Xiaomi’s current smartphones, including the popular Redmi and POCO series, offer a classic way to control the interface by default with three virtual keys at the bottom of the screen. However, with each passing year, users are increasingly choosing more ergonomic swipe management, which frees up useful display space and makes interaction with the device smoother and more modern.
Disabling the bottom control panel is not just an aesthetic solution, but also a way to improve one-handed performance. Full-screen control allows you to switch between applications faster and return to the menu using only the edges of the screen. In this article, we will discuss in detail all available methods of changing navigation, as well as the hidden capabilities of the MIUI and HyperOS system.
It’s worth noting that the process of switching to gestures can be addictive, especially if you’ve been using physical or screen buttons for years.However, after a short period of adaptation, most owners note increased comfort. Below are step-by-step instructions that will help you activate gesture control in a few seconds without losing data or resetting the device.
Benefits of switching to gesture management
The main reason users tend to remove the bottom buttons is to want more usable screen space. When the navigation bar is active, it takes up a certain height, which can interfere with the comfortable viewing of content in applications that do not support concealment of the interface. Gesty navigation solves this problem by allowing applications to operate in full immersion mode.
And swipe management also makes multitasking much faster, and instead of reaching to the bottom of the screen to call up the menu of running apps, swipe from the bottom up and hold your finger, which is especially convenient on large diagonals of smartphones, where reaching the bottom with one hand can be difficult.
- 🚀 Speed up: Swipes are faster than clicking on specific areas of the screen, which improves overall interaction performance.
- 📱 Ergonomics: managing large smartphones becomes more comfortable, as the main actions are performed in the central and upper parts of the display.
- 🎨 Aesthetics: the interface looks cleaner and more modern, reminiscent of the experience of using flagship devices without frames.
It's important to understand that switching to gestures changes the logic of how you interact with the system. If you used to rely on visual cues like the Back, Home and Menu buttons, you now have to remember a set of movements. But Xiaomi's system provides hints in the form of thin lines at the bottom of the screen during training, which makes the process much easier.
Standard way to disable buttons through settings
The easiest and safest way to change the type of navigation is built into the standard operating system settings menu, which is relevant for all current versions of the MIUI 12, 13, 14 and the new HyperOS shells. You do not need to install third-party software or obtain superuser rights.
To start, unlock your device and find the Settings app icon, which usually looks like a gear. Go inside, scroll through the options list to the Additional or Advanced Settings section, although newer versions of firmware often put this item in a separate Desktop menu. The exact location depends on your operating system version.
☑️ Navigation switching algorithm
Inside the navigation menu, you'll see two or three switching options, you're interested in Full-screen (or "Gestural Management"), when activated, the button bottom bar will disappear instantly, and if you accidentally choose the wrong mode, the system usually gives you a few seconds to confirm or return the changes so that the user does not get lost in the interface.
⚠️ Warning: Once gestures are turned on, the thin bar at the bottom of the screen may remain.This is a gesture indicator that can be hidden in the same settings menu by removing the tick from the "Hide Full Screen Mode Indicator" option, if this option is available in your firmware version.
Setting up sensitivity and swipe zones
Once you have managed to remove the bottom buttons on Xiaomi, you may find yourself in a situation where gestures are not triggered the first time or, conversely, are activated too often. The system allows you to fine-tune the sensitivity of the edges of the screen, which is especially important when using protective glasses or high-sided cases.
The gesture control menu often features the option of Swipe Area Adjustment or Side Strip, where you can choose how far from the edge of the screen the touch response zone should start. If you have a tight security glass, it is recommended to select Wide Area mode so that the system can better read your movements.
| Setup parameter | Description of function | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Edge sensitivity | Determines the response to touch in the frame | High for glass |
| Swipe length | Minimum activation distance | Standard. |
| Vibration. | Tactical response in swipe | If you wish, |
You should also pay attention to the vibration function when you navigate, and many users turn it off to save battery power and reduce noise, but the tactile recoil helps you better sense the boundaries of virtual zones, and you can adjust the vibration force in the section Sound and vibration -> Vibration when you touch.
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If swipes stop working after installing the protective glass, try recalibrating the screen or increasing the sensitivity in the engineering menu if your model allows it.
Alternative methods: Soaring button and third-party applications
Not all users are comfortable with no buttons at all. Some prefer a hybrid option where the bottom bar is hidden, but there is a floating button on the screen that performs the functions of Home or Back. In the Xiaomi ecosystem, this feature is called the "Floating Button" or "Ball", and it is built-in.
To activate this mode, go to Settings -> Additional -> Floating Button. You can turn on the function and adjust its behavior here. This is a great compromise for those who want to remove the bottom buttons for aesthetic reasons, but are afraid of getting confused in gestures. You can drag and drop the button around the screen and adjust single or double taps.
If built-in capabilities are not enough, Google Play offers a variety of customization apps, but using third-party software requires caution, often requiring broad permissions to access the interface, which can reduce data security.
⚠️ Warning: Installing applications that change system navigation can lead to shell conflicts MIUI. If after installing such software, the phone began to freeze or restart, remove the application through safe mode.
Solving navigation problems
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where, after updating the system or resetting the settings, the usual menu items disappear or work incorrectly, for example, gestures may not be recognized in certain applications, or the bottom panel may appear spontaneously, most often a software glitch that can be eliminated.
The first step should always be to reboot the device. This trivial action clears the cache of system processes that control the interface. If the problem persists, check for updates for the system itself in the About Phone section. Xiaomi engineers regularly release patches that fix touchscreen and navigation bugs.
What to do if you lose the choice of navigation type?
Another cause of disruption may be a conflict with the theme of the design, and if you use a third-party theme from Themes, it may force you to set your navigation style, ignoring the system settings, try to temporarily return the standard theme "Classic" and check the buttons.
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In 90% of cases, problems with incorrect gestures are solved by changing the region to India or resetting the design theme to a standard one.
Comparison of MIUI and HyperOS versions in the context of navigation
With the release of the new HyperOS shell, which is gradually replacing MIUI in the global market, the navigation algorithms have changed, the new animation system has become smoother, and the logic of swipes is more predictable, but the location of the settings may have changed.
In HyperOS, the developers have focused on minimalism. Control points are often hidden in the submenu to avoid overloading the user. If you upgraded from MIUI 14 to HyperOS and can't find the usual settings, search by settings. Just type the word "Navigation" or "Gests" into the search bar at the top of the settings menu.
It’s also worth noting the differences in gesture behavior in games: The new system better recognizes game modes and automatically blocks random swipes around the edges to keep gameplay alive, an important improvement for mobile gamers who often suffer from false interface positives.
Effect of navigation on battery life
Although energy saving is rarely at the forefront of navigation choices, it is a valid option: disabling the bottom button bar could theoretically reduce power consumption slightly, since the system does not need to constantly render and track activity in this area of the screen.
But the difference is microscopic and only noticeable when you have long lab tests, much more so when you have brightness and backgrounds, but when you use a dark theme, you have a full screen mode. AMOLED-Xiaomi smartphone displays give a real increase in autonomy.
So, when choosing between buttons and gestures, focus on convenience rather than saving charge. Modern processors and Android optimization minimize the energy costs of rendering the interface.