How to set buttons at the bottom of the screen on Xiaomi: from order to gestures

The bottom navigation bar on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a static interface element, but a flexible tool that can be adapted to your habits. Many users do not even realize that the standard Back, Home and Recent buttons can not only be rearranged in places, but also completely replaced with gestures, change their appearance or add additional features. For example, MIUI 14 has the ability to double-click on the Home button to quickly start Google Assistant or camera.

The problem is that these elements are spread across menus, and in some firmware (especially on budget models like the Redmi 12C or Poco M5), some of the options may be hidden. In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can customize the bottom panel, from basic button rearrangements to hidden features that aren’t even written about in the official documentation, and how to return classic buttons if you accidentally switch to gestures and don’t know how to roll back.

1.Where to find the lower button settings on Xiaomi

Depending on the MIUI version and smartphone model, the path to settings may differ. On most devices (e.g., Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12 or Poco F5), the desired menu is hidden in the System section.

1. Open the settings (cog icon on the desktop).
2. Go to Additional Settings (some models call this option Special Opportunities).
3. Select buttons and gestures → navigation buttons.

If you have a MIUI 14 or newer, the path may be shorter: Settings → Screen → Navigation buttons.

On some devices (such as Xiaomi Pad 6 or Black Shark 5), button settings can be hidden in the Developer Menu to activate it:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 7 times on the MIUI version (you will be notified “You are a developer”).
3. Return to the main settings menu and open Additional settings → For developers.
4. Find the option to Enable the free form of the navigation buttons (if any).

⚠️ Attention: On shell devices POCO Launcher (e.g. Poco) X5 Pro) the path to settings may be different. If you don't find the right item, try changing the launcher to a standard one. MIUI Launcher through Settings → Annexes → Default launcher.

2. How to change the order of the navigation buttons

The standard button order on Xiaomi is Back, Home, Recent (left to right), but many users, especially those who have switched from Samsung or Google Pixel, are used to the reverse arrangement.

1. Open Settings → Additional settings → Buttons and gestures → Navigation buttons.
2. Select the Order of the buttons (or the location of the buttons on some firmware).
3. Click on the icon with three buttons and select the desired option: 🔄 Standard (Back) → Home. → Recent) 🔀 Reverse (Recent) → Home. → Back up) 🎯 Home only (center button, others hidden)

On devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi) K60 Pro) in reverse, the buttons may trigger false touch due to the curved edges of the display, in which case it is recommended to enable the option "Protection against accidental presses" in the same menu.

Check out the MIUI version (some options are only available in MIUI 13+)

Take a screenshot of the current arrangement (in case of rollback)

Make sure that the button mode is turned on, not the gesture mode

Close all applications (settings apply immediately)-->

If you have custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the order of the buttons can be customized via the System → Buttons menu. Some custom builds also have an option called the Additional Menu Button, which adds a fourth button to quickly access the settings.

3. Replacement of buttons with gestures: pros and cons

Starting with MIUI 10, Xiaomi offers an alternative to the classic buttons, gesture control, and instead of the bottom panel, you use swipes from the edge of the screen:

• 👆 Swipe up from the bottom edge - return to the main screen.
• 👆 Swipe Up and Hold – Opening Recent Apps.
• 👈 Swipe from right to left - action "Back».

To enable gestures:

1. Go to Settings → Screen → Navigation buttons.
2. Select Full Screen Gestures (or MIUI Gestures).
3. Follow the tips on the screen for training.

The gestures save space on the screen and look more modern, but they have drawbacks:

• 🔋 Increased battery consumption (the system constantly monitors touches).
• 🎮 Discomfort in gaming (random swipes may close the application).
• 🔄 It takes 2-3 days to get used to (especially if you’ve used buttons before).

4. Hidden functions of navigation buttons

Few people know, but the buttons on Xiaomi can be configured to perform additional actions.

• 🔍 Double-click on Home – Quickly launch Google Assistant or search by device.
• 📸 Long-term click on “Back” – open the multitasking menu (on some firmware).
• 🔋 Triple press on "Recent" - forced restart (forced reboot when getting stuck).

To activate these functions:

1. Go to Settings → Additional settings → Buttons and gestures → Navigation buttons.
2. Click on Additional button functions (or button actions).
3. Select the button ("Home", "Back" or "Recent") and assign an action.

On devices with an infrared port (for example, Redmi Note 11) in this menu, the option to Use the Home button as a remote can appear – holding the button will open the Mi Remote application.

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If you have Xiaomi with NFC (like Xiaomi 13T), set up a long-term “Recent” button to launch Google Pay or Mi Pay. This will speed up payment in stores without unlocking your phone.

Another hidden possibility is to change the transparency of the buttons, which is useful if the bottom bar is distracting while watching videos or games, to make the buttons translucent:

1. Activate Developer Mode (as described above).
2. Go to Settings → Additional settings → For developers.
3. Find the option Transparency of the navigation bar and move the slider.

5. Problems with buttons and their solution

Sometimes the bottom navigation bar is not right, with buttons disappearing, no clicks, or appearing on top of apps, and let's look at the typical problems and how to fix them.

5.1.The buttons are missing after the MIUI update

This is a common issue after upgrading to MIUI 13/14.

• 🔄 Restart the device (hold the power button for 10 seconds).
• 📱 Check if the gestures are accidentally activated: Settings → Screen. → Navigation buttons.
• 🛠️ Reset the launcher settings: keep an empty space on the desktop → Home screen settings → Reset the settings.

5.2. buttons do not respond to pressing

If the buttons are visually displayed but do not work:

• 🧹 Clear the system cache: Settings → Memory. → Clear the cache.
• 🔧 Check if left-handed mode is on (can mirror touches).
• 🛠️ Turn off screen sensitivity improvement in developer settings.

The buttons are superimposed on the applications

This problem is typical for games or applications with non-standard resolution (for example, Genshin Impact or Wild Rift).

• 🎮 Turn on Game Mode in the Notification Curtain – it automatically hides the navigation bar.
• 🔧 In the developer settings, activate Disable the overlay of navigation buttons.
• 📏 Change the screen resolution to standard (for example, 2400×1080 instead 2340×1080).

⚠️ Warning: If the buttons are missing after installing a custom theme from the Mi Theme Store, try returning the standard theme. Some themes contain errors that make the navigation bar invisible.

6.Tune buttons on older Xiaomi models

On devices older than 2019 (such as the Redmi Note 7, Mi 8 or Mi A2), the settings interface may differ.

• 📱 Nana MIUI 9/10 The path to button settings: Settings → System and device → Buttons and gestures.
• 🔄 On Xiaomi with Android One (e.g. Mi) A3) is used by stock Android, so button settings are searched in Settings → System system → Gestures → System navigation.
• 🛠️ On some models (e.g. Redmi) 6A) There is no way to change the order of the buttons, only to switch between buttons and gestures.

For older devices, there is also a problem with sensor wear in the bottom panel area, if the buttons do not respond well to pressing:

1. Check the screen for physical damage.
2. Clean the button area with an alcohol napkin (sometimes pollution interferes with the operation).
3. If the problem persists, try to enable High Touch Sensitivity in the developer settings.

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On hardware-button devices (such as the Xiaomi Mi 5s or Mi 6), the software setting of the bottom panel is not available. In this case, you can only turn off touch buttons through the Settings menu → Buttons and gestures → Hardware buttons.

7. Alternative control methods without buttons

If you don’t like either standard buttons or MIUI gestures, you can use third-party solutions:

• 📱 Fluid Navigation Gestures app – allows you to customize your own gestures (for example, swipe from the corner to return back).

To use these applications:

1. Download them from Google Play.
2. Grant permission for Special Opportunities (in the security settings).
3. Follow the instructions in the app to set up gestures.

Note that on MIUI 14, some gesture apps may conflict with system ones. If you have lags after installation, try turning off MIUI Optimization for the application in the battery settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about buttons on Xiaomi