How to open the multitasking menu on Xiaomi Redmi 9: all ways and hidden chips MIUI

Why users can’t find the recent app bar on Redmi 9

The Xiaomi Redmi 9’s multitasking menu (or recent app bar) is often a source of confusion, especially for those who have switched brands or upgraded firmware. Unlike pure Android, the MIUI shell offers several alternative ways to call the menu, and in newer versions it hides the classic button after gesture, if you click the usual square icon at the bottom of the screen, but nothing happens, the problem is not the smartphone, but the interface settings.

The additional challenge is that the Redmi 9 came with different versions of MIUI (11 to 14), and each of them changed the logic of multitasking, for example, in MIUI 12 gestures were activated by default, and in MIUI 11 it could remain the classic mode with three buttons, and we will analyze all possible scenarios, from basic to hidden functions, which are not written even in the official instructions.

Method 1: Classic button "Recent Apps" (3-button mode)

If your Redmi 9 at the bottom of the screen displays three virtual buttons (back, home, recent), the multitasking menu opens with a simple tap on the square icon on the right, which is the standard mode that was saved in MIUI until version 12.5. However, many users accidentally switch to gestures and then can not return the usual interface.

To check the current navigation mode:

1. Open the Settings → Display.
2. Select the Full Screen Display option.
3. See which option is active: Navigation buttons or MIUI gestures.

⚠️ Note: If the square button does not respond to the press, but it is displayed - try a long press (1-2 In some firmware, this causes an extended menu with the option to lock applications.

If the button is gone, it means that the gesture mode is on. How to turn it off, read the next section.

Method 2: Gesture to Multitask in MIUI (most common)

With MIUI 12, Xiaomi has been pushing for gesture navigation, which uses swipes instead of buttons. Redmi 9 often uses this mode by default to open the menu of recent apps:

1. Start at the bottom of the screen (where buttons used to be).
2. Swipe your finger up and hold for 0.5 seconds (don’t let go right away!).
3. Let go – a panel with application cards will appear.

If the gesture doesn't work:

• 🔹 Check that the swipe starts strictly at the bottom of the screen, not the middle.
• 🔹 In the gesture settings (Settings) → Full-screen display → Gestures MIUI) Turn off the option to ignore random touches – it can block swipes.
• 🔹 Make sure you don’t have one-handed mode on (it changes swipe area).

Start swiping from the bottom of the screen | Hold your finger for 0.5 seconds | Turn off "Ignore casual touch" in the settings | Check if one hand mode is enabled-->

If you don't like the gestures, you can return the classic buttons.

1. Go to Settings → Full-screen display.
2. Select the navigation buttons instead of the MIUI gesture.
3. Confirm the change and restart the phone (sometimes required to apply the settings).

Method 3: Alternative methods (for non-standard situations)

If neither the button nor the gestures work, try these options:

1. Through the notification panel

In some Redmi 9 firmware, the multitasking menu can be opened through the notification panel:

1. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the curtain.
2. Click on the gear icon (settings) in the upper right corner.
3. The drop-down menu may include Recent Appendices.

2. with the help of voice (Google Assistant)

If you have a Google Assistant setup, try saying:

OK, Google, open up recent apps

Or:

Okay, Google, let's multitask.

3. via ADB (for advanced users)

If the multitasking menu is completely gone due to a firmware failure, it can be forced to call through the ADB command:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -c android.intent.category.LAUNCHER -n com.android.systemui/.recents.RecentsActivity

This method requires connecting your phone to your PC and installing ADB drivers. Use it only if other methods have not helped.

How to Configure Apps in the Multitasking Menu

MIUI allows you to customize the dashboard of recent applications, such as changing the number of cards displayed or fixing frequently used programs.

Note the "Separate Screen" feature, which isn't available in all versions of MIUI for Redmi 9, but if it does, it allows you to run two apps in parallel, for example, you can watch YouTube videos and chat to Telegram at the same time.

💡

If the application icons are missing from the multitasking menu (only white squares are displayed), clear the system launcher cache: Settings → Applications → Application Management → Launcher → Storage → Clear the cache

Frequent problems and their solutions

Redmi 9 users often face the following challenges in multitasking:

1.The menu opens, but apps don't swipe shut

Reason: Swipe up is disabled in the settings to close.

1. Go to Settings → Home Screen → Recent Apps.
2. Activate the Swipe slider upwards to close.

2. Application cards are not updated

If the panel shows old apps and no new ones appear, try:

• 🔹 Reboot the phone.
• 🔹 Clear System's cache UI (Settings → Annexes → Show it all. → System UI → Warehouse → Clear the cache).
• 🔹 Disable battery optimization for launcher (Settings) → Battery → Optimizing the battery → All applications → Launcher → No restrictions).

3.The multitasking menu doesn't open in games

In full-screen games, gestures can be blocked to call the panel.

• 🔹 Swipe your finger from bottom to center (not from the middle!).
• 🔹 If it doesn’t work, press the Home button (or swipe from the bottom up to exit), then call multitasking again.

⚠️ Note: In some games (for example, PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact navigation gestures are disabled at the app level. In this case, use the Home button to wind down the game, and then open the multitasking menu.

Hidden Multitasking Chips on Redmi 9

MIUI offers some non-obvious features to work with recent applications that few people know about:

1. Quick switching between the last two applications

To switch between the last two programs:

• 🔹 Twice swipe left to right on the bottom panel (in gesture mode).
• 🔹 Or double-click on the "Recent" button (in 3-button mode).

2.Close all applications with one gesture

Instead of closing each application separately:

1. Open the multitasking menu.
2. Swipe your finger left or right through the thumbnail of the application, holding your finger on the screen.
3. You will have the option to close everything – tap it.

3. Access to the multitasking menu from a locked screen

If the function Show notifications on the locked screen is enabled, you can:

1. Swipe down the lock screen to open the notification bar.
2. Click on the gear icon (settings).
3. In some firmware there will be a recent appendix item.

💡

On Redmi 9 with MIUI 13+, you can configure horizontal card display in the multitasking menu. Go to Settings → Home Screen → Recent Apps → Layout Style and select Horizontal.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions