Where to look for menus on Xiaomi phone: all ways to open on different models

You've just bought a new Xiaomi smartphone or upgraded your MIUI firmware and you find that your menu is gone? Or the swipe gesture from the bottom stopped opening your appbar? This is a familiar situation for many brand users -- the MIUI interface changes regularly, and the location of key elements depends on the shell version and even the regional firmware. In this article, we're not just going to show you where the menu is on Xiaomi, but we're going to look at all the options for calling it, from the classic "three dots" to hidden features for power users.

Xiaomi is experimenting with navigation: some versions of MIUI 12-14 have their app menu hidden behind the gesture, others have to manually turn it on through settings. For example, on the Redmi Note 12 with MIUI 14 Global, the appbar is disabled by default, while on the Xiaomi 13 Pro with Chinese firmware it opens up with a swipe. We have collected up-to-date data on 2020-2026 models, including budget POCO and flagship series, so you can find the right way.

If you use custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the menu layout may be very different, so check your firmware documentation, and for standard MIUI owners, go for step-by-step instructions!

Classic menu: where to look on older versions of MIUI (up to 12th)

If your Xiaomi is running MIUI 8-11 (relevant to models up to and including the Redmi Note 9), the app menu looks familiar — like a drop-down list with icons. Here's how to open it:

• 📱 From the home screen: tap the All Apps icon (usually in the dock panel at the bottom) or swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen.
• 🔍 Through Search: Swipe your finger down the main screen to open the search bar and type the name of the desired application.
• ⚙️ Through Settings: Go to Settings → Main screen and check if the "App Panel" option is enabled».

On some models (for example, the Mi A2 with Android One), the application menu works like in “pure” Android: swipe up opens the list of all programs, and a long click on the icon is the context menu. If you have this case, try to hold your finger in the free space of the main screen, you will be able to change the style of the display of applications.

⚠️ Attention: On firmware MIUI 10 and older after resetting the settings of the app menu can “break” – icons appear chaotic or folders disappear. In this case, rebooting the phone or cleaning the launcher cache (Settings) will help. → Annexes → Launcher → Clear the cache).

2.Gestural control: how to open the menu on MIUI 12-14

Since MIUI 12, Xiaomi has been pushing for gesture control, which has led to confusion among users. Now the app menu can be hidden behind non-obvious actions. Here are all the possible ways to call it up:

If the swipe up does not work, check the gesture settings:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Navigation panel.
2. Select “Gestural Control” (if buttons are enabled, switch to gestures).
3. Make sure that the option “Swipe up for the app menu” is active.

On some regional firmware (for example, Indian or European), the application menu is disabled by default – it must be enabled manually through Settings. → Main screen screen → Main screen style → With the app panel.

Make sure that gestures are included|Check the option "Swipe up for the menu"|Reboot your phone after the changes|Update MIUI last-minute-->

3.Where is the menu on Xiaomi with navigation buttons (3 dots)

If your Xiaomi displays the classic three buttons (Back, Home, Recent) at the bottom of the screen, the app menu opens differently.

• 🔘 All Apps button: On some models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) To the right of the Home button there is a separate menu icon – tap it.
• 📂 Long press on "Home": On MIUI 11 and below, holding the central button can open the application list.
• ⚙️ Customization of buttons: In Settings → Display. → Navigation bar can be changed order buttons or add a fourth for quick access to the menu.

If the menu button is missing after the update, try resetting the launcher settings:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the launcher (or MIUI Launcher).
3. Click on Storage → Clear Data (Widgets and folders will be reset!).

⚠️ Attention: On firmware for POCO (for example, POCO X3 NFC) The menu button can be replaced with Google Discover. To return the classic menu, turn off "Show Discover bar" in the launcher settings.

4 Hidden Features: How to Return the Menu If It's Lost

Sometimes the app menu disappears after resetting, updating, or changing the theme.

• 🔄 Launcher reset: Clutch your finger in the free seat of the main screen → Screen settings → Reset the settings.
• 📥 Reinstallation of the launcher: Download the official MIUI Launcher from Google Play and update it.
• 🛠️ ADB-Command (for advanced): Connect your phone to your PC and execute: adb shell cmd overlay enable com.android.internal.systemui.navbar.threebutton This will bring back the classic navigation buttons (does not work on all models!).

If the menu still doesn't appear, check if you have a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher or Apex).

1. Open Settings → Applications → By default.
2. Select “Luncher” and return MIUI Launcher as your primary.

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If the menu opens but works with lags, try turning off animations in Settings → Special Features → Remove animations. This will speed up gesture response.

5. Differences in Different Xiaomi Models (2020–2026)

The menu layout can vary depending on the series of devices, and we collected data on popular lines:

On the Xiaomi Pad 5/6 (tablets), the app menu opens with a swipe up from the bottom edge, but only if Full-screen gestures are enabled. Otherwise, the All-Apps button in the dock panel is used.

For Xiaomi Black Shark (gaming smartphones) there are separate rules: the menu opens through Shark Space (gaming launcher), and the standard MIUI Launcher can be disabled.

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On flagship models (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Mix Fold), menus are often optimized for larger screens – use swipe on both sides of the bottom for quick access.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Xiaomi users often encounter common errors when working with the menu.

• ❌ Menu opens but empty: Clear the launcher's cache (Settings) → Annexes → MIUI Launcher → Clear the cache) or restart the phone.
• ❌ Swipe up gesture doesn’t work: Check if a third-party app conflicts with the menu (e.g. Edge Gestures or Fluid Navigation).
• ❌ The menu opens but closes immediately: This may be due to sensor damage.Try calibrate the screen through the engineering menu (#6484##).
• ❌ No All Apps button: Set theme “Classic” in Settings → Themes will bring back the standard menu.

If none of these methods worked, try resetting your phone to factory settings (don’t forget to back up!).

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Reset All Settings (not Delete All Data unless you want to lose files!).
3. After the reboot, the menu should appear.

⚠️ Note: Some firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.eu) may require re-activation of the Mi Account after a reset. Without this, some features, including the menu, will be blocked.

7. Alternative ways to run applications without menus

If the menu is not returned, use alternative methods:

• 🔍 Phone Search: Swipe down the home screen to open the search bar and type in the app name.
• 📌 Fixed apps: Add frequently used programs to the home screen or dock panel (hold the icon) → «Secure»).
• 🤖 Voice Assistant: Say “OK Google, open [app name]” or use Xiao AI (Chinese-made).
• 📁 Home Screen Folders: Group apps into categories (e.g., “Social Networks,” “Games”) for quick access.

For power users, there is another way to run applications through ADB or Termux, for example, to open Settings, run the command:

am start -n com.android.settings/.Settings

You can run any application using its package name, and you can find out through App Inspector (available on Google Play).

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If you use the same app often, create a widget for it on the home screen. To do this, keep your finger in a free place → “Widgets” → choose the right one.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions