Change the style of the navigation buttons on Xiaomi: all the ways and subtleties

Navigation buttons on Xiaomi smartphones are one of the key interface elements that affect the usability of the device. Many users are unaware that the style of these buttons can be changed from the classic three buttons (Back, Home, Recent) to modern gesture controls or even a full hidden swipe replacement. Depending on the version of MIUI and smartphone model, various options are available for customization, from standard menus to hidden functions through ADB.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to change your navigation style, from basic settings in the Xiaomi menu to advanced methods for power users. You'll learn how to turn on gesture control, return classic buttons, adjust their transparency, or even completely remove the navigation bar. MIUI (12 to 14) and popular models - Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13 and others.

Standard Ways to Change Navigation Buttons in MIUI

On most Xiaomi smartphones, the navigation button style can be changed directly in the system settings, which is suitable for users who do not want to go into technical details.

• 📱 Classic buttons – three virtual buttons at the bottom of the screen (Back, Home, Recent).
• 👆 Gesture management MIUI — swipes instead of buttons (for example, swipe from the bottom up to return to the main screen).
• 🔄 Android Gestures – An Alternative Signature System Similar to Pure Android.
• 🖥️ Full screen mode – Hiding the navigation bar for maximum screen usage.

To change the style:

1. Open the Settings → Display.
2. Select Full-screen mode (in some versions of MIUI – Navigation panel).
3. Slip on the desired option and confirm the choice.

On Xiaomi MIUI 13/14 The path may be slightly different: → Additional settings → Full screen mode, if you have POCO-smartphone, look for the Settings section POCO → Full screen mode.

Gesture control: how to set up and what are the nuances

The gesture control on Xiaomi allows you to get rid of virtual buttons and use swipes for navigation, which is not only modern, but also increases the usable screen area.

• ⚡ Quick swipe from bottom up - returns to the main screen (analogue of the Home button).
• 🔙 Swipe from the edge of the screen (left or right) – simulates the Back button.
• 📄 Swipe from bottom up with a pause - opens the list of recent apps.
• ⚠️ In some applications (e.g. games), gestures may conflict with control.

To enable gesture control:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen mode.
2. Choose MIUI Gestures or Android Gestures (depending on your preferences).
3. Take a brief training that will show the system how to work with gestures.

On the Xiaomi 13 Pro and other flagships with MIUI 14, you can also use the option of gesture sensitivity, which can be customized for yourself in the same menu. If gestures are unstable, try increasing sensitivity or calibrating the screen.

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If the “Back” button works by accident after turning on the gestures, try to reduce the width of the swipe zone in the full-screen settings.

Hidden settings: changing the transparency and size of the buttons

MIUI has hidden options that allow you to fine-tune the look of navigation buttons — for example, change their transparency, size, or even color — which are not always available in the standard menu, but can be activated through Developer Mode or ADB.

First, turn on the Developer Mode:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version.
3. Return to Settings → Additional settings → For developers.

Now you can set up:

• 🎨 Navigation Bar Transparency: In the Developer section, find the Minimum width of the Navigation Bar or the Transparency of the Navigation Bar.
• 📏 Size of buttons: Navigation panel size (values from 0.5 to 1.5).
• 🔄 Order of buttons: in some versions MIUI You can switch places back and recent.

On the Redmi Note 11 and other devices with MIUI 12.5, these options may not be available, in which case ADB (we’ll talk about it later) will help.

Advanced Methods: Changing Style Through ADB

If standard settings are not enough, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to deeply customize navigation buttons, a technique that is suitable for power users and requires connecting a smartphone to a computer.

Be prepared first:

Install Xiaomi drivers on PC|Put the debugging on. USB developer-setting|Download and unpack. ADB Tools|Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (file transfer mode)

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The main commands for changing the style of buttons:

Enable gesture control (MIUI)


adb shell settings put global force_fullscreen_gestures 1




Return the classic buttons



adb shell settings put global force_fullscreen_gestures 0




Change the transparency of the panel (value from 0 to 255)



adb shell settings put global navigation_bar_alpha 128




Change the order of the buttons (0 - standard, 1 - reverse)



adb shell settings put global navigationbar_inverse_layout 1

On the POCO F4 and other devices with MIUI 13, these commands work steadily, but on older versions (for example, MIUI 11), additional parameters may be required.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This can cause interface failures. Before experimenting, back up your data through Settings. → Additional settings → Backup and reset.

Problems and Solutions: What to Do When the Buttons Don't Change

Sometimes users find that the style of the navigation buttons does not change at all, let’s consider typical problems and their solutions:

If none of the methods worked, you may have modified firmware installed on your device (e.g. Xiaomi.EU or LineageOS) in which case the button style can be adjusted through custom firmware settings or configuration files in /system/build.prop.

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On devices with MIUI Global, some options may be blocked, in which case unlocking the bootloader or firmware of alternative software will help.

Features for different Xiaomi models

Not all Xiaomi smartphones support the same navigation button settings.

• 📱 Xiaomi 12/13 Series: Full support for gesture control and ADB-In teams. MIUI 14 Adaptive gestures for games are added.
• 🔥 Redmi Note 10/11/12: Standard settings without advanced options.Gesturals work stable but may conflict with some games.
• ⚡ POCO F/X Series: Additional options in the Settings menu POCO. Supports changes in gesture sensitivity.
• 💎 Xiaomi Mix 4/Fold: Unique gestures for foldable screens. Customization through Settings → Special facilities → Gestures.

On the Xiaomi Pad 5/6 (tablets), the default navigation buttons are hidden, and the main emphasis is on gesture control. To return the classic buttons, use the command:

adb shell settings put global force_fsg_nav_bar 1

For Black Shark (game smartphones from Xiaomi) available a special Game Dock mode, which temporarily disables gestures during the game.

Alternative methods: third-party applications and launchers

If you don't like the built-in MIUI settings, you can use third-party tools to customize navigation buttons.

• 🎨 Nacho Notch – allows you to hide the navigation bar and add your own gestures.
• 🔄 Fluid Navigation Gestures – Replaces standard gestures with more flexible ones.
• 🖥️ Nova Launcher – supports desktop gesture settings (but does not replace system buttons).
• 🛠️ Tasker – to create custom gestures (requires root rights).

Example of settings through Fluid Navigation Gestures:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Grant permission for Special Opportunities.
3. Choose a gesture style (such as Samsung-like or iPhone-like).
4. Set up sensitivity and swipe zones.

⚠️ Note: Third-party applications for changing navigation may conflict with MIUI Check the compatibility reviews with your Xiaomi model before using it.

On devices with unlocked bootloader and root rights, you can completely remove the navigation bar by editing the /system/usr/keylayout/Generic.kl file. However, this is a risky operation that can lead to loss of functionality.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions