How to Change the Navigation buttons on Xiaomi Redmi 9: From gestures to full customization

Why Change the Navigation buttons on Redmi 9

The virtual navigation buttons on Xiaomi Redmi 9 are three classic Back, Home and Recent icons that take up precious space on the screen. Many users want to replace them with gestures, change order or even completely hide them to free up the bottom bar for content, especially for owners of devices with a small screen diagonal (6.53 inches in Redmi 9), where every pixel counts.

In this article, you will find 4 proven ways to modify navigation, from standard MIUI settings to advanced methods using ADB and third-party applications. All instructions are adapted to Redmi 9 (models M2003J15SC, M2003J15SS, M2003J15SG) and tested on versions of MIUI 12.5-14. If you are tired of uncomfortable buttons or want to try gesture control, read on.

⚠️ Important: Change system settings through ADB or third-party utilities can cause failures. Before experimenting, back up your Settings → The phone. → Backup.

Method 1: Standard MIUI settings – gestures and buttons

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in MIUI options, which doesn't require a super-user or PC connection. Here's how it works:

1. Open the Settings → Display.
2. Select the Full Screen Mode option.
3. Slip it on the navigation style.

There are three options available to you:

• 🔄 Navigation buttons – classic three icons (by default).
• 👆 Gestures MIUI — Swipes from the bottom for return, home and multitasking.
• 📱 Android Gestures – an alternative gesture system (analogue of “pure” Android).

If you choose MIUI gestures, look for additional options:

• 🔙 Returning the swipe from the edge – activates the back swipe when swiping on the right or left.
• 🔄 Ignoring gestures in apps is useful for games where swipes conflict with management.

⚠️ Note: When switching to gestures, the "Recent" button» (□) To open multitasking, swipe up the center of the screen and hold your finger for 0.5 seconds.

💡

MIUI gestures save ~10% of screen area, but require addiction. The first 2-3 days are possible random taps.

Method 2: Change the order of buttons without root

By default, the buttons on Redmi 9 are arranged in the order: Back → Home → Recent. If you prefer the reverse sequence (like on an iPhone or Samsung), it can be changed through the hidden developer settings:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and tap the MIUI version 7 times.
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find the option Location of the navigation buttons and select Right (for order Recent → Home → Back).

If this option is not available (some versions of MIUI 13+ remove it), use the ADB command:

adb shell settings put global force_fsg_nav_bar 1

Once you've completed the command, restart your phone. To return the standard order, use:

adb shell settings put global force_fsg_nav_bar 0

Developer mode activated|Drivers installed ADB PC-only|Debugging is on. USB|Backup setups made-->

🔧 Technical note: Team force_fsg_nav_bar It's only firmware. MIUI beforehand 14.0.5. Newer builds may require root or Magisk module.

Method 3: Complete customization with the NavStar app

If built-in options aren’t enough, use the third-party NavStar app (available on Google Play).

• 🎨 Change color, transparency and button size.
• 🔀 Change the order and number of icons (for example, add a lock button).
• 🖼️ Replace standard icons with custom images.
• 📏 Adjust the indentations and position of the panel.

Instructions for setting:

1. Download NavStar from Google Play.
2. Launch the application and grant permission to Overlay over other applications (in special features settings).
3. In the main menu, select the Customize Navigation Bar.
4. Turn off the system navigation bar in Settings → Display → Full-screen mode → Hide the navigation bar.

⚠️ Note: NavStar may conflict with certain games (e.g, PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact, where swipes are used to control.In this case, temporarily disable the custom panel through the notification panel.

Method 4: Removing navigation buttons through ADB (for the experienced)

If you want to remove the bottom bar completely and use gestures only (including swiping back from the edge), follow the following commands via ADB:

adb shell settings put global policy_control immersive.full=*


adb shell settings put global policy_control immersive.confirms=*

Once you restart, the navigation system will disappear, so you can bring it back.

adb shell settings put global policy_control null*

📌 Important nuances:

• 🔧 This method is not compatible with some banking applications (for example, SberBank Online can block the entrance).
• 🎮 In games without gesture support, control will be impossible.
• 🔄 To return buttons may need to reset settings via fastboot.

💡

Before performing ADB-command, check the gestures in safe mode (Plug the power button → Safe mode).

Comparison of methods: what to choose

Each method has its pros and cons, and the table below shows a comparison of key parameters:

On the Redmi. 9 firmware MIUI 13.0.8+ team force_fsg_nav_bar It may not work because of Xiaomi's limitations, in which case use NavStar or revert to an older version of the software.

Frequent problems and solutions

When changing navigation, Redmi 9 users often encounter the following errors:

1. The buttons disappeared after the MIUI update: Reason: Reset ADB settings after the update. Solution: Repeat the commands from Method 4 or return the standard panel via Settings → Display.
2. Gestures don't work properly in games: Reason: Swipe conflict with game control. Solution: Enable the option to Ignore gestures in apps (see Method 1).
3. NavStar does not display the panel: Reason: No Overlay Permit. Solution: Go to Settings → Applications → Special Access → Overlay and turn on for NavStar.

🛠️ Gamer’s Tip: If you play Call of Duty Mobile or Free Fire, add the game to Game Mode (Settings) → Special facilities → It'll turn off the gestures at the edges of the screen.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions