Modern Xiaomi smartphones offer flexible personalization capabilities, and one of the most sought-after features is changing the way you navigate. Users often look for information on how to change navigation buttons on Xiaomi to adapt control to their habits or remove the black bar at the bottom of the screen. The standard MIUI system and the new HyperOS make it easy to switch between classic buttons and modern gestures.
In this article, we will take a look at all the options available for setting up the navigation bar, not only to change the type of control, but also to hide the system panel, making the screen more functional, and understanding these settings is critical to the comfort of using a smartphone in everyday life.
The control interface is something you interact with every second, and the right configuration can dramatically improve speed and reduce random taps, and let's look at the customization tools available in detail.
Types of navigation in the shells MIUI and HyperOS
Xiaomi
The second option is gesture control, which became the industry standard after the iPhone X. This method allows you to use the entire display area, removing unnecessary elements from the bottom edge. HyperOS also supports both of these modes, offering improved switching animations.
The choice between them depends solely on your preferences, some people are more comfortable physically clicking on certain areas of the screen, while others prefer swipes, which save usable space. It is important to note that switching between modes is instantaneous and does not require rebooting.
It is worth considering that on different models, such as Redmi Note or Xiaomi Mi, the location of the elements may slightly differ visually, but the logic of the work remains the same for the entire ecosystem of the brand.
How to enable gesture management on Xiaomi
screen
Inside the menu, you have to select a navigation item, and it tells you to switch the switchboard or select the appropriate icon, and when you activate it, the three buttons will disappear, and the bottom will be a thin bar, which is responsible for returning to the desktop.
☑️ Algorithm for incorporating gestures
The system will offer a brief training that shows the basic movements of the finger, which is useful for those who have not previously used smartphones without buttons. The main actions include swiping up to access the app menu and swiping sideways to the edge to return back.
⚠️ Warning: Once you have gestures on, the back-up zone only becomes active at the very edge of the screen. If you're used to pressing the back button in the middle of the bottom, you'll have to retrain.
The new HyperOS operating system has added the ability to change the side of the Back button even in gesture mode, which is a huge advantage for left-handers. You can configure the swipe to work only on the left or only on the right edge, or both.
Setup of classic control buttons
A unique feature of the MIUI shell is the ability to reorder these buttons. Unlike many other manufacturers, Xiaomi allows the user to decide for themselves whether the Back button is on the left or right, and this is especially true for those who move from iOS, where the Return button is always on the right, or from older versions of Android, where it is on the left.
You don't have to look for hidden menus to change the order of the buttons, you just have to be in the navigation settings section and select the layout you want, and the system will immediately apply the changes, and you can evaluate the convenience of the new location.
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Try placing the back button on the side you're most comfortable reaching with your thumb, which will reduce the strain on your hand if you use it with one hand for a long time.
Some users prefer this method because of clear visual feedback. You always see where to press, and you don't have to remember complex combinations of movements. For people with limited motor skills or those who use protective glasses with thickened edges, buttons often turn out to be more reliable.
How to hide the gesture bar and navigation bar
Xiaomi
The bar hiding feature is often called "Hide gesture" or "Hide full screen prompt." You can find it in the same menu where you chose the navigation type. Activating this item makes the bottom of the screen completely clean, leaving only a thin invisible layer to activate the swipe.
But be careful: without a visual indicator, it's easy to forget how to get back to the desktop. In some versions of the firmware, the strip appears automatically if you hold your finger at the bottom edge, or disappears only in certain applications.
⚠️ Warning: A complete cover-up of the navigation bar may confuse guests using your phone.They may think the touchscreen at the bottom isn't working.
It's important to understand that you can't completely remove navigation, because it's an Android system element, and we're just hiding the visual display, and the swipe recognition mechanism is still working even when you can't see the stripes.
Comparison of management methods: characteristics table
Each method has its own technical features and affects the perception of the interface in different ways, and the following are key differences that should be considered when making a decision.
| Characteristics | Classic buttons | Full-screen gestures | Hidden panel. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taking up a seat on the screen | It is about 40-50 pixels high. | Minimum strip (about 5-10 pixels) | Visually doesn't take up space. |
| Adjustment rate | Instant (for experienced users) | 2 days to 2 weeks | High (remember the invisible zone) |
| Comfort in games | Low (buttons can overlap the interface) | High (maximum space) | Maximum (full immersion) |
| Risk of accidental pressing | Medium. | Low (if properly set up) | High (more difficult to get into a narrow area) |
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For gamers and fans of multimedia, the best choice will be the gesture mode with a hidden hint, as this gives the maximum area of the useful image.
And from the table, you can see that you can use buttons to work with text and documents, and you can use gestures to consume content, and you can change it every day.
Solution: if the buttons are missing or not working
SystemUI
The first thing you should do is try to just reboot the device, and 90 percent of the time, it puts all the interface elements back where they are, and if the problem persists, check to see if Full Immersion is activated in the settings of the particular application you're currently using.
Also worth checking for updates to the system. MIUI and HyperOS regularly release patches to fix interface bugs. Go to settings, select About Phone and click on the system version to check for updates.
What do you do if nothing helps?
In rare cases, the problem may be a third-party app that intercepts screen control. Try to start the phone in safe mode and check the buttons there. If safe mode is working, one of the apps you installed is to blame.