Gambit

A while ago I found a tip somewhere on how to get to some additional hidden android browser settings including how to change the user agent string so that the browser would identify itself as a desktop browser or iPhone browser while surfing.
This setting is reset between sessions, I didn't use it frequently and eventually forgot how to go about making the change.
Recently I had a need to access these hidden browser settings again and it took quite a long and frustrating search effort to finally locate this information which does not seem to be widely publicized. So, in an effort to save anyone else this trouble, I figured I would post the information on how to do this on a couple Android boards that I frequent and also include a few words that might be picked up as search terms for anyone else trying to find this info. The procedure is very simple. I currently have an HTC Sprint Hero running Android 1.5, so I'm not sure what other devices or builds this will work on...

Open the Android web browser. In the address bar enter 'about:debug' where you would normally enter a URL and hit enter or Go. Be sure to erase the 'http://www.' that the browser likes to leave in the address bar for you. No page will load and you may or may not get a pop-up message 'Debug mode'. But if you now go to Menu > More > Settings in the browser and scroll to the bottom of the list, you should see a new group of options under the 'Debug' heading. The bottom setting is 'UAString' and if selected will give you the option of enabling your browser to identify itself as Android, Desktop or iPhone. Results after making this switch have been mixed, but go ahead and give it a try if you have a need to. I'm not sure what the other options do, so use at your own risk.

Feel free to leave a reply if you found this information helpful, or if it does or does not work on your particular device / build.

EDIT: I Originally posted this in 2009 and have since switch handsets and flashed a custom ROM (CyanogenMod) that has the user agent setting for the stock browser. So I can not verify the tip below but big thanks to jaggu.004 for posting this updated method:
search terms: Android Browser Hidden Debug Settings Change User Agent String Identify Desktop Firefox iPhone about:debug UAString

Last edited by Gambit; August 16th, 2011 at 06:13 PM. Reason: about:useragent tip