diff --git a/native/data/sqlite-context-provider.js b/native/data/sqlite-context-provider.js
--- a/native/data/sqlite-context-provider.js
+++ b/native/data/sqlite-context-provider.js
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 
 import { setMessageStoreMessages } from 'lib/actions/message-actions.js';
 import { setThreadStoreActionType } from 'lib/actions/thread-actions';
-import { isStaff } from 'lib/shared/user-utils';
 import { loginActionSources } from 'lib/types/account-types';
 import { fetchNewCookieFromNativeCredentials } from 'lib/utils/action-utils';
 import { getMessageForException } from 'lib/utils/errors';
@@ -15,6 +14,7 @@
 
 import { commCoreModule } from '../native-modules';
 import { useSelector } from '../redux/redux-utils';
+import { useStaffCanSee } from '../utils/staff-utils';
 import { SQLiteContext } from './sqlite-context';
 
 type Props = {
@@ -30,9 +30,7 @@
   );
   const cookie = useSelector(state => state.cookie);
   const urlPrefix = useSelector(state => state.urlPrefix);
-  const viewerID = useSelector(
-    state => state.currentUserInfo && state.currentUserInfo.id,
-  );
+  const staffCanSee = useStaffCanSee();
 
   React.useEffect(() => {
     if (storeLoaded || !rehydrateConcluded) {
@@ -55,7 +53,7 @@
         });
         setStoreLoaded(true);
       } catch (setStoreException) {
-        if (__DEV__ || (viewerID && isStaff(viewerID))) {
+        if (staffCanSee) {
           Alert.alert(
             `Error setting threadStore or messageStore: ${
               getMessageForException(setStoreException) ??
@@ -72,7 +70,7 @@
           );
           setStoreLoaded(true);
         } catch (fetchCookieException) {
-          if (__DEV__ || (viewerID && isStaff(viewerID))) {
+          if (staffCanSee) {
             Alert.alert(
               `Error fetching new cookie from native credentials: ${
                 getMessageForException(fetchCookieException) ??
@@ -85,7 +83,14 @@
         }
       }
     })();
-  }, [storeLoaded, urlPrefix, rehydrateConcluded, cookie, dispatch, viewerID]);
+  }, [
+    cookie,
+    dispatch,
+    rehydrateConcluded,
+    staffCanSee,
+    storeLoaded,
+    urlPrefix,
+  ]);
 
   const contextValue = React.useMemo(
     () => ({
diff --git a/native/input/input-state-container.react.js b/native/input/input-state-container.react.js
--- a/native/input/input-state-container.react.js
+++ b/native/input/input-state-container.react.js
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
   createRealThreadFromPendingThread,
   threadIsPending,
 } from 'lib/shared/thread-utils';
-import { isStaff } from 'lib/shared/user-utils';
 import type { CalendarQuery } from 'lib/types/entry-types';
 import type {
   UploadMultimediaResult,
@@ -89,6 +88,7 @@
 import { displayActionResultModal } from '../navigation/action-result-modal';
 import { useCalendarQuery } from '../navigation/nav-selectors';
 import { useSelector } from '../redux/redux-utils';
+import { useStaffCanSee } from '../utils/staff-utils';
 import {
   InputStateContext,
   type PendingMultimediaUploads,
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@
   +mediaReportsEnabled: boolean,
   +calendarQuery: () => CalendarQuery,
   +dispatch: Dispatch,
+  +staffCanSee: boolean,
   +dispatchActionPromise: DispatchActionPromise,
   +uploadMultimedia: (
     multimedia: Object,
@@ -841,11 +842,11 @@
   }
 
   mediaProcessConfig(localMessageID: string, localID: string) {
-    const { hasWiFi, viewerID } = this.props;
+    const { hasWiFi, staffCanSee } = this.props;
     const onTranscodingProgress = (percent: number) => {
       this.setProgress(localMessageID, localID, 'transcoding', percent);
     };
-    if (__DEV__ || (viewerID && isStaff(viewerID))) {
+    if (staffCanSee) {
       return {
         hasWiFi,
         finalFileHeaderCheck: true,
@@ -1400,6 +1401,7 @@
     const dispatchActionPromise = useDispatchActionPromise();
     const dispatch = useDispatch();
     const mediaReportsEnabled = useIsReportEnabled('mediaReports');
+    const staffCanSee = useStaffCanSee();
 
     return (
       <InputStateContainer
@@ -1417,6 +1419,7 @@
         newThread={callNewThread}
         dispatchActionPromise={dispatchActionPromise}
         dispatch={dispatch}
+        staffCanSee={staffCanSee}
       />
     );
   },
diff --git a/native/profile/profile-screen.react.js b/native/profile/profile-screen.react.js
--- a/native/profile/profile-screen.react.js
+++ b/native/profile/profile-screen.react.js
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 import { logOutActionTypes, logOut } from 'lib/actions/user-actions';
 import { preRequestUserStateSelector } from 'lib/selectors/account-selectors';
 import { createLoadingStatusSelector } from 'lib/selectors/loading-selectors';
-import { isStaff } from 'lib/shared/user-utils';
 import type { LogOutResult } from 'lib/types/account-types';
 import { type PreRequestUserState } from 'lib/types/session-types';
 import { type CurrentUserInfo } from 'lib/types/user-types';
@@ -35,23 +34,9 @@
 } from '../navigation/route-names';
 import { useSelector } from '../redux/redux-utils';
 import { type Colors, useColors, useStyles } from '../themes/colors';
+import { useStaffCanSee } from '../utils/staff-utils';
 import type { ProfileNavigationProp } from './profile.react';
 
-type BaseProps = {
-  +navigation: ProfileNavigationProp<'ProfileScreen'>,
-  +route: NavigationRoute<'ProfileScreen'>,
-};
-type Props = {
-  ...BaseProps,
-  +currentUserInfo: ?CurrentUserInfo,
-  +preRequestUserState: PreRequestUserState,
-  +logOutLoading: boolean,
-  +colors: Colors,
-  +styles: typeof unboundStyles,
-  +dispatchActionPromise: DispatchActionPromise,
-  +logOut: (preRequestUserState: PreRequestUserState) => Promise<LogOutResult>,
-};
-
 type ProfileRowProps = {
   +content: string,
   +onPress: () => void,
@@ -68,6 +53,22 @@
   );
 }
 
+type BaseProps = {
+  +navigation: ProfileNavigationProp<'ProfileScreen'>,
+  +route: NavigationRoute<'ProfileScreen'>,
+};
+type Props = {
+  ...BaseProps,
+  +currentUserInfo: ?CurrentUserInfo,
+  +preRequestUserState: PreRequestUserState,
+  +logOutLoading: boolean,
+  +colors: Colors,
+  +styles: typeof unboundStyles,
+  +dispatchActionPromise: DispatchActionPromise,
+  +logOut: (preRequestUserState: PreRequestUserState) => Promise<LogOutResult>,
+  +staffCanSee: boolean,
+};
+
 class ProfileScreen extends React.PureComponent<Props> {
   get username() {
     return this.props.currentUserInfo && !this.props.currentUserInfo.anonymous
@@ -85,10 +86,8 @@
 
   render() {
     let appearancePreferences, developerTools, defaultNotifications;
-    if (
-      (this.props.currentUserInfo && isStaff(this.props.currentUserInfo.id)) ||
-      __DEV__
-    ) {
+    const { staffCanSee } = this.props;
+    if (staffCanSee) {
       appearancePreferences = (
         <ProfileRow content="Appearance" onPress={this.onPressAppearance} />
       );
@@ -355,6 +354,7 @@
     const styles = useStyles(unboundStyles);
     const callLogOut = useServerCall(logOut);
     const dispatchActionPromise = useDispatchActionPromise();
+    const staffCanSee = useStaffCanSee();
 
     return (
       <ProfileScreen
@@ -366,6 +366,7 @@
         styles={styles}
         logOut={callLogOut}
         dispatchActionPromise={dispatchActionPromise}
+        staffCanSee={staffCanSee}
       />
     );
   },
diff --git a/native/utils/staff-utils.js b/native/utils/staff-utils.js
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/native/utils/staff-utils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+// @flow
+
+import { useSelector } from 'react-redux';
+
+import { isStaff } from 'lib/shared/user-utils';
+
+const isStaffRelease = false;
+
+function useStaffCanSee(): boolean {
+  const isCurrentUserStaff = useSelector(
+    state =>
+      state.currentUserInfo &&
+      state.currentUserInfo.id &&
+      isStaff(state.currentUserInfo.id),
+  );
+  return __DEV__ || isStaffRelease || isCurrentUserStaff;
+}
+
+export { useStaffCanSee };