Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones are equipped with many physical and software controls that are not always used conveniently. Often users are faced with a situation where you need to completely or partially turn off the buttons, whether it is to protect against accidental pressing in your pocket, for games or to save a child from unnecessary access to the functions of the gadget.
There are several levels of locking, from simply turning off virtual navigation buttons to deep system setup through ADB, which allows you to ignore physical volume and power keys. In this article, we will explore all the available ways to control the functionality of the buttons, including the hidden capabilities of the MIUI shell and HyperOS.
It is important to understand that completely disabling the physical power button without alternative unlocking methods (such as a fingerprint scanner or Face ID) can lead to a situation where you can not turn the device on after it is turned off.
Disabling the touch buttons of navigation
The most common query involves moving from the classic three buttons at the bottom of the screen to modern gesture control, which was solved with a simple switch in the older versions of MIUI, but the algorithm has changed a little in the new interfaces, so to remove the Back, Home and Menu buttons, you need to go to the system settings section.
Find Settings → Settings → System Navigation, where you will be asked to choose between Buttons and Full Screen Mode. When you choose the second option, the touch buttons will disappear and swipe around the edges of the screen will be controlled, not only freeing up useful display space, but also visually increasing the content area.
However, if you are used to buttons but want to hide them when watching videos or reading, you can use the navigation bar hide feature. To do this, activate the Hide Tips option in the same menu. It is also worth noting that in some third-order launchers, such as Nova Launcher, you can completely reassign the button functions or turn off their response to short presses.
- 📱 Go to Settings and select Additional Settings.
- 🖱️ Find the System Navigation section in the menu list.
- 🔄 Select Full Screen Mode to Activate Gestures.
- ⚙️ Customize the sensitivity of the screen edges for a comfortable swipe.
Now, if you're going to use gestures, it's addictive. You can accidentally call up the multitasking menu at the first time, or you can come back at the wrong time, but after a couple of days of use, gesture control becomes more intuitive, especially on large screens, where it can be difficult to reach the bottom of the display with your finger.
Blocking physical volume buttons
Physical volume buttons on the side of Xiaomi’s body often become a source of problems when playing games or carrying your phone in a tight case. Standard Android tools can’t turn off the response to pressing these buttons, as they are hardware interrupts.
One way is to use Do Not Disturb mode or special game profiles, and in Game Turbo, which is built into the MIUI shell, you can adjust the behavior of the side buttons. Often when you start a game, the system automatically blocks random clicks or reassigns their function so that they do not interfere with the process.
⚠️ Warning: Complete software shutdown of physical volume buttons requires root rights and the use of special modules or commands ADB. Without superuser rights, you can only reassign them, but not block them completely at the driver level.
If your goal is to prevent a child or pocket from changing the volume, use the screen lock function. While the screen is turned off or locked by a password, pressing the volume buttons will not change the level of media sound, although an alarm or camera may go off (unless it is turned off in the settings).
For advanced users, the method is available through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), connecting the phone to a computer, you can send a command that disables specific keycodes. This requires caution, since an error in the syntax can lead to an interface failure.
adb shell input keyevent 25 # Example of code for volume reduction buttonUse of the "In your pocket" mode and protection against accidental pressing
Pocket Mode is a built-in protection mechanism that locks the touch screen and partially ignores button presses when the proximity sensor is closed, ideal for those looking for a way to disable buttons on Xiaomi from accidental activation while wearing.
You can activate this function in the Settings menu. → Lock screen. You have to find the Mode in your pocket switch and turn it on. The principle is simple: when the top of the phone falls into the darkness (gets into your pocket), the screen goes out and stops responding to touch9. Any attempts to unlock the device or press a button will be ignored until the sensor “sees” the light.
☑️ Setting up protection in your pocket
It's important to keep the area around the front camera and the proximity sensor clean. If there's dirt on the security glass or case, the system may falsely think the phone is in your pocket and lock the screen at the wrong time, and calibrating the sensor through the engineering menu helps.
In addition, the lock screen settings often include the option "Prevent accidental switching on in your pocket." It works in conjunction with the accelerometer and light sensor. If the phone is still and dark, unlocking the power button can also be temporarily limited.
Restriction of access for children (parental control)
If your goal is to limit the child you gave the phone to, standard button locking will not be enough. For this purpose, MIUI and HyperOS have a built-in Security app or a separate Google Family Link app, but the most effective is the Second Space mode or specialized launchers.
In guest mode or second space, you can completely disable app installation, shopping, and accessing certain settings. However, to physically block buttons, it is best to use third-party locker apps that intercept clicks.
| Function | Where to find out. | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|
| Screen fixation | Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy | High (blocks the exit) |
| Second space | Settings → Special Opportunities | Medium (creates an isolated environment) |
| Parental control | Family Link appendix | High (remote control) |
| Button locker | Third-party applications (Button Mapper) | Depends on access rights. |
Screen Pinning is a standard Android way of gluing the screen to one app, and to exit it, you need to simultaneously press the power and volume buttons (or swipe, depending on the OS version), which requires knowledge of the unlock password.
How to enable screen fixing on Xiaomi?
Reassign buttons through third-party utilities
For those who want to not just turn off but reprogram buttons, there are many utilities, the most popular and reliable is Button Mapper, which allows you to reassign actions for single, double and long presses of volume buttons, power buttons (with restrictions), and even the buttons of the headset.
With these programs, you can turn double-pressing the volume button into flashlight or camera, or more relevant to the topic, assign a "No Action" action, so the physical button ceases to perform its standard function, effectively becoming disabled for the system.
Such applications often require special permissions through ADB. After connecting to a PC, execute a command to grant access:
adb shell pm grant com.flar2.homebutton android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGSWithout this permission, the app won't be able to intercept system button events. It's a secure procedure that doesn't require root rights, but requires a single connection to your computer. Once set up, you can turn off debugging over USB and use your phone as normal.
⚠️ Warning: When reassigning the power button, be careful. If you turn off the "End of Power button" or "Power button alarm", you may lose the convenient way to manage calls.
Solving problems with sticking and false positives
Sometimes the need to "disable" the button arises because of a physical malfunction, and if the volume button is stuck or closes inside the case, the phone can constantly change volume, take screenshots or even restart, in which case the software shutdown is the only way to temporarily save the situation before repair.
Use the button locking app mentioned above and set "No action" for all actions (short, long, double) to prevent random behavior, and you can also try calibrating the sensor and buttons through the CIT engineering menu.
To enter the diagnostic menu, dial the phone code ##6484##. Here you can check the reaction of each button. If the button shows the "Pressed" status without sinking, the problem is precisely hardware, in which case the software crutches are a temporary solution.
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If the volume button is stuck and interferes with work, try gently tapping the end of the phone on the palm of your hand in the area of the button - sometimes this helps to mechanically unlock the stuck mechanism.
In conclusion, managing the functionality of the buttons on Xiaomi is a balance between convenience and necessity. Whether you want a clean screen without navigation buttons or a complete lock of the device for a child, MIUI and third-party software have all the necessary tools in the arsenal.
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The most effective way to disable the response to physical buttons without root rights is to use mapper applications like Button Mapper with ADB permissions.