Modern POCO and Xiaomi smartphones offer users the flexibility to personalize the interface. One of the most popular features is to change the location of the navigation buttons, which is especially important for those who are moving from other operating systems or just used to a certain order of controls. The standard Android scheme often involves the location of the back button on the left, but many users prefer to see it on the right for ease of control with one hand.
The process of reconfiguring navigation elements in the MIUI shell or its new version of HyperOS does not require superuser rights or third-party software installation. All the necessary tools are already built into the system settings available to each device owner. In this article, we will discuss in detail an algorithm of actions that will allow you to adapt the interface to your personal preferences in minutes.
Navigation Types in Android System Based on MIUI
Before you start rearranging elements, you need to understand what the operating system offers. In modern versions of Xiaomi firmware, there are two main types of navigation available: classic three-button navigation and full-screen gesture navigation. The choice between them is fundamental, since it determines the entire logic of interaction with the device.
The traditional method involves having three virtual buttons at the bottom of the screen, usually Menu (or Recent), Home and Back, which is where the user most often needs to change the order of the buttons to make the return button more convenient, and this is especially important for people who often use a smartphone with one hand, since the thumbs have different lengths and amplitude of movement in different people.
The second option is gesture control, which completely hides the bottom panel, in which case the buttons are missing, and navigation is done by swipes from the edges of the screen, and you can also adjust the sensitivity and location of the return zone, but the classic button rearrangement in this mode is not applicable in the same way.
⚠️ Note: When switching to gesture control, the old button settings stop working as visual elements disappear from the screen.
Step-by-step: changing the location of the buttons
To swap the navigation buttons on your Xiaomi POCO, you need to follow a clear path in the settings menu, which is the same process for most current models, including the F, X and M series. First unlock the device and find the Settings icon, which usually looks like a gear.
In the menu that opens, scroll down to the “Additional” section or immediately look for “Advanced Settings.” In some versions of the shell, this block may simply be called “System.” This is where key device management options, including date, time, language, and of course navigation, are concentrated.
☑️ Checking before setting up
The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- 📱 Find and click on “System Navigation” or “Screen Navigation».
- 🔄 Select the button mode if it is not already activated by default.
- ⚙️ Click on the gear icon or the button settings item located next to the interface preview.
- 🔀 In the menu that opens, select the desired order: “Back to the right” or “Back to the left».
Once you've chosen a new order, the system will change instantly, so you don't have to restart your smartphone or close your apps, and you'll notice that the buttons at the bottom of the screen have switched places, so you can instantly assess the convenience of the new location and, if necessary, return it to the same place as before.
Set up full screen mode and gestures
If you decide to move away from the buttons in favor of a modern interface, it will be useful to know about the intricacies of gesture customization. In Full-screen mode, the Back button is implemented via a swipe from the left or right edge of the screen to the center. By default, the system offers a mirror display of gestures, but it can also be adapted.
The navigation settings menu, next to the navigation type selection, often includes the Hide hints option or edge sensitivity setting. This is critical for devices with curved screens, where random touches can cause false returns. Sensitivity can be increased if swipes are not recognized, or reduced if the phone often responds to random palm touches.
Secrets of Gesture Control
| Action. | Gesture/Team | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Home. | Swipe up from the bottom. | Transition to the desktop |
| Back up. | Swipe from edge to center | Back a step. |
| Recent | Swipe up with a delay | Opening of the list of applications |
| Google Assistant | Swipe from corner diagonally | Launching the voice assistant |
Use of the Engineering Menu for Advanced Users
For those who don't have the standard settings, you can access hidden settings through an engineering menu or a special command, but be very careful: changing system files without understanding the consequences can lead to unstable interfaces. We'll look at a secure method through the hidden developer settings available on most POCO devices.
To activate the advanced features, go to About Phone and quickly click on MIUI seven times. Once you have become a developer, a new option will appear in the settings menu, and you can find options related to window animation and navigation bar behavior, although direct button replacement is rare here, more often it is about hiding them or changing transparency.
⚠️ Note: Making changes to system files through ADB-commands or third-party launchers can disrupt the fingerprint sensor if it is embedded in the screen.
Solution: buttons are missing or not responding
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the navigation bar disappears completely or no longer responds to touch, this can be caused by a system process failure of SystemUI or a conflict with a newly installed application. The first step should always be a simple reboot of the device, which eliminates most temporary software errors.
If the reboot didn’t work, check to see if Full Screen mode is activated for a particular application. In each application’s settings, there’s a Full Screen Mode section that can hide the navigation bar. It’s also worth making sure that the system doesn’t include One-Hand Control, which temporarily shifts the image and can block the bottom of the screen.
You can use Safe Mode to diagnose this. Load your phone in this mode by pressing the shutdown button and selecting the appropriate option. If the buttons are working correctly in Safe Mode, it means that the problem is caused by third-party software. Uninstall the recently installed launchers or programs to modify the interface.
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If the navigation bar is getting stuck, try quickly pressing 5-7 times on the Android version in the About Phone section – this sometimes restarts the system interface without a full reboot.
Optimization of the interface for comfortable work
Once you have changed the buttons, you should pay attention to other ergonomics: font size and display scale directly affect how convenient it is to get to the navigation elements. In the Screen section, you can adjust the font size, which indirectly affects the size of the navigation buttons in some design themes.
Using themes is another way to customize, and the Themes app offers packages that completely change the look of the navigation bar, making buttons more contrasting or minimalistic, but remember that third-party themes may contain ads or require permanent permissions, which affects data security.
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Optimal navigation settings increase the speed of working with the smartphone by 15-20% by reducing the number of errors when pressed.
Return to factory navigation settings
If you've been experimenting with settings that have caused inconvenience or disruption, you can always go back to the original state, and the easiest way to do that is by resetting your navigation settings through the menu described in section two. Just select the default default template for your region.
In extreme cases, when the interface is not behaving properly, you may need to reset all your phone settings.Be sure to back up your data in the Mi Cloud or on your computer before doing so.Reset will delete all your personal data, so use this method only as a last resort to solve system problems.