Xiaomi’s current smartphones, which are powered by the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, offer users the flexibility to personalize the interface. One of the first questions that device owners have after buying is how to adjust their navigation. The standard layout of controls may seem uncomfortable for left-handers or just unfamiliar to those who have switched from other operating systems.
In this article, we will discuss in detail how to change the position of the buttons on the screen, switch to gesture control or return the classic look. The navigation bar is not just a static element, but a tool that can be adapted to your habits for more comfortable use of the gadget with one hand.
The process of changing the settings takes only a few seconds, but the hidden features of the system allow you to fine-tune the response and appearance. Understanding how the system navigation works in your Redmi or Poco will help avoid confusion and improve the speed of work with the device.
Types of navigation in the shell of MIUI and HyperOS
Xiaomi
The button is familiar to every Android user, usually three elements: Back, Home, and App Menu, which can be adjusted in size and indentation, which is especially true for large-diagonal models, while gestures involve swipes from the edges of the screen, which requires some adjustment, but greatly speeds up navigation.
The choice between these modes depends on your personal preferences and the smartphone model. On devices with a cutout in the screen ("bangs") or a hole for the camera, gestures often look more aesthetically pleasing, hiding unnecessary interface elements.
⚠️ Warning: When you switch to gesture control, the screen buttons will disappear completely. If you are used to tactile response or visual cues, it is better to stay on the classic version or use hybrid settings.
It is important to note that system settings may vary slightly depending on the Android version and regional firmware (Global, China, EEA).
How to Change the “Menu” and “Back” buttons in Places
The most common need for users is to reorder the back and menu buttons, and the default default in Western and Russian firmware versions is the back button on the right and the Menu on the left, which is Google's standard, but many CIS users are used to the reverse arrangement that was the norm in early Android and iOS.
To change the order of action, you need to go to the appropriate settings menu. The path may vary, but the algorithm is the same for all current models of Redmi Note and Xiaomi Mi. You will need to open the system settings and find the section responsible for additional interface parameters.
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If you can't find the right item on the menu, use the search bar at the top of the settings screen. Type in "navigation" or "buttons" and the system will suggest the desired section.
The reshuffling process is as follows:
- 📱 Open the Settings app on the main screen.
- 🔍 Go to the "Additional" or "Extended settings" section».
- 🖱️ Select Full Screen Mode (some versions simply refer to it as Navigation»).
- 🔄 Find the “Reflect buttons” or “Replace buttons” switch and activate it.
Once this setting is activated, the buttons will instantly swap places, with the "Back" button moving to the left and the "Menu" button moving to the right, and this change applies to the entire interface, including third-party applications that support system navigation.
☑️ Checking button changes
Set up full screen mode and gestures
Full-screen mode is a modern alternative to buttons that makes interaction with the smartphone more smooth. In this mode, the lower navigation bar can be hidden, and the control is carried out by swipes. To activate this mode, you need to be in the same Settings menu → Additional settings → Full-screen mode.
Here you will be asked to choose between “Buttons” and “Gesturals” and when choosing gestures, the system will show a training animation. The main actions include swiping from the bottom up to return to the desktop, swiping from the bottom up with a delay to open the multitasking menu and swiping from the side edges to return back.
The same menu often provides a sensitivity setting for the edges of the screen, a critical option for those who use deep-edged protective glass or thick cases. If edge swipes don't work, increase sensitivity.
| Action. | Gesture. | Analogue of a button |
|---|---|---|
| Home. | Swipe from bottom up (short) | Circle/House |
| Back up. | Swipe from left or right edge | The triangle |
| Appendix menu | Swipe from bottom up (long) and hold | Square. |
| Google Assistant | Swipe from bottom up diagonally from corner | Search |
Using gestures to hide the lower bar, you need to turn off the "Hide the indicator" option in the gesture control menu (or vice versa, turn on the concealment, depending on the translation version), which makes the screen visually larger and cleaner.
Hiding the navigation lane and additional parameters
Many users are annoyed by the thin bar at the bottom of the screen, which indicates the presence of gesture control. In the new versions of MIUI 13/14 and HyperOS, this bar can be made completely invisible without turning off the gestures themselves, which creates the effect of a real full-screen application even on the desktop.
To hide the indicator, go to Settings → Additional settings → Full-screen mode. There should be a “Hide the full-screen indicator” switch. Once it is turned on, the bar will disappear, but the gesture area will remain active at the bottom of the display.
Why can't the stripe hide?
Another important parameter is the speed of transition animation, which is actually on the Developer menu, and it directly affects how you navigate, and accelerated animation makes switching between apps and going back more abrupt and responsive.
Keep in mind that hiding the indicator can make it harder to train new users, and if you give the phone to a child or an elderly relative, it’s best to leave the visual cue on for the user experience to be clear.
Solving problems with response and sticking buttons
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the buttons stop responding to presses or work with a delay, this may not be due to a hardware malfunction, but to a software failure or system overload, in which case simple restarting of the device or cleaning the cache of the system interface helps.
If the buttons float or disappear in certain applications, check the settings of the specific application. Some programs have their own navigation settings or immersion modes that overlap the system elements.
⚠️ Note: If the buttons stop working after installing a third-party launcher or theme, try returning a standard theme in the Themes app. MIUI.
You can use Safe Mode to diagnose problems, it only loads system applications, and if the buttons are working properly in Safe Mode, it means that the problem is in one of the applications you installed.
As a last resort, if the software methods don't help and the buttons don't respond in a certain area of the screen, there may be a problem in the touchscreen. Check if the sensor is working in that area in other places, such as typing or in games.
One-handed navigation and ergonomics
With the growth of Xiaomi smartphones, one-handed management becomes a challenge, and to solve this problem, the system has a feature called “One-Hand Mode”, which allows you to compress the interface to the size of a small phone, moving the image to the corner of the screen.
You can activate this mode via Settings → Additional settings → One-handed mode. You can choose between swiping down the navigation lane (if it is on) or swiping down the bottom of the screen sideways, which is convenient when you need to reach the top elements of the interface.
Using one-hand mode in combination with the correct placement of the buttons (for example, the back button closer to the thumb) significantly improves comfort, especially for users with small palms or when using Redmi Note devices with large screens.
Also worth mentioning is the floating window feature, which allows you to run the app in floating mode with a long press on the Menu button (or a latency swipe), allowing you to use the navigator and messenger simultaneously, quickly switching between them.
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The combination of the right navigation settings and one-handed mode makes even the largest phablet a handy tool for daily use with one hand.