Tap Back (double-touch back) was introduced in MIUI 12.5 and has become a standard firmware feature for most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones. Many users appreciated the convenience of prompting action, from going back to launching Google Assistant. However, for some, this feature has become a source of random positives: the phone can spontaneously open menus, return to a previous app, or even take screenshots during games or calls.
If you’re experiencing these issues or just want to free the back of unnecessary gestures, this article will help. We’ll look at all the ways to disable Tap Back, including hidden settings for older versions of MIUI, and explain why the feature can be turned on spontaneously after updates.
Importantly, the procedure differs depending on the firmware version and the phone model. For example, on the Xiaomi 13 Pro with MIUI 14, the path to settings will be different than on the Redmi Note 10 with MIUI 12.5.
What is Tap Back and Why to Turn It Off
Tap Back is a gesture control in which double or triple touching on the back of the smartphone performs a predetermined action. By default, the function is configured to:
- 🔙 Backward (double touch)
- 📸 Screenshot (triple touch)
- 🎤 Google Assistant Call (Retention)
On paper, this looks convenient, but in practice, many users face problems:
- 🎮 False positives during games (especially in shooters where the phone is in the palm of your hand)
- 📞 Interrupting calls due to accidental ear touch
- 🔋 Increased battery consumption (rear panel sensor works in the background)
- 🛠️ Case conflicts (some accessories block the sensor or cause parasitic presses)
On the Xiaomi 12T and POCO F4 models with a pressure sensor, the Tap Back function can work even with a light press on the body - this is a feature of the hardware implementation.
Method 1: Standard Disconnection through Settings (MIUI 12.5–14)
This is the simplest method that works on most modern devices.
- Open Settings → Additional features (or Special features on some models).
- Select Tap Back (can be called Touching the Back or Double-tap gestures in English firmware).
- Transfer the slider to the position of the Open. at the top of the screen.
- Confirm the action if a warning appears about resetting gesture settings.
If Tap Back is not in the Additional Features menu, check System → Gestures. On some devices (e.g. Redmi Note 11), the feature is hidden there.
☑️ Pre-switch check
⚠️ Attention: On firmware MIUI 13.5+ After disabling Tap Back, you may need to restart your phone to make the changes take effect.Without rebooting, gestures may continue to work in some apps (e.g. Google Chrome).
Method 2: Disconnect via Developer Modes (for older versions of MIUI)
If your phone is running MIUI 12 or earlier, the standard path to Tap Back settings may not be available, in which case activating the developer mode will help:
- Go to Settings. → The phone.
- Find the MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row until you become a developer!
- Return to the main Settings menu and open a new section for developers.
- Scroll down and find the option to turn off Tap Back (or Disable Double-tap gestures).
- Activate it and confirm the reboot.
On some devices (for example, Mi 9T Pro) instead of direct disconnecting you will have to manually untie the actions from gestures:
- 🔧 In the Developer section, find Tap Back Actions.
- 📝 For each gesture (double/triple touch) select the value of None.
- 🔄 Save the settings and restart the phone.
What to do if there is no “Developers” item
Method 3: Complete disabling via ADB (for power users)
If previous methods have not worked (for example, on custom firmware or in regional versions) MIUI), take advantage ADB-This requires you to connect the phone to the computer.
You'll need:
- 🖥️ Computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and tool ADB (You can download from the official Android website)
- 📱 Included Debugging by USB on the phone (in the section for developers)
- 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original)
Instructions:
- Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
- Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
- Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
- Tap Back: Adb shell settings put secure double_tap_to_wake 0 adb shell settings put secure double_tap_to_sleep 0
- Reboot the phone.
⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB If you're not sure what you're doing, skip this method or see a specialist. On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 11T) after ADB-Teams will need to reset to factory settings.
Why Tap Back can turn on on on its own
Many users complain that after updating the firmware or resetting the settings, the Tap Back feature is activated again.
| Reason. | How it happens. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI Update | New firmware versions reset user gesture settings | After the update, check the Additional Functions section. |
| Reset to factory settings | All customizations, including the disabled Tap Back, are erased. | Immediately after reset, turn off the function again. |
| Conflict with applications | Some launchers (like Nova Launcher) can override gestures. | Turn off gesture settings in third-party launchers |
| Synchronization error | When you restore from a backup, Tap Back settings can return | Before recovery, turn off the synchronization System settings |
On devices with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip (such as the Xiaomi 12 Pro), the Tap Back feature can be activated arbitrarily due to an error in the sensor driver.
Alternative solutions: if you disable Tap Back
If none of these methods worked, try these options:
- 🛡️ Use a case with thickened edges – this will reduce the sensitivity of the sensor to casual touches.
- 🔄 Set up other gestures: for example, replace double touch with No action, and triple leave for a screenshot.
- 📱 Install custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience) where Tap Back is not the default feature.
- 🔧 Contact the service center – on some devices, the problem lies in the hardware sensor (especially after falls).
💡
If Tap Back only interferes with a specific application (e.g. in a game), try disabling gestures directly in the settings of that app. Many games (e.g. PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact) allow you to block system gestures during gameplay.
Frequent errors when disabling Tap Back
Many users make common mistakes that keep the function running.
- 🚫 Turn off only one action (e.g., double touch) and forget about triple or hold.
- 🚫 Ignore the reboot – some settings apply only after the reboot.
- 🚫 Use non-original firmware without compatibility checks. ROM Tap Back can be hard-wired into the system.
- 🚫 Resetting settings via Recovery without backup – this can cause data loss.
💡
Before any manipulation of gesture settings, back up important data. In rare cases, disabling Tap Back via ADB or developer modes can cause a touch screen malfunction (especially on the Redmi Note 9 Pro with MIUI 12.0.3).