How to Use Xiaomi Gestures: The Complete Guide

Xiaomi’s current smartphones, which are powered by the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, offer users an incredibly wide range of customization options. One of the most useful features to speed up interaction with the gadget is the gesture system, which allows you to run apps, take screenshots and control music with just one touch or finger movement in the air.

Many device owners do not even realize that their phone is able to respond to tapping on a switched-off screen or drawing letters in a locked state, and the competent setting of these parameters makes using a smartphone more intuitive and faster process, eliminating the need to constantly search for icons on the menu.

In this article, we will discuss in detail how to activate hidden and explicit control functions, what combinations work on different models, and how to avoid random clicks.

Basic navigation and screen control

gesture-control

And the thing that really deserves a lot of attention is the Accelerated Scrolling feature, which allows you to quickly navigate long contact lists, news feeds, or web pages, without having to flip your finger up and down quickly, just tap the right or left side of the display and swipe it in the right direction, and it's a unique feature of MIUI that saves a lot of time when you search for information.

If standard swipes seem uncomfortable, the system allows you to fine-tune the sensitivity and response speed, but it is worth considering that sudden movements can lead to recognition errors if the screen is installed a protective film of poor quality.

⚠️ Note: When using full-screen navigation, the Home button disappears. To call a voice assistant or quick access menu, your routines may change, requiring a period of adaptation.

For users who often work with one hand, convenient location of controls is critical. Gestures allow you to reach any areas of the screen without intercepting the device, which is especially true for models with a diagonal of more than 6.5 inches.

Activation of double tap control

One of the most popular features is to turn the screen on and off by double tapping, which eliminates mechanical wear and tear on the power button and allows you to instantly activate the display by simply tapping your nail. To take advantage of this option, you need to go to lock settings.

In the settings menu, select the Lock Screen section, then find Double-Tap to turn the screen on/off. Once the slider is activated, the smartphone will react to two quick hits to the center or top of the display. Some models also allow you to adjust the trigger area to avoid accidental switching on in the pocket.

Importantly, the dual tap function can consume additional battery power, as the touch layer is in a constant signal waiting state, and if autonomy is a priority for you, this option can be turned off at any time.

• 📱 Tap twice on the center of the screen to activate.
• 🔒 It works even on a completely locked device.
• ⚙️ Sensitivity settings are available in the menu "Additional».
• 🔋 It may have a slight effect on battery life.

Gestures on the screen off (Always-on Display)

Owners of smartphones with AMOLED-matrixes have access to the Always-on Display feature, which also supports gesture control.Drawing certain characters on a black screen allows you to instantly run frequently used applications such as the Camera, Calculator or Recorder.

To set up this feature, go to Settings → Lock screen → Gestures on the screen turned off. Here you will see a list of available actions. For example, drawing the letter “C” will start the camera, and “W” will turn on Wi-Fi. This is especially convenient when you need to quickly take a picture without waiting for the phone to fully unlock.

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To make gestures on the screen turned off work stab--WIDGET:spoiler:Why gestures do not work on the screen turned off?: The function can be turned off in the power saving settings or require the “Always-on display” mode to be enabled. Also make sure that the security settings do not prohibit the launch of applications from the locked screen.

Keep in mind that using these features on a switched-off screen increases your energy consumption, and if you plan a long trip without charging, you’d better temporarily deactivate this option or use the simplified Always-on mode.

Screenshots and motion recording

Screenshots are one of the most common things users do. There are several ways to do this in the Xiaomi ecosystem, but using the Three Fingers gestures is the most ergonomic. You don't have to reach for the power and volume buttons, just swipe three fingers from top to bottom of the screen.

To activate this feature, go to Settings → Additional Features → Three-finger screenshot. Here you can configure the action after you create a picture: send it right away, edit it or just save it to the gallery. A similar gesture, but with a delay, can be used to start recording the screen.

If you find three fingers uncomfortable because of the size of the screen, you can use an alternative method of swiping down two fingers from the top of the screen (in the status bar area), which can also be assigned to the special features menu.

⚠️ Note: A three-finger gesture may conflict with actions within some applications, such as graphics editors or games where multi-touch is used to zoom in.

Special Opportunities and Fast Teams

The MIUI special features menu hides powerful phone management tools that are useful not only for people with disabilities but also for ordinary users. Quick Commands allows you to assign an application to run or perform an action on long-term pressing of volume buttons or even shaking the device.

For example, you can set the phone to triple tap on the back cover (if the sensor allows) or when the flashlight is shaken. To set up, go to Settings → Additional Settings → Special Features → Physical tab. Here is the Quick Start switch.

• 🔦 Turning on the flashlight by triple pressing the power button.
• 📞 Quick call for emergency contact with 5 clicks of the switching button.
• 🔊 Controlling Sound and Media with Screen Off.
• 🖐️ Increase the screen scale with triple tap.

Using these features makes interaction with the smartphone more personalized, you can create your own unique use case that will differ from the standard settings set by the manufacturer.

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The combination of special features and standard gestures creates a unique control environment adapted to your personal habits and physical characteristics.

Sensor solution and calibration

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where gestures stop working or react with a delay, most often due to a software failure or contamination of the screen, it is recommended to calibrate the touch layer before contacting the service center.

To do this, in the engineering menu (called ##6484##), select Touchpanel. Follow the instructions on the screen, drawing lines and points, which will help the system re-determine the boundaries of the workspace and the sensitivity of clicks.

It is also worth checking whether the screen is too thick protective film or glass, which can shield the sensor signal, making performing complex gestures (like drawing letters) impossible.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)