.hw=1
debug.composition.type=gpu

1. Stream Videos Faster

Android uses the media framework called “Stagefright.” Although Stagefright is more open and simple, it is often buggy compared to the old OpenCore framework. However, developers have significantly improved its stability in recent years.

The new framework can be altered to deliver faster streaming of online videos, but this might affect the playback stability on some devices. If it’s ruining your experience, you can always revert to the original values.

media.stagefright.enable-player=true
media.stagefright.enable-meta=true
media.stagefright.enable-scan=true
media.stagefright.enable-http=true
media.stagefright.enable-rtsp=true
media.stagefright.enable-record=true

More to Know

Can I tweak build.prop without rooting my Android device?

While build.prop file is accessible on non-rooted devices, the mondications you can make without root access are somewhat limited. For example, you can adjust the display density and change animation settings for window transition. 

For more advanced and system-level tweaks, you need to root your device. 

Can I revert build.prop tweaks if something goes wrong?

Of course. You can always revert build.prop tweaks if something goes wrong. However, it requires some additional steps: 

  1. Create a backup
  2. Document your changes
  3. If things don’t work out, restore from backup

If you haven’t backed up your data, consider flashing the stock ROM for your device. This involves reinstalling the original firmware and resetting your device to its factory state.

Will tweaking build.prop void my device’s warranty?

Yes, altering the build.prop file, especially if it involves rooting your device, can void your device’s warranty. Most manufacturers explicitly state in their terms and conditions that any unauthorized modifications, including rooting, will void the warranty.

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Written by
Varun Kumar

I am a professional technology and business research analyst with more than a decade of experience in the field. My main areas of expertise include software technologies, business strategies, competitive analysis, and staying up-to-date with market trends.

I hold a Master's degree in computer science from GGSIPU University. If you'd like to learn more about my latest projects and insights, please don't hesitate to reach out to me via email at [email protected].

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8 comments
  • Vincent layson says:

    is this tweaks makes my device bootloop? I want to change my internet speed.

  • Thst images sre not full and how i can trust you

  • Rajibul Islam says:

    I applied improve touch responsiveness via hardware rendering, Improve Gaming Experience, fast reboot, faster internet speed in POCO F1 and it’s fine. Works nice for me. No bootloop

  • Great, but since android o shouldnt you be doing the edits in vendor/ build prop?

  • Sergei Alekseev says:

    ro.media.enc.jpeg.quality=100
    Did you notice ENC here?
    That command change saving photos to 100 jpeg quality.

  • Hello when I try to do a search on my web browser it allows me to search then on search results, I click on it and the page doesn’t load it goes to a blank page any help full tweaks thank you.

  • Is this command for system table or global table.
    Im doing it via set edit apk