Navigation panel on Xiaomi: full instructions for setting gestures, buttons and appearance

The navigation bar on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a set of buttons to return or switch between applications. It is a key element of the MIUI interface, which affects the usability of the device, speed and even ergonomics. Incorrectly configured panel can annoy with daily inconveniences: random taps, lack of space on the screen or illogical arrangement of elements. In this article, we will analyze all the ways of customization, from the classic three buttons to modern gestures, and also talk about hidden functions that the manufacturer does not advertise.

Xiaomi’s feature is that even budget models like the Redmi Note 12 or POCO M6 Pro support a flexible navigation setting that many other Android smartphones don’t have. However, after upgrading to MIUI 14/15, the settings menu has changed, and old instructions from the Internet often lead to a dead end. We updated the manual to take into account the latest firmware versions and added solutions for typical problems — for example, when the panel disappears after a reset or gestures work incorrectly.

Navigation Panel Types on Xiaomi: Which to Choose?

Xiaomi smartphones offer three main types of navigation, each suitable for different use cases, depending on the user’s habits, screen size and even physical features (such as the ease of one-handed control).

• 📱 Classic buttons (3 buttons: Back, Home, Recent): perfect for beginners and those who have switched from iPhones or older Android devices. Take up space on the screen, but predictable and intuitive.
• 👆 Home button gestures: hybrid, where the Home button stays and up/down swipes replace the Back and Recents. Save space but requires addiction.
• ✨ Full-screen gestures: the most modern approach without buttons. All actions are performed by swipes from the edges of the screen. Suitable for devices with large displays (for example, Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Mix Fold 3).

It is important to note that on some models (e.g. POCO F5), full-screen gestures may conflict with gestures in apps (e.g. Instagram or TikTok), in which case it is recommended to use sensitivity settings (discussed below) or go back to buttons.

It is also worth noting that on devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T Pro) full-screen gestures allow you to hide the navigation bar in games and videos, which increases the usable area of the display. IPS-matrices (e.g. Redmi) A2+) less noticeable.

How to Change Your Navigation Type in MIUI 14/15

Switching between panel types takes less than a minute, but the path to settings depends on the firmware version. In MIUI 14/15, developers have simplified the menu by removing unnecessary sub-items, but this sometimes confuses users.

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the Display section.
3. Select Full-screen Display (on some models it may be called Navigation Panel).
4. Click on the navigation type.
5. Choose from three options (buttons, button gestures, or full-screen gestures).
6. Confirm the choice and wait for the changes to be applied (the device can briefly "hang").

If the device is slowing down or the gestures are late, try restarting the smartphone because MIUI caches gesture animations, and sometimes the cache needs updating, and check if the power saving mode is on, which can limit the smoothness of the animations.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi Pad 6) may be affected by sensor calibration after changing navigation type. If gestures are not working properly, calibrate to Settings → Display. → Touch and gesture → Screen calibration.

Customization of the appearance of the navigation panel

In MIUI, you can not only change the type of navigation, but you can customize the look of the navigation: color, transparency, button location, and even add animations, which are hidden in the submenu and often go unnoticed.

1. Change in colour and transparency

The default navigation bar is translucent, but you can make it completely transparent or, conversely, opaque, and this is useful if the buttons merge with the wallpaper background or distract in games, to change the settings:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen display.
2. Select the navigation bar settings (or additional settings on some models).
3. Activate the Transparency slider and select the desired level.
4. To change the color, click on the palette and select the shade (available only on AMOLED devices).

On the POCO F4 GT and Xiaomi Black Shark 5 models, the navigation bar is automatically hidden in game mode, but it can be returned by disabling the option “Full screen in games” in Settings → Special features → Game settings.

2. Reassignment of buttons

If you’re used to the button layout, like on your iPhone (Back button on the right), or want to swap them for convenience, do the following:

1. In the navigation bar settings menu, find the order of buttons.
2. Select one of the options offered or click Set up for manual reassignment.
3. Save the changes.

Some firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.EU) can add a fourth button, such as a quick Google Assistant or app menu, but this feature can cause bugs, so back it up before you activate it.

Fine gesture tuning: sensitivity and exclusions

Full-screen gestures are not only beautiful, but functional if you adjust their sensitivity correctly. By default, swipes can be triggered too easily (which leads to random actions) or, conversely, require excessive effort. MIUI 14/15 has additional options for calibration:

1. Open Settings → Display → Full-screen display → Additional gesture settings.
2. Turn on the edge sensitivity slider and adjust it.
3. To exclude gestures in certain applications, click Exclusions and add the desired programs (e.g. Chrome or Genshin Impact).

If the gestures still work unstable after setting up, try calibrating the screen:

Settings → Special features → Touch and gestures → Screen calibration

On devices with curved screens (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Mix 4), it may be necessary to turn off the sensitivity of the side edges to avoid false positives when holding the phone.

💡

If gestures don't work horizontally (e.g., landscape orientation), check if Autopivot mode is on in the notification curtain. Some apps block gestures when the orientation is blocked.

⚠️ Attention: On firmware Xiaomi.EU or custom ROM (For example, LineageOS) gesture settings may vary. If the gestures stopped working after the update, reset the settings to Settings. → System system → Resetting settings → Resetting gesture settings.

Hidden functions of the navigation panel

Many Xiaomi users are unaware that the navigation bar can be used not only for basic actions, but also in MIUI there are several useful features that make it easier to work with a smartphone:

• 🔄 Quick switch between apps: Swipe the recent button twice (or swipe up and hold in gesture mode) to open app cards and quickly close unnecessary ones.
• 📲 Power Menu Call: Hold the Home button (or swipe up and hold in full screen mode) for quick access to the reboot or shutdown.
• 🔍 Search by system: Swipe down the navigation bar (in button mode) to open the search bar MIUI.
• 🎮 Game mode: on some models (Black Shark, POCO F) swipe on the panel in the game opens the control panel FPS temperature.

Another little-known feature is the vibration when you press the panel, which can be included in Settings → Sound and vibration → System Vibration → Vibration when you touch the navigation bar, which is useful for haptic feedback, especially on devices without physical buttons.

Solving problems with the navigation panel

Even after setting it up properly, the navigation bar may not behave properly. Consider typical problems and solutions:

1.The panel went missing after the update

If the navigation bar has disappeared after installing the new version of MIUI, follow the following steps:

• Reset the device.
• Check if Immersive Mode is activated (you can turn off via Settings → Special Features → Full-screen mode).
• Reset your gesture settings to Settings → System → Reset settings → Reset gesture settings.

2.Gesturals work with delay

Slow response to swipes is usually associated with:

• Power saving mode enabled (turn it off in the notification curtain).
• Overloaded memory (close the background applications).
• Unoptimized firmware (check the updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update).

3. buttons on the panel do not respond

If the back or home buttons do not work:

• Check if they are locked in Settings → Special Opportunities → Button Lock.
• Calibrate the screen (instruction above).
• Remove the cover or film, which may interfere with the sensor.

💡

If the navigation bar has turned gray and doesn't respond to presses, it's likely that the touch protection has gone off. Unlock the screen and repeat the action.

Additional tweaks for experienced users

For those who are willing to go beyond standard settings, there are several advanced ways to customize the navigation bar, which require root rights or ADB, but give you complete control over appearance and behavior:

• 🛠️ Change in height of the panel: through ADB You can reduce or increase the height of the panel, which is useful on devices with large screens. navigation_bar_height {pixel}
• 🎨 Custom icon installation: Magisk module (e.g. Navigation Bar Customizer) can replace standard buttons with your images.
• ⚡ Disable animations: If gesture animations seem slow, they can be accelerated or disabled via Developer Settings (include by multiple clicks on the Version) MIUI phone).

Warning: Incorrect use of ADB or Magisk can lead to soft-brick (device will not turn on).Before experimenting, back up via Settings → System → Backup.

⚠️ Note: On devices with a locked bootloader (Xiaomi blocks it by default) use ADB To change system parameters can lead to reset to factory settings. Check the status of the bootloader command: fastboot oem device-info If in the response Device unlocked: false, unlock the bootloader through the official tool Mi Unlock.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up the navigation bar