How to change the buttons “Back”, “Home” and “Recent” places on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro users often face the inconvenience of the standard navigation buttons at the bottom of the screen. By default, the back button is on the left, the center is home, and on the right is recent apps. However, for left-handers or those who are used to a different arrangement (for example, on iPhone or older versions of Android), this arrangement can be uncomfortable.

Fortunately, MIUI It allows you to flexibly configure the interface without the need to receive ROOT-In this article, we will discuss all the available ways, from standard settings to hidden functions, and also discuss the nuances that are important to consider before changing the configuration.

If you’ve recently switched from a different smartphone or just want to optimize one-handed control, this guide will help you adapt the Redmi Note 8 Pro to your needs.

Why do users want to change buttons?

The reasons for changing the location of navigation buttons can be different, and the most common are:

• 🤲 Left-handedness. Standard alignment is optimized for the right hand, so left-handers have to awkwardly reach for the back button».
• 📱 Owners of iPhones or smartphones on “pure” Android (like Google Pixel) are used to the reverse order of buttons.
• 🎮 In some games, the back button interferes with the controls, and it is more convenient to move it to the right side.
• 👆 On large screens (like the 6.53-inch Redmi Note 8 Pro), it can be difficult to reach the left button.

Interestingly, in MIUI 12 and later, Xiaomi developers added the ability to fully customize gestures, but for navigation buttons options remained limited.

It’s important to understand that changing the location of the buttons does not affect the performance of the smartphone, but can affect the usual algorithm of interaction with the interface. For example, after changing the arrangement, you will have to relearn to click “Recent” instead of “Back” in some applications.

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If you drop your phone frequently when you press buttons, try turning on the touch protection feature in your screen settings, which will reduce the sensitivity of the edges of the display.

Method 1: Standard settings in MIUI (without ROOT)

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in MIUI options, which is suitable for most users and does not require additional manipulation.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the Display section.
3. Select Full Screen Mode (or Navigation buttons depending on the MIUI version).
4. Slip on the “Button Location” option (may be called “Button Order”).
5. Choose one of the proposed options: 🔄 Standard (Back-Home-Recent) 🔙 Reverse (Recent-Home-Back)

Confirm the changes and check the new layout.

If your version of MIUI does not have button location, it means that the firmware does not directly support this function, in which case you will have to use alternative methods (described below).

Method 2: Use the Button Mapper application (without ROOT)

If standard settings don’t allow you to change buttons the way you want, you can use a third-party Button Mapper app. ROOT-rights, but provides enhanced customization options.

Here's the step-by-step instruction:

1. Download Button Mapper from Google Play.
2. Launch the application and give it permission to “Use on top of other windows” (required for virtual buttons to work).
3. In the main menu, select “Navigation Panel”.
4. Slip the button you want to reassign (for example, “Back”).
5. In the action list, select “Open Recent” (or any other feature you want to assign).
6. Repeat the steps for the other buttons.
7. Save the settings and restart the phone.

Button Mapper allows you not only to change the buttons in places, but also assign them completely new functions, for example:

• 🔍 Quick launch of Google Assistant.
• 📁 Opening your favorite app.
• 🔋 Lighting/off.

Note: Button Mapper may conflict with some games or banking applications that block surface services, in which case the buttons may temporarily stop working.

Method 3: Change through ADB (for power users)

If you're ready for more complex manipulations, you can swap the buttons with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting the phone to your computer, but gives you more options for fine-tuning.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB.
• 📱 The enabled mode "For developers" on the phone.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Enable “USB Debugging” in the developer settings (Settings → Additional → For Developers).
2. Connect the phone to your computer and confirm the debugging permission.
3. Open the command line (or Terminal) Mac/Linux) Enter adb shell settings put secure sysui_nav_bar"Space,back;home;recent,space" This command will swap the buttons in places: on the left will be "Recent", in the center - "Home", on the right - "Back».
4. Reboot your phone with the command: adb reboot

Important: Incorrect use of ADB can cause system failures. If you are not sure about your actions, you should use other methods.

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Changes through ADB This will continue even after resetting, if you do not execute the command adb shell settings delete secure sysui_nav_bar.

Method 4: Install custom firmware (for advanced)

If you're willing to take drastic measures, you can install custom firmware like LineageOS or Pixel Experience, which offers flexible navigation button settings, including:

• 🔄 Change of button order.
• 🎨 Color and size customization.
• 🖱️ Replacement with gestures (like Google Pixel).

However, this method has serious disadvantages:

⚠️ Attention: Installing custom firmware will void the warranty, may lead to data loss and unstable phone operation.Be sure to back up through the TWRP.

If you do, here is a short algorithm:

1. Unlock bootloader through the official Xiaomi website (requires an account binding Mi).
2. Install the custom TWRP recavator.
3. Download the right firmware (e.g. LineageOS 18.1 for the Redmi Note 8 Pro).
4. Flush the firmware through TWRP and run Wipe Dalvik/Cache.

After installing custom firmware, the button settings are usually located in the "System → Gestures → Navigation Panel" section.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you change the location of the buttons, users often encounter errors, and we have collected the most common ones and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods worked, try resetting your phone to factory settings (Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset) and this will bring back the standard button layout and fix any software glitches.

⚠️ Warning: Before resetting, be sure to save important data (photos, contacts, messages) to the cloud or computer.

Alternatives: Gestures instead of buttons

If you don't like any button arrangement, consider abandoning them altogether in favor of gesture navigation. MIUI has three types of gestures available:

• 👆 Swipe up from the bottom edge – return to the main screen.
• 👆👆 Swipe up and hold up – open recent applications.
• ☝️ Swipe from the edge of the screen – go back.

To enable gestures:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen mode.
2. Select “Gestural Navigation” (or “Full-screen gestures”).
3. Follow the tips on the screen for training.

Benefits of gestures:

• ✅ More screen space (no lower panel).
• ✅ Quick switching between applications.
• ✅ Less random taps.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ It takes time to get used to.
• ❌ Some games do not support gestures.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions