Why change the standard swipe up on Xiaomi?
The swipe up gesture on Xiaomi smartphones running MIUI performs several functions at once, from returning to the home screen to calling the multitasking panel. However, not all users are comfortable with the standard behavior of this gesture: someone accidentally activates it during games, others want to reassign the action to their needs, and still others face conflicts when using third-party launchers.
In this article, we will look at all the ways to change swipe behavior upwards, from built-in MIUI settings to hidden features and third-party utilities.
- 🔄 Reassign the swipe up to run Google Assistant or another application
- 📱 Disable conflicting gestures in games and full-screen applications
- ⚙️ Set up the sensitivity of the gesture
- 🔧 Use it. ADB for extended modifications
Important: customization options vary depending on the MIUI version and smartphone model. Most methods work on devices with MIUI 12 and later, but some features may not be available on budget models (e.g. Redmi 9A or Poco M3).
Method 1: Change gestures through standard MIUI settings
The easiest method is to use built-in gesture settings, which is suitable for most users and does not require root or PC connection.
To change the swipe action upwards:
- Open Settings → Additional settings → Gestures (on some models, the path may differ: Settings → System → Gestures).
- Select "Navigation buttons" or "Full screen gestures" (depending on the current navigation mode).
- In the “Gesturing Up” section, tap on the current action (usually “Home” or “Multi-tasking”).
- Select a new action from the list. The options available: 🏠 Home (return to the main screen) 🔄 Multitasking (opening a list of applications) 🔍 Search (call of the search string) 🤖 Google Assistant (only on models with Google services)
Note that some MIUI firmware for Chinese regions (without Google Mobile Services) may not have an Assistant option, which requires installation of GMS or alternative methods (see Method 4).
☑️ Preparation for gesture modification
Method 2: Swipe sensitivity setting
If swipe up is too easy (like in games) or requires too much pressing, you can calibrate the sensitivity of the gesture, a feature hidden in the MIUI lab and not available on all devices.
Instructions:
- Go to Settings. → The phone.
- Tap 5-7 times on the MIUI version until the notification “You are a developer!” appears.
- Return to the main settings menu and open Additional settings → For developers.
- Find the "Gestural Sensitivity" section (may be called "Sensor Calibration" or "Touch Screen Setting").
- Adjust the Swipe Up slider in the range from 1 (maximum sensitivity) to 10 (minimum).
| Sensitivity level | Recommended use | Possible challenges |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | For users with slow gestures or elderly people | Frequent false positives in games |
| 4–6 | Optimal balance for most tasks | There may be delays in a quick swipe. |
| 7–10 | For gamers or full-screen applications | A significant force is required to actuate |
On Xiaomi 12T Pro and Xiaomi 13 Ultra models with MIUI 14+, a separate sensitivity setting for game mode is available. It is located in Settings → Special Features → Game settings.
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If after changing the sensitivity, the swipe stopped working at all, reset the gesture settings to standard: Settings → System → Resetting settings → Resetting gesture settings.
Method 3: Turning off swipe up in games and apps
One of the most common problems is that swipe swipe upwards in games (like PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact) that results in an app being pulled out at the most inopportune time, and you can solve the problem in two ways:
- Through MIUI Game Mode: Open Settings → Special Features → Game Turbo Mode. Activate the "Gestural Block" option. Add problematic games to the exception list.
- Through application-specific settings: Launch the game, call the notification panel, and tap the Game Mode icon. Select "Gestural settings" and turn off "Swipe up" for the current application.
Some models (such as the POCO F4 GT or Black Shark 5) have an option called “Tactile buttons” that allows you to replace swipes with physical buttons on the side faces of the case, which completely eliminates false positives.
What if the game mode does not block the swipe?
Method 4: Reassign the swipe to start the application (without root)
If you want a swipe up to open a particular app (like WhatsApp or Spotify), standard MIUI settings won’t help, and you’ll need to use third-party apps like:
- 📱 Fluid Navigation Gestures (requires) ADB)
- 🔧 Xposed Edge (requires root or Magisk)
- 🤖 Tasker + AutoInput plugin (complex setup)
The most popular option is Fluid Navigation Gestures:
- Install the app from Google Play.
- Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell pm grant com.fb.fluid android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS
- In Fluid settings, select “User gesture” and assign a swipe up to launch the desired application.
- Activate Fluid availability service in Android settings.
Limitations:
- ⚠️ Nana MIUI 15 may need to disable the standard navigation bar through ADB:
- ⚠️ Some system applications (such as Camera or Phone) cannot be assigned via Fluid.
💡
Using third-party gesture reassignment tools may conflict with MIUI updates. After major system updates (e.g., MIUI 14 to MIUI 15), you will have to reconfigure permissions via ADB.
Method 5: Advanced settings via ADB (for power users)
If previous methods failed, you can manually change the swipe behavior through Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires a PC connection and basic command line knowledge.
Attention:
⚠️ Misuse ADB Before executing commands, make a backup of the data and make sure that the phone has enough battery power (at least 50%).
To change the swipe action upwards:
- Install ADB Tools on your PC.
- Activate debugging over USB on your phone (Settings → For developers → Debugging over USB).
- Connect the device to your PC and execute a command to check the connection: adb devices (should display the serial number of your Xiaomi).
- Use one of the following commands depending on the desired action: Assign home (return to the home screen): adb shell settings put secure sysui_nav_bar "Space,back;home;recent" Assign multitasking: adb shell settings put secure sysui_nav_bar "Space,back;recent;home" Disable swipe up completely: adb shell settings put secure sysui_nav_bar "space,back;,,recent"
Restart your phone to apply the changes.
To reset the settings to the standard use:
adb shell settings delete secure sysui_nav_barOn some MIUI firmware (especially Chinese ones), these commands may not work due to manufacturer restrictions, in which case you will need to use the Xposed Framework or patches through Magisk.
Frequent problems and their solutions
When changing the swipe up, users often face the following difficulties:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Swipe up does not work after changes | Conflict with a third-party launcher (Nova, Apex) | Return the standard MIUI launcher or adjust gestures in the launcher |
| The gesture is delayed. | Low sensitivity or system overload | Increase sensitivity (see Method 2) or clear the cache |
| ADB-commands are not applied | Blocking MIUI for Chinese firmware | Install global firmware or use Magisk modules |
| Swipe conflicts with gestures in games | There is no lock in the game mode | Configure the “dead zones” with Game Tools or Octopus |
If none of the methods worked, check:
- 🔄 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version (sometimes bugs with gestures are corrected in patches).
- 📱 Reset your gesture settings to standard (Settings) → System system → Resetting settings → Resetting gestures).
- 🛠️ Remove recently installed apps that may have intercepted gestures (such as Parallel Space or Second Space).
Last chance: If the problem persists, reset your phone to factory settings (remember to back up!) 90% of the time, this resolves software conflicts with gestures.