Modern Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones feature cut-out and high-resolution displays, which require a special approach to interface management. Users often confuse concepts, calling “full-screen mode” both hiding navigation buttons and stretching apps to the full screen without black bars. In the MIUI operating system and the new HyperOS, these functions are separated, but closely related, affecting the usability of the device.
The right screen configuration not only increases the usable area for content, but also protects the display from pixel burnout in static areas. Many owners do not even realize that their device supports hidden navigation settings that can be activated through an engineering menu or special commands. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for those who want to get the most out of their gadget.
In this article, we will take a detailed look at how to turn on full screen mode, remove annoying stripes around the edges of the screen and adjust the control gestures so that they work perfectly, learn about the hidden features of the system that are not visible in the standard settings menu, and learn how to correct common display errors of the interface.
Differences between full screen mode and button hiding
The first thing to understand is the difference between stretching an image to the full screen and switching the navigation method. Full-screen application mode is responsible for how content is displayed on the display with an aspect ratio of 18:9, 19.5:9 or 20:9. If the application is not optimized, the system can add black bars at the top and bottom to preserve the proportions of the image.
In turn, hiding navigation buttons (often referred to as a “full screen” in everyday life) replaces the three standard buttons at the bottom of the screen with swipes. This frees up the bottom of the display, allowing apps to use every pixel of the matrix. On Xiaomi devices, these two features are customized in different menu sections, which often causes confusion among beginners.
It is worth noting that enabling control gestures does not guarantee automatic stretching of all applications. Some older programs can still run in window mode with black fields, unless forced scaling is activated. MIUI provides tools to manually adjust the behavior of each installed application.
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Use control gestures if you want to visually increase the viewing area, but remember that you need to get used to them within 2-3 days of active use.
How to Enable Full Screen Mode for Applications
To activate full-screen stretching, you need to go to the system settings. The path may vary slightly depending on the firmware version, but the logic remains the same. You need to find the section that displays the interface and the specific programs.
In most cases, the algorithm of actions is as follows:
- 📱 Open the menu Settings of your smartphone.
- 🔍 Go to the Screen or Additional Settings section.
- ⚙️ Find Full-screen mode (sometimes called "Stretch to the full screen").
- ✅ Turn on the switch opposite the desired application or select the option "For all applications".
Once this feature is enabled, applications that previously displayed with black bars should stretch, but be careful: in some programs with a fixed interface resolution, this can lead to cropping important controls or text.
☑️ Checking screen settings
If the application interface becomes unreadable after you turn on the setting, return the default value. Android system based on MIUI remembers individual settings for each installed software, so you can flexibly manage the display.
Setting up navigation with gestures instead of buttons
The transition to gesture control is a key step towards a true full-screen experience: the standard three buttons occupy a significant portion of the bottom of the screen that can be used to view content, and the inclusion of gestures makes navigation smoother and more modern.
To activate this function, follow the following steps:
Settings → Screen → System navigation → GesturesIn this menu, you'll be asked to choose between "Buttons" and "Gistresses." If you choose the second option, the bottom bar will disappear, and the control will be carried out by swipes from the edges of the screen. Swipe from the bottom up returns to the home screen, a latency swipe opens the multitasking menu, and a swipe from the side edges replaces the "Back" button.
⚠️ Note: Once you have gestures enabled, the back button may not work properly in some games or specific applications.
It is important to adjust the sensitivity of the edges if your smartphone has curved edges of the screen or you use a protective glass. The gesture menu often features a slider "Side swipe area", adjusting which helps to avoid accidental taps.
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The controls free up to 15% of the screen area at the bottom, which is especially noticeable on devices with a diagonal of less than 6 inches.
Hidden navigation panel and engineering menu
There's a lesser-known control system called Hidden Navigation Bar, or Full Screen, in the engineering sense, that hides the status bar and the bottom bar completely, leaving only content, and you can't activate it through the normal settings menu.
The advanced options are accessed using an engineering menu, and be very careful when working with these settings, as changing system settings can affect the stability of the device.
##6484##However, it is the hidden navigation that is often required to be enabled. ADB-Teams or special launcher applications, if this option is cut from your regional firmware.In some versions of HyperOS, this feature is built into the Special Features section".
| Activation method | Difficulty | Risks. | The effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard gestures | Low. | No. | Hiding buttons |
| Application settings | Low. | No. | Stretching content |
| Engineering menu | Tall. | Average. | Complete cover-up of UI |
| ADB team | Tall. | Tall. | Deep modification |
Using third-party launchers can be an alternative if standard system tools don’t meet your minimalist requirements, but native Xiaomi gestures tend to be more stable and faster.
Eliminating black stripes and scaling problems
A common problem for users is the appearance of black bars on the sides or top/bottom of the screen when launching videos or games. This is due to a mismatch between the aspect ratio of the application and the physical resolution of the smartphone matrix. The aspect ratio of modern phones is often 20:9, while video is shot at 16:9.
To remove stripes in a gallery or video player, use zoom. This is usually done by double tapping on the screen during playback or through player settings. If the bands remain in the system interface, check the screen resolution in the settings:
- 📺 Go to Settings. → Screen. → Screen resolution.
- 📐 Make sure you select the “recommended” or maximum available value.
- 🔄 Restart the device to apply changes.
In some cases, black bars may be a consequence of the "Protection against accidental press" or "One hand" mode, and disabling these options in the "Additional settings" section often solves the problem.
⚠️ Attention: Forced image stretching can lead to distortion of the proportions of objects – circles become ovals, and faces stretch.
If the problem is only seen in one particular application, try clearing the cache or reinstalling it. Developers often release updates that adapt the interface to new screens.
Features of work in the mode of splitting the screen
Split Screen also depends on the full screen settings, and when you activate gestures, you can control the windows more intuitively, and you can quickly resize the windows by dragging the separation line.
However, not all applications support split-mode work; if an application is forced to run in full-screen black-barred mode, the system may prevent it from being placed next to another window, and you can check the list of compatible programs in the hidden developer menu or experimentally.
How to turn on split screen on Xiaomi?
Using two applications simultaneously in full screen mode requires significant processor resources. On Redmi's budget models, this can cause micro-freezes when switching between windows.
The impact of full screen mode on autonomy
Many users are wondering if full-screen mode affects battery consumption. There is no direct relationship, since it is a software configuration of the display. However, if the content stretching causes the processor to work more actively with graphics or includes additional backlight zones (in OLED), the energy consumption may increase slightly.
A more significant factor is the refresh rate of the screen. If you interact with the interface more often in full screen mode or watch high-resolution video, the battery will go down faster. MIUI optimization usually does a good job of balancing the load.
To save charge, it is recommended to use dark themes in combination with a full-screen mode on the AMOLED-Black pixels, in this case, do not consume energy, which compensates for the operation of the navigation system.
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Full-screen mode is not energy-intensive in itself, but the concomitant use of bright content can reduce battery life by 5-10%.