Modern Xiaomi smartphones running MIUI shells or the new HyperOS offer users a variety of interface management options. Many device owners face a situation where the standard navigation bar with three buttons at the bottom of the screen seems redundant or simply interferes with viewing content. Often there is a desire to make the screen cleaner by removing unnecessary controls that occupy the usable area of the display.
The process of changing the way you navigate is not always obvious, as manufacturers try to implement their own visual solutions, hiding the basic settings of Android. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to turn off classic buttons, switch to gesture control or completely hide the navigation bar, leaving the screen free for your applications and games.
It is worth noting that completely removing system elements may require additional actions beyond the standard settings menu. However, in most cases, the built-in functionality of Android is quite enough to achieve the desired result without obtaining superuser rights.
Basic navigation settings in MIUI and HyperOS
The first and most obvious step is to use the operating system’s regular tools. In current Xiaomi firmware versions, developers have provided a flexible tool to switch between buttons and gestures. To get to the desired menu, you need to follow the Settings → Additional settings → System navigation. Here, the user will see two main options: “Buttons” and “Gesters”.
Choosing Geste mode automatically hides the bottom bar with three buttons, replacing it with a thin bar-indicator or completely removing it (depending on the OS version), this solution is the most naive and stable, since it does not require the installation of additional software. When activating gestures, the system redistributes resources, which can positively affect the speed of the interface as a whole.
And it's important to note that when you switch to gestures, the logic of returning apps and closing windows changes, instead of clicking on a triangle or a cross, you now use swipes from the edges of the screen, which is a bit addictive, but in the long run, it makes interaction with your smartphone much faster.
If you've just upgraded to HyperOS, you might have noticed that transition animation is smoother in gesture mode, and that's because of optimizing interface rendering, which works best in the absence of static elements like navigation buttons, so switching to gestures is recommended not just for aesthetics, but also for performance.
Hidden Bar (Black Bar) at the bottom of the screen
Even after you turn on your gestures, many users notice a narrow black or translucent bar at the bottom of the display, which is called the "gesture indicator," which can be annoying in some cases, especially if you're watching full-screen videos or using dark-themed apps where that bar is visible. Fortunately, Xiaomi's settings have an option to hide it.
To remove this, go back to System Navigation. Find a switch called Hide Full-screen Indicator (or Hide Strip) that will make the bottom of the screen completely clean. But keep in mind the nuances: without a visual guide, it can be harder for beginners to master swipes.
⚠️ Warning: After hiding the indicator, the area to call the Home menu (swipe up from the center) remains active, but no visual marker is lost».
The cover of the band is especially important for models with AMOLED-In these cases, the boundary between the interface and the smartphone frame becomes virtually indistinguishable, creating the effect of a "limitless" display.
It is also worth mentioning that on some global firmware versions, this setting may be hidden or missing, in which case the system relies on automatic hiding of the indicator in full-screen applications. If the band is constantly interfering with you, you may need to change the region in the settings or use the methods described below.
Use of third-party applications for management
Staff tools don’t always satisfy the needs of advanced users who want full control of the interface. For these cases, there are specialized applications from the Google Play store that allow you to create your own navigation bars or completely reassign button functions. One popular solution is the Navigation Bar app or analogues.
These tools work on top of the system interface, blocking standard navigation with a layer that allows you to place buttons anywhere on the screen, change their transparency, size, and even add macros, but using these tools has its technical limitations and risks.
- 📱 Custom Navigation Bar – allows you to create a fully custom panel with any buttons.
- 🎨 Fluid Navigation Gestures – Advanced replacement for standard gestures with sensitivity setting.
- ⚙️ Button Mapper – Reassigning the functions of physical and screen buttons.
When installing third-party navigators, Android will request permission to "Above Other Applications" and access to special features, which is necessary for the overlay to function correctly, without granting these rights, the application will not be able to intercept system commands.
The effect of third-party launchers on the battery
The main advantage of third-party solutions is the ability to return navigation buttons to the top of the screen or place them on the sides, which is convenient for using a smartphone with one hand on large diagonals. In addition, some applications allow you to hide the panel automatically when you start certain programs, such as games or video players.
Advanced Methods through ADB and System Commands
For users who are not afraid of the command line and want to achieve maximum results without installing junk applications, there is a method of modifying system parameters via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to disable the native navigation bar at the system level, which is impossible to do through the usual settings menu on some versions of MIUI.
First you will need a computer, USB-cable and the enabled debugging mode USB Debugging mode is activated in the Developer Menu, which appears after a few clicks on the build version in the About Phone section. Once connected to the PC, run a command to check the connection.
adb devicesIf the device is identified, you can move to changing the global settings. The command to hide the navigation bar is as follows:
adb shell settings put global policy_control immersive.full=*This command puts the system into full immersion mode, hiding both the status bar from above and the navigation from below. To get it back to the way it was, use a command with a null value instead of an asterisk. It's a powerful tool that requires caution, but gives you complete control of the interface.
⚠️ Note: Making changes through ADB This can lead to unstable interfaces if you are not familiar with the command syntax. Always have the option to reset or reflash the device in case of critical errors.
Use of the ADB It also allows you to disable specific components of the system that are responsible for rendering buttons. For example, you can freeze the package responsible for navigation, although in modern versions of Android this can cause a cyclic restart (bootloop), so the method of using the system is very simple. policy_control It is safer and more reversible.
Features of navigation in applications and games
Special attention should be paid to the behavior of navigation elements within applications. Some programs, especially old or poorly optimized ones, may not work properly in gesture mode or hide their controls behind the system bandwidth.
You can find this setting in the same navigation menu, often called “Hide the indicator in apps” or has a list of exceptions.