diff --git a/packages/runtime-core/__tests__/debug.spec.ts b/packages/runtime-core/__tests__/debug.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3a4c4b56d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/runtime-core/__tests__/debug.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+import { debug } from '../src/debug'
+import {
+  type ComponentInternalInstance,
+  defineComponent,
+  getCurrentInstance,
+  h,
+  serializeInner as inner,
+  nodeOps,
+  ref,
+  render,
+} from '@vue/runtime-test'
+
+describe('debug', () => {
+  test('watching states', () => {
+    const root = nodeOps.createElement('div')
+    let instance: ComponentInternalInstance
+    const Comp = defineComponent({
+      setup() {
+        const name = ref('foo')
+        debug({
+          name,
+        })
+        return () => h('div', name.value)
+      },
+      mounted() {
+        instance = getCurrentInstance()!
+      },
+    })
+    render(h(Comp), root)
+    expect(inner(root)).toBe('<div>foo</div>')
+    expect(instance!.setupState).toEqual({
+      name: 'foo',
+    })
+  })
+  test('watching states with calling the debug function multiple times', () => {
+    const root = nodeOps.createElement('div')
+    let instance: ComponentInternalInstance
+    const Comp = defineComponent({
+      setup() {
+        const name = ref('foo')
+        const age = ref(100)
+        debug({
+          name,
+        })
+        debug({
+          age,
+          name,
+        })
+        debug({
+          name,
+        })
+        return () => h('div', name.value)
+      },
+      mounted() {
+        instance = getCurrentInstance()!
+      },
+    })
+    render(h(Comp), root)
+    expect(inner(root)).toBe('<div>foo</div>')
+    expect(instance!.setupState).toEqual({
+      name: 'foo',
+      age: 100,
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/runtime-core/src/debug.ts b/packages/runtime-core/src/debug.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8ce522694
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/runtime-core/src/debug.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { reactive } from '@vue/reactivity'
+import { getCurrentInstance } from './component'
+
+/**
+ * this debug function is a helper for watching states in the vue devtool (it runs only in dev mode)
+ * @example
+ * const Component = defineComponent({
+ *   setup() {
+ *     const name = ref('foo')
+ *     debug({
+ *       // watch states in the vue devtool
+ *       name,
+ *     })
+ *     return h('div', name.value)
+ *   },
+ * })
+ * @param states any states you want to see in the vue devtool
+ */
+export const debug = __DEV__
+  ? (states: Record<string, any>) => {
+      const instance = getCurrentInstance()
+      if (instance) {
+        instance.setupState = reactive(
+          Object.assign({}, states, instance.setupState),
+        )
+      }
+    }
+  : (states: Record<string, any>) => {
+      // empty
+    }
diff --git a/packages/runtime-core/src/index.ts b/packages/runtime-core/src/index.ts
index 9910f8210..f149dfec5 100644
--- a/packages/runtime-core/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime-core/src/index.ts
@@ -338,6 +338,7 @@ export type {
   AsyncComponentOptions,
   AsyncComponentLoader,
 } from './apiAsyncComponent'
+export { debug } from './debug'
 export type {
   HydrationStrategy,
   HydrationStrategyFactory,