Gesture Management on Xiaomi: How to enable, configure and fix errors

Modern Xiaomi smartphones based on MIUI offer three main ways of navigation: classic buttons, gestures from Android and branded gestures MIUI. The latter are considered the most ergonomic, but many users do not even know about their existence or can not find the settings. This article will help you understand how to activate gesture control on any Xiaomi device – from the budget Redmi to the flagship Xiaomi 14.

Not only does gesture control free the screen from virtual buttons, it also speeds up interaction with the device, for example, swiping up from the bottom edge replaces the back button, and holding the finger causes Google Assistant. However, after updating the MIUI or resetting the settings, this feature can turn off, we will tell you how to return gestures in 30 seconds and avoid typical errors.

Why are gestures better than classic buttons?

Xiaomi research shows that users who switch to gesture control drop their smartphones by 23% less often – not having to reach for buttons reduces the risk of losing the device from their hands.

Advantages of gesture control:

• 📱 More useful screen area – disappears the panel with buttons
• ⚡ Quick access to the latest applications (swipe to the right)
• 🔄 Intuitive navigation with one hand, even on large screens
• 🛡️ Less random clicks when playing or watching videos

The only downside is that on physical button devices (such as the Redmi Note 8 Pro), gestures may conflict with hardware keys, and in such cases, it is recommended to disable the response to pressing buttons in the settings.

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MIUI 12-15 has three gesture controls available, and you can include them in the Settings menu → Display → Navigation.

The most versatile solution is MIUI gestures, which support additional features like double-touch lock or swipe down for the notification panel, but if you often use apps with your own gestures (such as TikTok or PUBG Mobile), it is better to choose Android gestures to avoid conflicts.

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On Xiaomi 13/14 models with curved screens, MIUI gestures automatically adapt to the curvature of the display, reducing the number of false positives.

Step-by-step: how to turn on gestures on Xiaomi

The activation process is the same for most devices on MIUI 12-15, but may differ slightly on older versions (e.g. MIUI 11).

1. Open the settings (cog icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Display section.
3. Select the Navigation option (on some models – Full-screen mode).
4. Slip on the option of MIUI Gestures or Full-screen gestures.
5. Turn on the switch at the top of the screen.
6. Click Ready and follow the clues on the screen for training.

If you don’t have System Navigation, upgrade to the latest version of MIUI. On some devices (e.g. Poco F3), this section may be called Additional Settings → Full-screen display.

Hidden gesture functions you didn’t know about

In addition to basic navigation, MIUI offers advanced gesture commands, which can be activated in the Settings menu → Special features → Gestures and movements:

• 👆 Swipe down the back – Quick deployment of notification bar (works on Xiaomi) 12T newer)
• 🔄 Double touch of the screen – wake up/lock the device
• 📥 Triple press of the power button - call SOS or launch the application (configured)
• 🖼️ Keeping your finger on wallpaper - transition to desktop editing mode

In the models with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra) are available gesture double-click on the turned off display to enable Always-On Display. To activate it, go to Settings → Always-on Display and Lockdown → Double touch to wake up.

Problem Solving: Gestures Are Not Working or Glitting

If after switching on gestures refuse to work, check the following points:

⚠️ Note: On devices with unlocked bootloader or custom firmware, gestures may conflict with Magisk modules. Try temporarily disabling all modules via Magisk Manager.

On Redmi Note 10/11 models, sometimes resetting Launcher settings helps: press the empty space on the desktop → Desktop settings → Restore the default settings. This will not delete your data, but will return the standard gesture configuration.

Gestures on older versions of MIUI (up to 12th)

If your device is running MIUI 11 or older (like the Redmi Note 8 or Mi 9), the gesture activation process is different:

1. Open the settings → Full-screen display.
2. Select Full-screen gestures (can be called iPhone-style gestures).
3. Activate the swipe up option to return home.
4. To adjust the sensitivity of the swipe, use the gesture sensitivity slider.

On MIUI 10 and below, gestures can be unstable due to lack of optimization for modern applications, in which case it is recommended to upgrade to at least MIUI 12 or use alternative launchers like Nova Launcher, which support their own gesture commands.

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On infrared sensor devices (such as the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S), gestures can conflict with air gesture control.

Comparison of gestures Xiaomi and other brands

Xiaomi’s gesture controls are often compared to Samsung’s One UI and Google’s Pixel Launcher, with MIUI allowing you to adjust swipe area width and sensitivity, while competitors have fixed options.

Xiaomi’s unique feature is the ability to tie double-clicking to the launch of a camera or flashlight even on a locked device, a feature not available on smartphones of other brands without third-party apps.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions