Auto-disable navigation buttons on Xiaomi: why it happens and how to fix it

Have you noticed that on your Xiaomi smartphone, the navigation buttons (back, home, recent) periodically disappear or turn off on their own? MIUI, This can occur on both newer models (Xiaomi 14, Redmi Note 13) and older models (POCO X3, Mi 11) In most cases, this behavior is not due to a hardware breakdown, but rather to software settings or firmware features.

In this article, we will discuss all possible reasons for automatically disabling navigation buttons, including hidden functions. MIUI, You'll learn how to manually return buttons, disable unnecessary automation, and prevent re-disappearance. And for those who prefer gestures over classic buttons, we've prepared a guide to alternative controls.

What is Auto-Switching Off Navigation Buttons and How It Appears

The function of auto-disable navigation buttons in Xiaomi is not a separate option in the settings, but a consequence of the work of several shell mechanisms. MIUI. The problem can manifest itself in different ways:

• 🔄 The buttons disappear after unlocking the screen and appear only after a few seconds.
• 📱 The navigation bar disappears in certain applications (for example, in games or on the full screen).
• ⚙️ The buttons are turned off after the update MIUI or reset.
• 🔋 The problem occurs when the battery is low (less than 15%).

It is important to distinguish between automatic shutdown and manual concealment if you have activated gestures yourself or have turned on "No frame" mode (Settings) → Screen. → Full screen mode, then the buttons are hidden consciously, otherwise it is a failure or conflict of settings.

On some models (Xiaomi) 13T, Redmi K60) The problem may be related to the function "Smart Assistant" (Settings) → Special facilities → A smart assistant that automatically adapts the interface to an active application, such as YouTube or TikTok, where buttons can be hidden to expand the viewing area.

The main reasons for auto-disabling navigation buttons

There are several reasons why navigation buttons can turn off on their own, and we have divided them into software (related to settings). MIUI) and hardware (less commonly but possible). Below is the full list with explanations.

The most common reason is the conflict between the classic buttons and navigation gestures. MIUI These two modes can be activated simultaneously, which leads to automatic panel shutdown. → System system → Gestures, but not turned off buttons, the system will try to switch between modes, which causes crashes.

Another culprit is the Full Screen Mode function (Settings) → Screen. → Full screen mode → Automatically hide the navigation bar. It's designed to expand the screen in games and videos, but sometimes it works at the wrong time. AMOLED-screens (Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi) K50), where the system aggressively optimizes the display.

⚠️ Note: If the navigation buttons are lost in only one application (for example, in the PUBG Mobile or Wild Rift, the problem is most likely in the settings of the application itself, not in the app. MIUI. Check the display options in the game – many titles forcefully hide the system elements of the interface.

How to return navigation buttons if they are missing

If the navigation buttons are gone and don't appear even after you reboot, use this step-by-step guide. The methods are from the simplest to the most complex - start with the first point.

Check the gesture mode in Settings → System system → Gestures

Turn off full screen mode in Settings → Screen.

Restart your smartphone in safe mode

Reset the settings. MIUI through settings → The phone. → Resetting settings

Update the firmware to the latest version-->

The first thing to do is to switch to the classic buttons manually:

1. Open the settings → System → Gestures.
2. Select "Navigation buttons" (or "Three buttons" depending on version) MIUI).
3. Confirm the change and restart the device.

If the buttons still don’t appear, check the full screen settings:

1. Go to Settings. → Screen. → Full screen mode.
2. Turn off the option "Automatically hide the navigation panel".
3. Make sure that applications do not have custom button hiding settings (the "Fullscreen Apps" section).

In the models with MIUI 14+ (Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12 can help reset the settings of the Lab MIUI":

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 times click on Settings → About Phone → MIUI version).
2. Go back to Settings → Additional → Functions Lab.
3. Find the option "Reset the laboratory settings" and confirm the action.

⚠️ Note: If the navigation buttons are no longer responsive to touch (even after reset), this may indicate damage to the touch layer at the bottom of the screen. In this case, diagnostics are required at the service center. AMOLED-displays are high risk of damaging plumes during opening.

How to Turn Off Navigation Button Auto-Opening Forever

To prevent navigation buttons from disappearing automatically, you need to disable all features that may affect their display. Below is a full list of settings to check.

First, deactivate the automatic full screen mode:

1. Open Settings → Screen → Full-screen mode.
2. Turn off the switch "Automatically hide the navigation panel".
3. Remove all apps from the list of “Full-screen Apps” (if any).

Then check the gesture and animation settings:

• 👆 B Settings → System system → Select “Navigation buttons” and disable all additional options (for example, “Vibration when pressed").
• 🎮 B Settings → Special facilities → Smart Assistant Disable Adaptive Navigation (if available).
• 🔄 B Settings → Screen. → System animation set the value "No animation" (this will eliminate delays when buttons appear).

On some firmware (MIUI Global, MIUI EU) Helps disable the function "Optimization for games":

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the app that misses the buttons (e.g. Genshin Impact).
3. Turn off the options "Full screen mode" and "Optimization for games".

💡

If the problem only occurs in a particular application, try clearing its cache and data in Settings. → Annexes → [Title of the annex] → Storage. Often this helps to reset incorrect display settings.

What to do if navigation buttons flash or disappear periodically

If the buttons don’t disappear completely, but flash, disappear for a few seconds or change color, the problem may be related to:

• 🔋 Saving battery power (buttons dim at low charge).
• 🖥️ shell conflict (for example, after installing a custom launcher).
• 🛠️ Rendering error (graphic failure in the MIUI).
• 📡 Unstable Internet connection (on some models, buttons are associated with Xiaomi cloud services).

The first thing to check is the energy saving mode:

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance.
2. Select the “Performance” mode (not “Energy Saving”).
3. Turn off the option "Restricted background for applications".

If the button blinking started after installing a custom firmware or launcher (such as Nova Launcher, HyperOS), try:

1. Back to the standard launcher MIUI (In Settings → Annexes → By default).
2. Clear the system cache in Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup.
3. Reverse to the previous firmware version if the problem occurs after the update.

On Xiaomi models with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra), the button blinking may be due to a display driver error. In this case, only updating the firmware to the latest version or rolling back to a stable build will help. MIUI.

Alternative navigation methods if the buttons don’t work

If you can’t return the classic buttons, you can use alternative control methods. MIUI offer several options:

• 👆 Navigation gestures (swipe from bottom up to return to the main screen).
• ☝️ Back gesture (swipe from left or right edge of screen).
• 🖱️ Floating navigation panel (virtual joystick).
• 🎮 Gaming triggers (for gamers, for example, in Black Shark).

To enable navigation gestures:

1. Go to Settings → System → Gestures.
2. Select "Gesturals" MIUI" Or “Android Gestures” (depending on your preferences).
3. Follow the instructions on the screen for gesture training.

To activate the floating navigation bar (useful for larger screens):

1. Open the Settings. → Special facilities → Smart assistant.
2. Enable the option "Floating navigation panel".
3. Set up the transparency and position of the panel on the screen.

On devices with MIUI 14+ You can use Smart Navigation, which automatically switches between buttons and gestures depending on the app, to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings. → System system → Gestures → Smart navigation.
2. Turn off the Automatic Switch switch.

Frequent errors when setting up navigation buttons and how to avoid them

Many Xiaomi users make mistakes when trying to return navigation buttons, which only makes the problem worse.

One of the most dangerous mistakes is the forced activation of buttons through the ADB. Some "gurus" advise using a command:

adb shell settings put global policy_control immersive.full=*

This command disables all system panels, including the status bar and navigation buttons, which can cause the interface to fail completely, and if you've already used it, you can only return the buttons through resetting or flashing.

Another common problem is conflict with interface customization applications (e.g., Nacho Notch, Edge Gestures), which can intercept navigation control, leading to unstable buttons.

1. Remove all third-party apps to customize gestures.
2. Clear the cache. MIUI In Settings → Annexes → Application management → System applications → Launcher.
3. Reset the device.

💡

Never change your navigation settings through the engineering menu (#4636##) or unofficial firmware, which can cause a hardware failure of the touchpad that cannot be fixed software.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions