How to disable Tall Black on Xiaomi Android smartphones: the full guide

The black bar at the bottom of the screen (known as Tall Black or Soft Navigation Bar) is a typical problem for Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO users, which occurred after the MIUI 12/13/14 or HyperOS updates. This bar takes up precious display space, interferes with viewing video in landscape mode and often appears even on devices with hardware navigation buttons. Unlike the standard navigation bar, Tall Black does not disappear in full-screen mode and can block interface elements in games or applications.

The reasons for this range from system failures to forced activation via ADB (e.g., after experimenting with customization of the interface). In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to remove the black bar, from simple menu settings to manually editing configuration files. Importantly, some methods require an unlocked bootloader or root rights, but most solutions work on standard devices.

What is Tall Black and why does it appear on Xiaomi?

Tall Black is an informal term, which is the name given to an extended black bar at the bottom of the screen that is not lost in swipes or full-screen applications, and unlike the standard navigation bar (3 points or gestures), this bar is:

• 📏 He's borrowing. 50-100 pixels of screen height, reducing the workspace.
• 🔒 Does not respond to the Hidden Settings in Settings → Display.
• 🎮 Interferes with games (overlapping controls) and when watching videos.
• 🔄 May appear and disappear after a reboot or update.

The main causes of occurrence:

On hardware-buttoned devices (such as the Redmi Note 8 Pro or POCO X3 NFC), the bandwidth may be caused by the forced activation of software navigation via build.prop or Magisk modules. On newer models (such as the Xiaomi 13T or Redmi K60), the problem is more often associated with HyperOS bugs.

Method 1: Disconnect via MIUI/HyperOS settings

Let's start with the simplest method, which works on 80% of devices without any additional manipulation, and it's suitable for smartphones, where the black bar appeared after updating or resetting settings.

1. Open the Settings → Display.
2. Select Full Screen Mode (or Screen Size in HyperOS).
3. Scroll down to the Navigation Panel section.
4. Turn off the option to Show the navigation bar (or set gestures instead of the button).
5. Reset the device.

If the Navigation Panel is not on the menu, try an alternative path:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Full-screen mode.
2. Choose Forced to Hide the Navigation Panel.
3. Activate the option and confirm the changes.

Check out the current version of MIUI/HyperOS

Backup of important data

Remember the current type of navigation (buttons/gestures)

Connect the device to charging (in case of a long reboot)-->

⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) When you turn off the navigation bar, you may miss the return gestures, in which case, return the settings to the original state and move to the next method.

Method 2: Using ADB to reset parameters

If the black bar doesn't disappear after the setting changes, it's probably fixed at the system level, and in this case, Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a tool for debugging Android devices, will help.

• 💻 Computer with installed ADB-driver.
• 📱 USB-cable (preferably original).
• ⚙️ Included Debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to tap the assembly number → return to → For developers).

After preparation, execute the following commands in cmd or terminal:

adb shell


settings put global force_fsg_nav_bar 0




settings put global policy_control immersive.full=*

If the bar is still in place, try resetting the height of the navigation bar:

adb shell settings put global navigation_bar_height 0

For devices with HyperOS, an additional command may be required:

adb shell am broadcast -a com.miui.systemui.FORCE_BACK_GESTURE

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If the screen starts twitching or gestures are not working correctly after the commands are executed, return the default settings with the command adb shell settings reset global.

Method 3: Edit build.prop (for advanced users)

This method requires root or unlocked bootloader rights, and it's suitable if the black bar appeared after installing custom firmware or manipulating system files. Incorrect editing of build.prop can lead to bootloop, so back up the file before changing.

Instructions:

1. With Root Explorer or MT Manager, open /system/build.prop.
2. Find the lines: qemu.hw.mainkeys=0 ro.miui.has_real_bl=1
3. Replace them with: qemu.hw.mainkeys=1 ro.miui.has_real_bl=0
4. Save the file and restart the device.

For HyperOS devices, additional changes may be required:

ro.miui.notch=0

⚠️ Note: Some models (Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi) K50) editing build.prop only works after cleaning the Dalvik cache through TWRP. If the device does not start after restarting, restore the original file via fastboot.

Method 4: Removal through Magisk modules (for rooted devices)

If your smartphone has root access, the most reliable way to remove Tall Black is to use specialized Magisk modules, which automatically adjust system settings without manually editing files.

Recommended modules:

• 📱 Disable Navigation Bar – a universal module to disable the navigation panel.
• 🎨 Fullscreen Gestures – Optimizes gestures and removes black stripes.
• 🔧 MIUI Mods – a collection of modules for Xiaomi, including fixes for HyperOS.

Installation instructions:

1. Download the module in.zip format.
2. Open Magisk Manager and go to the Modules section.
3. Click Install from Storage and select the downloaded file.
4. Reset the device.

After installation, check the gestures in Settings → Display → Full-screen mode. If the band is left, try the combination of modules:

1. Install the Disable Navigation Bar.
2. Add Fullscreen Gestures.
3. Clear the Dalvik cache in Magisk (Cleanup → Dalvik/ART).

💡

Magisk modules are the safest way for rooted devices, as changes are easy to roll back through the module menu.

Method 5: Reset to factory settings (extreme case)

If none of the methods worked, it's a hard reset, which deletes all user data, but returns system settings to factory values, which often solves the Tall Black problem.

How to perform the reset:

1. Back up your important data (Settings → Google → Backup).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data.
4. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

If the device does not respond to commands in the menu, reset via Recovery:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press Power + Vol+ to log in to Recovery Mode.
3. Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (Change Volume Buttons).
4. Confirm the action and restart the device.

⚠️ Note: HyperOS devices may require re-assignment of your Mi Account after a reset. If you forget your password, use the official recovery service.

What to do if nothing helps

If the black stripe remains even after reset, the problem may be related to:

• 🛠️ Hardware defect (damage to the display plume or controller).
• 🔄 Unofficial firmware with incorrect drivers.
• 📱 shell conflict (for example, after installing Lawnchair or Nova Launcher).

Actions in such cases:

1. For custom firmware: Refuse the device to the official version of MIUI or HyperOS through the Mi Flash Tool with the clean all option.
2. For hardware problems: Contact the service center. Before visiting, check if the band in Safe Mode disappears (press Power → long tap on Turn off → Safe Mode).
3. For launcher conflicts: Install a standard MIUI launcher and check for a lane.

If you suspect a hardware malfunction, run a display test:

1. Type in the phone app code: ##6484## (for Xiaomi) or #4636## (universal).
2. Select Display Test.
3. Check if the black bar is displayed on all colors (red, green, blue) and if so, the hardware problem.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Tall Black on Xiaomi