How to Enable the Android Power Button Bug Report Shortcut

To enable the Android power button bug report shortcut on a compatible phone, first turn on Developer options, then enable Bug report shortcut. On current Google Pixel instructions, Google also tells you to enable USB debugging. Once the shortcut is active, reproduce the problem, open the phone’s power menu, and tap Bug report. If your manufacturer does not expose the power-menu shortcut, you can still create a report from Developer options.

This feature is not limited to Android 10. The Android Open Source Project says Android 4.2 and later support taking a bug report from Developer options, although the exact menu names and power-button behavior vary by device. Google’s general Android bug report documentation also documents the on-device method.

1. Enable Developer options

Developer options are hidden by default on modern Android phones. On a Google Pixel, open Settings > About phone, scroll to Build number, and tap it seven times. Enter your screen lock PIN or password if requested. You should then see a message confirming that developer mode is enabled.

Other manufacturers put Build number in slightly different places. For example, Samsung commonly places it under Settings > About phone > Software information. Android’s official Developer options guide lists several manufacturer-specific paths.

2. Turn on USB debugging and Bug report shortcut

Open Settings > System > Developer options on a Pixel, or search Settings for “Developer options” if your phone uses a different layout. Make sure Developer options are enabled.

For Pixel phones, Google’s current bug report instructions say to turn on USB debugging, accept the warning, and then turn on Bug report shortcut. USB debugging is mainly what lets ADB tools communicate with a computer; the normal Take bug report command in Developer options can still generate a report directly on the phone.

3. Capture the bug report from the power menu

Reproduce the issue you want to diagnose before capturing the report so the relevant activity is present in the logs. Then open the power menu. On current Pixel guidance, press and hold Power + Volume Up together. Some phones still use a long press of the power button, while others assign that gesture to a digital assistant.

1. Reproduce the app, connectivity, or system problem.
2. Open the power menu using your phone’s normal button combination.
3. Tap Bug report.
4. Leave the phone on while Android gathers the diagnostic data.

If there is no Bug report button, go back to Developer options and tap Take bug report or Bug report. Android’s official documentation treats this Developer options command as the standard on-device method, so the missing power shortcut does not prevent you from collecting a report.

4. Share or save the completed report

Android shows a notification while the bug report is being prepared. On Pixel phones, Google says the phone vibrates when the report is ready, which can take up to about two minutes. Tap the completed bug-report notification, then use the share sheet to save it to a trusted location or send it to the developer or support technician who requested it.

What is inside an Android bug report?

A bug report is much more than a single app log. According to the Android Open Source Project guide to reading bug reports, reports can include logcat output, dumpsys service information, dumpstate diagnostics, process and memory details, event logs, and other system data. Current Android reports are commonly packaged as a ZIP whose main text file is named with the device build and capture date.

Because this diagnostic package can contain device details, app activity, timestamps, network-related information, and other potentially sensitive data, share it only with people or organizations you trust. Do not post a full bug report publicly unless you have reviewed and sanitized it.

Do you need Android 10 or a computer?

No. The old claim that this feature starts with Android 10 is outdated. AOSP documents on-device bug-report support from Android 4.2 onward. You also do not need a desktop computer to use Take bug report. A computer becomes necessary only if you choose the ADB method, such as adb bugreport, or need deeper command-line debugging.

If your phone’s menus differ from the steps above, use Settings search for Developer options, Bug report, or Build number. Android manufacturers are allowed to rearrange or rename settings, and some builds may omit the power-menu shortcut even though the standard Developer options bug-report command is present.