How to Change Navigation on Xiaomi: gestures, buttons and hidden MIUI settings

Navigating the smartphone interface is one of the key features that make it easier to use a device. Xiaomi owners often face the need to swap standard buttons for gestures or vice versa, especially after upgrading MIUI or buying a new phone. In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to change navigation on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, including hidden settings and solutions for unusual situations.

It’s important to understand that the customization options depend on the MIUI version and the device model. For example, the Xiaomi 13 Pro with MIUI 15 has advanced gestures that are not available on the budget Redmi Note 10 with MIUI 12.5. We’ll look at the universal methods, and also point out the features for different versions of the firmware. If you are not sure about the version of your MIUI, you can check it in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

Before you start making changes, consider that some navigation modes may conflict with shells from third-party vendors (such as Nova Launcher or HyperOS).

Navigation on Xiaomi: What to Choose

Xiaomi smartphones support three main types of navigation:

• 📱 Classic buttons (back, home, latest apps) – familiar to many variant with virtual or hardware buttons.
• 👆 Gestures MIUI — swipes from the bottom of the screen for control (similar gestures on the iPhone).
• 🔄 Full-screen gestures – Extended buttonless mode where swipes replace all functions.

Each option has pros and cons. For example, MIUI gestures save screen space but are addictive, especially if you've used buttons before. Full-screen gestures maximize your workspace, but can conflict with applications where swipes are used for other activities (such as games or social networks).

Some models (such as the Xiaomi Mix 4 or POCO F5) offer an optional “Gests with hints” mode, a hybrid version where swipe prompts are displayed on the screen. This is convenient for beginners who are just switching to gesture control.

How to Change Navigation through the Standard MIUI Settings

The easiest way to change the type of navigation is to use the built-in MIUI settings, which works on all current firmware versions (from MIUI 12 to MIUI 15) and does not require superuser rights.

1. Open the settings on your smartphone.
2. Go to the Display section (on some models – Screen).
3. Select Full-screen display or Navigation buttons (name depends on the version of MIUI).
4. In the menu that opens, you'll see the navigation options available.

• 🔘 Navigation buttons – the classic three buttons.
• 👆 Gestures MIUI — swipe.
• 🔄 Full-screen gestures - swipes without prompts.

Once selected, the system will offer a brief guide to using a new type of navigation. Please note that if you switch from buttons to gestures, some applications (such as TikTok or PUBG Mobile) may require additional swipe settings in their settings.

On some devices (such as Xiaomi 12T or Redmi K50), the option Gesture Sensitivity is available in this menu. If swipes are not working smoothly, try increasing sensitivity or calibrating the screen to Settings → Display → Sensor Calibration.

Hidden navigation settings: what can be configured additionally

In addition to the standard options, MIUI has hidden options that allow you to fine-tune navigation, such as changing the transparency of the navigation bar, the speed of gesture animation, or disabling random swipes in games.

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version until you become a developer!
3. Go back to the main settings menu and open a new section for developers.
4. Find the parameters related to navigation:

• 🔍 Transparency of the navigation bar – adjusts the visibility of the bottom panel.
• ⚡ Animation speed – affects the smoothness of switching between applications.
• 🎮 Disable gestures in games – prevents random swipes during gameplay.

On models with MIUI 14+ and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra), the Adaptive Navigation option appears in the developer menu, which automatically adjusts gestures to the current application, which is useful for users who often switch between games and regular tasks.

If you use full-screen gestures, look at edge sensitivity. On some devices (such as the POCO X5 Pro), swipes on the side edges of the screen can conflict with calling the sidebar or Google Assistant, in which case reduce sensitivity or turn off conflicting gestures in the special features settings.

Problems with changing navigation and their solutions

When you change the type of navigation, users often face typical problems, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them:

If some applications (such as banking or secure content) have stopped working after changing navigation, try temporarily returning the classic buttons. Some programs block gesture control for security reasons, especially if they use their own security mechanisms (such as Sberbank Online or 1C).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI Global (international firmware) and MIUI China may have different navigation options available, for example, the Chinese version has some gestures disabled by default due to local standards.

Another common problem is hanging gestures after long-term use, which is due to MIUI optimization, which freezes background processes. To fix, add the Settings app to the list of Secure Applications (Settings → Applications → Permissions → Auto Run).

How to Change Navigation on Xiaomi with ADB (For Power Users)

If standard settings do not allow you to achieve the desired result (for example, on custom firmware or after rooting), you can use the ADB command. This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer and basic knowledge of working with the terminal.

1. Install ADB on your computer (you can download from the official website of Android Developers).
2. Activate USB Debugging on your smartphone (Settings → Developers → USB Debugging).
3. Connect the device to the PC and execute the command in the terminal:

adb shell settings put global force_fsg_nav_bar 1

This command will force full-screen gestures to be activated. To return the classic buttons, use:

adb shell settings put global force_fsg_nav_bar 0

To change the order of the buttons (for example, change the places "Back" and "Last"), use:

adb shell settings put global sysui_nav_bar "space,back;home;recent,space"

Note that not all ADB teams run on MIUI due to manufacturer limitations. Some devices (e.g. Xiaomi 11T) will require a reboot to apply the changes.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This can cause system failures. Before experimenting, back up your data through Settings. → System system → Backup or Mi Cloud Backup.

If the navigation is not working properly after the commands are executed, reset the ADB settings to the standard:

adb shell settings delete global force_fsg_nav_bar

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Before using ADB, check the firmware version with the adb shell getprop ro.miui.ui.version.name. On some MIUI betas, commands may fail due to experimental features.

Features of navigation on different models Xiaomi

Depending on the smartphone model and the MIUI version, the available navigation options may vary.

• 📱 Xiaomi 13/14 Series: Support for adaptive gestures that adapt to apps. Sensitivity settings available for game mode.
• 🎮 POCO F/GT Series: Optimized gestures for gamers with the ability to turn off swipes in games. POCO F5 There is a separate Game Turbo mode.
• 💰 Redmi Note 12/13: Simplified navigation menu without adaptive gestures, but with the ability to change the transparency of the panel.
• 🏆 Xiaomi Mix Fold 3: Unique gestures for foldable screen, including swipes for multitasking on a large display.

On MIUI devices for POCO (like the POCO X5 Pro), an additional POCO Mode switch appears in the navigation settings, which optimizes gestures for performance, which is useful for users who want to overclock the device as much as possible.

If you use Xiaomi with custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the navigation settings may be drastically different, and in such cases it is recommended to use standard Android options or Magisk modules for fine-tuning.

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On devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 12S Ultra gestures may work unstable due to the functions of the always-on display (AOD). In that case, turn it off. AOD or reduce its active area.

How to Get Back Standard Navigation After Failed Changes

If after experimenting with the settings, the navigation stopped working correctly, you can return everything to the factory parameters in several ways:

1. Reset Display settings: Go to Settings → System → Reset. Select Reset Display settings (does not affect user data).
2. Restoration via Safe Mode: Press the power button and hold the power off until the prompt to go to Safe Mode appears.In Safe Mode, reset your navigation settings.
3. Manual reset via ADB: adb shell cmd overlay reset com.android.internal.systemui.navbar

If your smartphone doesn't respond to touches because of a navigation failure, connect it to your computer and use ADB commands to reset, such as forcefully returning buttons:

adb shell settings put global policy_control immersive.full=*

After that, restart the device. If the problem persists, check firmware integrity through Settings → About Phone → System Update or perform recovery through the Mi Flash Tool (unlocked bootloader required).

⚠️ Note: On devices with a blocked bootloader (bootloader), reset settings through ADB This can lead to activation of anti-Rollback protection, in which case you will need official firmware via Mi Flash.

FAQ: Frequent questions about navigation on Xiaomi