How to enable gesture control on Xiaomi: full instructions for all models

Gesture management on Xiaomi smartphones has become an integral part of the modern MIUI interface.This feature allows you to abandon the classic navigation buttons at the bottom of the screen, freeing up additional space for content and making interaction with the device more intuitive. However, many users still do not know how to activate and adjust gestures, especially after updating the firmware or buying a new phone.

In this article, we’ll go into detail on all the ways to enable gestures on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from basic settings to hidden features. You will learn how to adapt gestures to your habits, solve typical problems (such as random positives), and even return classic buttons if the new interface seems inconvenient. We will pay special attention to the differences between the MIUI 12/13/14 versions and the nuances for specific models, such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12.

What is gesture management on Xiaomi and why it is necessary

Gesture control is an alternative way to navigate the smartphone interface, where the traditional Back, Home and Recent buttons are replaced by swipes (finger-guided motions) around the edges of the screen, a technology first introduced in MIUI 9, but heavily refined in later versions, especially after the release of MIUI 12.

The main advantages of gesture control:

• 📱 More screen space – the navigation bar disappears, which is especially noticeable on devices with a small display (e.g., Redmi 10A).
• ⚡ Quick access to features – Swiping up to return to the home screen or calling the app menu takes less time than pressing a button.
• 🎯 Intuitiveness – users are less likely to make mistakes after adaptation (e.g., accidentally clicking the back button).
• 🔄 Customization flexibility – in MIUI you can choose from several gesture styles, including full-screen mode.

But there are also drawbacks to this approach: For example, on some models (like the POCO X3 Pro), gestures can conflict with gestures in games or apps, and users with thumbs can sometimes find it difficult to perform accurate swipes, and fortunately, most problems are solved by the right setup.

How to turn on gestures on Xiaomi: universal instruction for MIUI 12/13/14

The gesture activation process is almost the same for all modern versions of MIUI, but there are nuances depending on the model and firmware version. Below is a step-by-step guide that will work for most devices, including the Xiaomi 12T, Redmi Note 11 and POCO F4.

To enable gestures, perform the following actions:

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen or in the application menu).
2. Go to the Display section.
3. Select Full-screen Display (in some versions it may be called System Navigation or Gesture Management).
4. Click on the Full Screen Display Style.
5. Choose one of the options available: MIUI gestures, a signature style with swipes from the edges of the screen; Android gestures, similar to the control on the iPhone (swipe up to return to the main screen); Navigation buttons, a classic three-button mode.

After choosing a style, the system will offer short training - we recommend that you complete it to avoid mistakes.

If you have a MIUI 14, the path may be slightly different: Settings → Display → Additional → Full-screen display. On some devices (for example, Xiaomi Pad 6), gesture settings are placed in a separate Features section.

Comparison of gesture styles: which to choose

MIUI has two main types of gesture control: MIUI signature gestures and Android gestures, which are very different in terms of how you work, and the choice depends on your habits. Below is a comparison table that will help you determine.

MIUI gestures are more suitable for those who have long used Xiaomi smartphones and are accustomed to their logic, they allow you to switch between tasks faster, but can interfere with games or applications with their own gestures (for example, TikTok or Instagram).

Android gestures are more versatile and intuitive for beginners, especially if you’ve switched from an iPhone or smartphone to a pure Android.However, calling up the menu of recent apps requires a more accurate swipe, which not everyone likes.

💡

If you play mobile games frequently, try turning off gestures in horizontal orientation. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen Display → Additional and activate the “Disable Gestures in Landscape Mode” option.

How to adjust the sensitivity and swipe zones

One of the most common problems with gestures is randomly triggered, such as when scrolling through Instagram or reading a book, a back button may be triggered, because of too high sensitivity or misconfigured swipe zones.

To adjust the sensitivity:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen Display → More.
2. Select Gesture Sensitivity (or Swipe Zones in some versions).
3. Adjust the slider Sensitivity: Low - gestures only work with intentional movements (recommended for games); Medium - balance between convenience and accuracy; High - gestures are triggered by light touches (may lead to false positives).

Zone setting

On devices with curved screens (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi K60 Pro), additional calibration may be required.

1. In the same menu, select the calibration of edges.
2. Follow the instructions on the screen by swiping your finger along the side faces of the display.
3. After calibration, restart the device.

Solving Typical Gesture Problems on Xiaomi

Even when you set up the gestures correctly, you can see the most common problems and the ways you can solve them.

Problem 1: Gestures don’t work after MIUI update

After the firmware update, the gesture settings may reset to return them:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Launcher app (or MIUI Launcher) and clear its cache.
3. Reset the device.

Problem 2: Gestures conflict with games

In games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile, swipes around the edges of the screen can be thought of as commands in the game.

• 🎮 Turn off gestures in horizontal mode (see tip above).
• 🔧 In the game settings, find the option to "Block system gestures" (available in most modern games).
• 🖥️ Use Game Turbo mode (available in Settings → Special Features → Game Turbo).

Problem 3: The “back” gesture works when scrolling

This is because the swipe is too wide.

1. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen Display → More.
2. Select Setting Zones and narrow the swipe area for the Back button to a minimum.
3. Reduce your sensitivity (see the previous section).

💡

If after all the manipulations, the gestures still work incorrectly, try resetting the launcher settings. To do this, remove the updates for the MIUI Launcher application in Settings → Apps or reset through Settings → System → Reset settings → Reset the launcher settings.

Problem 4: Swipe for Google Assistant is not working

This function depends on Google services and can be disabled in the settings:

1. Open the Google app.
2. Go to Settings → Google Assistant → Gestures.
3. Make sure that the Swipe option from the corner is turned on.

⚠️ Warning: On devices without Google services (such as Chinese firmware), this gesture will not work. Instead, you can assign a call to Xiao AI in Settings → Special Features → Xiao button AI.

Hidden Gesture Control Features on Xiaomi

Beyond the basic settings, MIUI has a few hidden features that will make gestures even more convenient, most of which are undocumented but are actively used by experienced users.

1. Quick switching between applications

Instead of swiping up and holding down to call up the menu of recent apps, you can use a double swipe left or right at the bottom of the screen, which allows you to instantly switch between the last two apps, like on an iPhone.

2. Calling the notification panel by gesture

On some devices (such as Xiaomi 12S Ultra), you can configure the swipe down the left or right edge of the screen to call the notification bar.

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 taps on MIUI Version).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Find the Gesture option for the notification bar and turn it on.

3. Hidden swipe for screenshot

On devices with MIUI 13+, you can swipe down the screen with a three-finger swipe, which is disabled by default, but it's easy to activate:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Buttons and gestures → Screenshot gestures.
2. Turn on the swipe option with three fingers.

4. Gestures in split mode (multi-tasking)

If you often use a separate screen, you can assign a special gesture to quickly start split mode:

1. Open the recent app menu (swipe up and hold).
2. Hold the app icon and drag it to the top or bottom of the screen.
3. To quickly roll the split mode, swipe your finger from the dividing line down.

💡

On the Xiaomi Pad 5 and other tablets, there are additional gestures for working with the stylus. For example, double-tapping a button on the Xiaomi Smart Pen opens notes, and holding triggers a screenshot with markup.

How to Restore Classic Navigation Buttons

If gesture control doesn't work for you, you can bring back the traditional Back, Home and Recent buttons at any time, which is true for users who are used to the old interface or who are uncomfortable with swipes.

To return the buttons:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen display.
2. Select the Full Screen Display Style.
3. Check the navigation button option.
4. Click Ready and confirm the change.

On some devices (e.g. Redmi 9A), buttons can be displayed as dots or lines to bring back the classic look:

1. In the same menu settings full screen display, select Additional.
2. Find the Navigation Button Style option and select Icons instead of Lines or Points.

If they become too small or uncomfortable after returning the buttons, you can change their size:

1. Go to Settings → Special features → Size and text.
2. Select the size of the navigation bar and adjust the slider.

⚠️ Warning: On devices with MIUI 14, when you return to the navigation buttons, the camera quick start function may be lost by double pressing the power button. To return it, go to Settings → Lock screen → Quick camera start and turn on the option again.

FAQ: Frequent questions about gestures on Xiaomi