How to change buttons on Xiaomi MIUI 12: the full guide

Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 interface offers users flexible personalization options, and navigation management is one of the key features you get used to instantly. Many smartphone owners are wondering how to swap buttons to shaomi to adapt control to their habits or just refresh the look of the system. In this version of the shell, the developers have kept the balance between the classic three-button management and modern gestures popular in pure Android.

The need to change the way you navigate often arises after updating your firmware or buying a new device when the standard layout of items seems inconvenient. You can choose between the classic virtual keys Back, Home and Menu, or switch to full swipe management. In addition, the system allows you to invert the order of the buttons, which is especially true for those who are switching from Samsung or Huawei devices where the logic of the work is different.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all available methods of setting up the navigation bar, including hidden features and solutions to frequent problems. You will learn how to make one-handed control more comfortable and what nuances the system navigation in the twelfth version of the shell hides.

Types of navigation in MIUI 12 and their features

Before making any changes, it’s important to understand what kind of control Xiaomi offers in its shell. There are two main types of navigation available today: the classic on-screen keyboard (three buttons) and full-screen gesture control. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, which are worth considering when choosing.

The classic three-button option is familiar to every Android smartphone user, including a back button, a home button (curb all apps or access the desktop), and a menu button (open a list of running apps), a method that is considered more reliable for users with large screens or those who often use the phone in gloves, since it does not require the accuracy of swipes.

Gesture control, in turn, frees the bottom of the screen from unnecessary elements, providing more space for content. In this mode, swipe from the bottom up replaces the home button, swipe from the left or right replaces the back button, and swipe from the bottom up with a delay opens the multitasking menu, which is the modern standard that Google is striving for in all new versions of Android.

⚠️ Note: When switching to gestures, the habituation period can take from a few days to a week, so do not rush back to the buttons at the first difficulty.

The choice between these modes depends solely on your personal preferences and device usage scenarios. Some users value the visual purity of the gesture interface, while others prefer the tactile certainty of the buttons. In MIUI 12, switching between them is instantaneous and does not require rebooting.

How to change the location of the navigation buttons

If you prefer classic control but want to change the order of the buttons to shaomi, the system provides this option without installing third-party software, which is especially useful if you switched from a device from another manufacturer where the back button was located on the other side.

To change the configuration, you need to go to the system settings. The path may vary slightly depending on the particular firmware version, but the overall algorithm remains the same for all Redmi and Poco devices, and you need to find the section responsible for additional settings or screen settings.

In the settings menu, select Additional, and then search for System Navigation, and here you will see a preview of the two modes available. If you select the button mode, a switch or radio buttons will appear below to select order.

• 🔹 Standard order: The Menu button on the left, the Back button on the right (most common option).
• 🔹 Inverted order: Back button on the left, Menu button on the right (option for Samsung users).
• 🔹 Hiding the panel: Ability to completely remove buttons for use in games or when watching videos.

Once you have selected the right option, the changes take effect immediately, you can experiment with the settings as long as you need to find the perfect one, and the system remembers the choices even after you have restarted the device.

Set up full screen mode and gestures

The switch to gesture control in MIUI 12 opens up new possibilities for interaction with the interface. To activate this mode, in the same System Navigation menu, you need to select Full-screen mode, and then the three buttons will disappear from the screen, giving way to a thin bar at the bottom.

It's important to understand the logic of gestures to make a smart phone work. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen takes you back to the desktop. Swipe to the left or right of the side faces of the screen functions as a "back" button. Swipe up from the center of the screen with a slight pause opens the running app manager.

For users who often type or play horizontally, there is a feature available to hide the bar-indicator. In the gesture settings, there is an option to “Hide the indicator” that removes the visual hint from the bottom, making the screen completely clean. However, for new users, it is better to leave the indicator on, so as not to forget about the presence of navigation.

In full screen mode, you can also adjust the sensitivity of the side zones, so if you accidentally hit the edges of the screen when you play, calling the "Back" menu, you can reduce the sensitivity of these areas, and this will prevent false positives during heavy use of applications.

Solving problems with the display and operation of buttons

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the navigation buttons disappear, stop responding to clicks or work incorrectly, this can be caused by a malfunction of the system process SystemUI or conflict with established themes, in most cases, the problem can be solved by software methods.

The first step is to check the settings of One-Hand Mode or Pocket Mode, which sometimes makes the navigation bar shift or invisible, and make sure that the screen settings do not include the Game Only mode, which forcibly hides the interface elements.

If the buttons are missing after installing a new theme, try returning the standard MIUI theme. Third-party themes often modify the system files of the interface, and when you delete the theme, the settings may not automatically recover, in which case resetting the interface settings through the engineering menu or the Themes application will help.

In rare cases, when software methods don’t help, you may need to reset your settings to factory settings.Be sure to back up important data before doing so, as all user settings will be deleted.

⚠️ Note: If the buttons stopped working after falling or getting moisture, the problem may be hardware - the plume of the display or touch screen is damaged.

Use of additional navigation functions

In MIUI 12, there are also some useful features that can improve the experience, such as faster application launches, and in gesture mode, if you press the home button (or swipe up and hold your finger), you can quickly start frequently used programs if you activate this feature in the settings.

There's also a floating window feature available. With three buttons, pressing the Menu button (or swiping up with a delay in gesture mode) for a long time allows you to roll the active application into a floating window, which is convenient for multitasking, for example, when you need to text while watching a video.

For people with disabilities or just for convenience, there's a special feature menu, which you can access if you triple-tap the home button or the side button, and there's a magnifying glass, a screen switch, and other tools that are always at hand.

• 🚀 Quick camera start: Double pressing the volume button (works even with the screen off).
• 📱 Screen split: Triple pressing the Menu button splits the screen into two active apps.
• 🔍 Search: Swipe down the desktop opens a global search on the system and the Internet.

Using these hidden capabilities turns a regular smartphone into a powerful tool to work with: Experiment with combinations to find your unique style of interaction with the gadget.

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Use the BoX for quick access to apps as floating windows, which is activated by a swipe from the edge of the screen in multitasking applications.

The impact of design themes on navigation buttons

One of Xiaomi’s greatest strengths is its ability to deep customize through the Themes app. Users can install third-party themes that completely change the look of navigation buttons, making them transparent, animated or minimalist.

When you install a new theme, the system usually asks which components you want to use. Make sure you mark System or Navigation so that the changes affect the buttons. If the buttons remain the same after you install the theme, try reapplying the theme through the My Pages menu.

Be careful, though: some “heavy” themes can cause interface lags or conflict with full-screen mode. If the phone starts to run slower after a theme change, return the standard design. Standard MIUI themes are optimized best and ensure that system processes run smoothly.

To create a unique design, you can use third-party launchers such as Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher. They allow you to completely replace the standard navigation bar with your own, adding new gestures and visuals that are not available in stock firmware.

⚠️ Warning: When installing themes from unverified sources, there is a risk of getting a virus or adware. Use only the official Xiaomi theme store.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The flexibility of the navigation settings in MIUI 12 allows each user to create the perfect environment for work, combining gestures, buttons and themes to suit their needs.