Today’s Xiaomi Redmi smartphones come with a host of innovative features that make interaction with the device more intuitive and convenient. One of them is the touch assistant, a tool that extends standard gestures and touch commands to allow you to control the phone faster and more efficiently.
In this article, we will take a look at what the touch assistant in Redmi is, what it does, and how to activate it across models, how to use hidden gestures, optimize screenplay, and avoid typical setup errors, and focus on the differences between MIUI versions and the nuances of how the feature works on budget and flagship devices.
What is a sensory assistant and why do you need it?
The Touch Assistant (called Touch Assistant or Touch Menu in some firmware) is a built-in tool in the MIUI shell that adds a virtual dashboard with fast commands to the screen, and its main purpose is to make navigation easier, especially on devices with large screens or when using one hand.
The feature appeared in the early versions of MIUI 8, but has evolved over time. Today, the touch assistant in Xiaomi Redmi can:
- 🔄 Replace hardware buttons (e.g., "Back", "Home", "Recent") with virtual buttons.
- 📱 Add quick gestures to run applications or system functions (such as screenshot or screen lock).
- 🎯 Help users with disabilities by offering alternative management options.
- 🔧 Customize to individual preferences (size, transparency, location).
It’s important to understand that touch assistant is not the same as navigation gestures (like swipes from the bottom up to return to the home screen), it’s a separate module that runs on top of the standard interface and can be useful even for those who are used to classic buttons.
How to turn on the touch assistant on Xiaomi Redmi
Activation of the function depends on the version of MIUI and the model of the smartphone. In most cases, the path to settings looks like this:
- Open the settings (cog icon).
- Go to the Special Features section (in some firmwares – Additional settings → Special features).
- Find the Touch Assistant or Touch Assistant.
- Activate the switch at the top of the screen.
On some models (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or POCO X5 Pro), the function may be located elsewhere:
- 📌 Settings → System system → Gestures (for) MIUI 14 and newer).
- 📌 Settings → Screen. → Touch Menu (for older versions).
If you don’t find an item on the menu, your firmware may not support this feature, so you can try upgrading MIUI to the latest version or installing a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher) that offers similar features.
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On some Redmi models, the default touch assistant is hidden. To see it, try searching for "touch" or "touch" in your settings.
Setting up the touch assistant: step-by-step instructions
Once activated, a translucent button panel will appear on the screen, and by default, it contains three main commands: "Back", "Home" and "Recent", but it can be customized to suit your needs.
For this:
- Tap the touch assistant icon (usually a floating button on the screen).
- Select Settings (cog icon in the panel).
- Here you can: 🔄 Change the location of the panel (left, right, center). 🎨 Set up transparency and button size. ➕ Add new commands (e.g. screenshot, lock, launch Google Assistant). 🔒 Block the panel from random pressing.
Note that customizing gestures inside the touch assistant can conflict with MIUI system gestures, for example, if you swipe left to start the camera, but the system already has a similar gesture, one of the actions may not work.
☑️ Check before setting up the sensory assistant
Difference Between Touch Assistant and Navigation Gestures
Many users confuse the touch assistant with the navigation gestures that came in MIUI 10 and later.
| Function | Touch assistant | Navigation gestures |
|---|---|---|
| 📍 Location. | Floating panel on the screen | Swipes on the bottom edge of the screen |
| 🔧 Setting up | Flexible (you can add any commands) | Limited set of activities (back, home, multitasking) |
| 🎯 Purpose | Simplification of access to functions | Replacement of hardware buttons |
| 🔄 Compatibility | It works over all gestures. | Can be in conflict with the sensory assistant |
For example, if you use full-screen gestures (swipe-up to return to the main screen), the touch assistant can duplicate the Home button, in which case it is better to turn it off in the panel settings to avoid confusion.
How do I turn off conflicting gestures?
Hidden capabilities of the sensory assistant
In addition to basic features, the touch assistant in Xiaomi Redmi hides a few useful features that few people know about:
- 🔍 Quick application launch: you can assign to the buttons of the panel the launch of any programs (for example, a camera or messenger).
- 📸 Screenshots and Screen Recording: Add a button to the panel to instantly create a screenshot without a keyboard combination.
- 🔒 Screen lock: one button for instant lock (useful if power button is not working).
- 🎮 Game mode: on some models, the panel automatically hides in games so as not to interfere with the game.
On models with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (such as the Redmi K60 Pro), the touch assistant supports adaptive transparency: the panel becomes almost invisible when watching video or reading, but appears when touched.
Another hidden feature is left-handed mode, so if you're holding your phone with your left hand, you can move the panel to the right side of the screen and mirror the buttons.
- Open the settings of the touch assistant.
- Choose Location.
- Activate the left-handed option.
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The touch assistant can work even on a locked screen if you turn on the appropriate option in the security settings, which is convenient for quick access to the camera or flashlight.
Typical problems and their solutions
Despite its usefulness, the sensory assistant sometimes doesn't work properly, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:
⚠️ Note: If the panel is missing after the update MIUI, Try resetting the assistant to the factory settings. To do this, turn off and turn the function back on the special features menu.
- ❌ Panel does not appear: Check if the function is disabled in Settings → Special features. Reboot the device. Update. MIUI last-minute.
- ❌ Buttons do not respond to presses: Make sure the panel is not locked (there is an option to Lock the panel in the settings).
- ❌ Panel Interferes with Applications: Add the problematic app to the blacklist in the Assistant settings. Reduce the size or transparency of the panel.
If none of these methods worked, try resetting MIUI to factory settings (be sure to back up!) in rare cases, the problem may be caused by corrupting system files.
⚠️ Note: On some custom firmware (e.g. LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the touch assistant may not work at all or may not work at all. In this case, it is recommended to use alternative applications from Google Play, such as Assistive Touch.
Alternatives to the touch assistant for Xiaomi Redmi
If the built-in feature doesn't suit you, you can consider third-party solutions. Here are some proven alternatives:
- 📱 Assistive Touch (Easy Touch): Allows you to configure virtual buttons and gestures. Supports running applications and system functions.
- 🎛️ Button Mapper: Advanced settings for hardware and virtual buttons. Supports macros and command sequences.
- 🖱️ Floating Touch: Minimalist floating panel with fast action. Low battery consumption.
When choosing an alternative, pay attention to:
- 🔋 Battery consumption (some applications run in the background and drain the battery).
- 🛡️ Security (check the permissions the program requests).
- 🎯 Compatible with your Redmi model and Android version.
It’s worth noting that third-party applications may not support some MIUI features, such as fast-starting system utilities (e.g., power saving mode or memory cleanup).