Xiaomi's touch assistant is one of those features that many users either don't notice or use 10 percent of what they can, but it can make it much easier to interact with a device, from fast access to apps to gesture control in games or watching videos. But how exactly does it work? Why does it sometimes stop responding to touch? And can it be adapted to specific tasks?
In this article, we will discuss the way the touch assistant works at the system level, look at all the available settings (including hidden ones), and explain how to fix typical problems from accidental positives to complete failure. POCO, Because the functionality may differ even within the same firmware MIUI.
What is a sensory assistant and why do you need it?
The Touch Assistant (or Assistive Touch, as it is sometimes called in the English versions of MIUI) is a virtual button that appears on top of any interface. It duplicates the functions of physical buttons (such as Back, Home, Recent), and also provides quick access to additional options.
The main tasks of the sensory assistant:
- 🔄 Replacement of hardware buttons on screens with gesture control or when they break.
- ⚡ Quickly launch frequently used applications (camera, flashlight, screenshot).
- 🎮 Control in games without sensor lock (for example, for shooting or racing).
- 🔧 Additional features such as screen lock, volume control, or access to Google Assistant.
For example, in the Xiaomi 13 Pro, the touch assistant can be configured to appear only in horizontal orientation – this is convenient for gamers. And in the Redmi Note 12, it is hidden by default, but it is easy to activate through Settings → Special features → Touch Assistant.
How to turn on and off the sensory assistant
Activation of the function takes less than a minute, but the path to settings may vary depending on the version of MIUI. Here is a universal guide for most devices:
- Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
- Go to the Special Features section (some firmwares call it Additional Features).
- Choose a Touch Assistant (or Assistive Touch).
- Activate the slider at the top of the screen.
To disable the assistant, just re-enter this section and deactivate the slider. Alternatively, click on the virtual button, hold it for 2 seconds and select Close in the menu that appears.
☑️ Preparation for setting up a sensory assistant
⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO F5) Touch assistant can conflict with game accelerators like Game Turbo. If the button is lost in games, turn off optimization for a particular application in the Game Turbo settings.
Customization of appearance and location
The standard touch button is a translucent circle with an icon of a person in a wheelchair, but it can be completely redesigned for you.
- 🎨 Change the size from minimum (3 mm) to maximum (12 mm) is useful if the button interferes with the printing.
- 🖼️ Change the icon: more than 20 options are available (arrows, dots, logos Xiaomi).
- 🔄 Set up transparency: 10 to 100 percent. At 30 percent, the button is barely visible, but it remains functional.
- 📍 Move to any location on the screen, including the edges (but not closer than 5 mm from the boundary).
To change the parameters:
- Press the touch assistant button for 2 seconds.
- Select Settings in the menu that appears.
- Go to the Appearance tab.
On models with MIUI 14 and later, the auto-discovery function is available - the button disappears after 5 seconds of inactivity and appears when swiping from the edge of the screen, which is especially convenient for watching videos or reading books.
| Parameter | MIUI 12 | MIUI 13 | MIUI 14+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max, button size. | 10 mm | 11 mm | 12 mm |
| Number of icons | 12 | 18 | 24+ |
| Auto-discovery | ❌ No. | ⚠️ Only in games. | ✅ Full support |
| Transparency | 10-90% | 5-95% | 1-100% |
Additional functions: what can be configured
Basic options (Back, Home, Recent) are just the tip of the iceberg.
- 📱 Quick Action: Screenshot (single tap) + Screen recording (hold 3 seconds) Screen locking (double tap).
- 🔊 Multimedia control: Pause/playback (single press). Next track (swipe right) Volume control (hold) + swipe).
- 🎮 Game mode: Virtual joystick (for games without gamepad support). Quick access to chat in the game PUBG Mobile or Free Fire: Disable notifications during play.
To customize these functions:
- Open the touch assistant menu (hold the button).
- Select Settings → Additional functions.
- Activate the necessary options and assign gestures.
How do you add your own action?
⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi 14), some of the touch assistant features are moved to Smart Features. If you don't find the usual settings, update the firmware or check this section.
Problems and Solutions: Why the Assistant Is Not Working
Even in the latest versions of MIUI, users are experiencing touch assistant bugs, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The button does not appear after switching on | Conflict with other overlays (e.g. Game Turbo) | Disable all game accelerators in Settings → Applications → Permissions → Other permissions → Display on top of other windows |
| Gestures don't work. | Sensitivity is incorrectly tuned | Go to Assistant Settings → Sensitivity and increase the value to 80% |
| The button disappears in some applications | Application restrictions (e.g., in banking programs) | Add an assistant to exceptions: Settings → Annexes → Application management → [Title of the annex] → Display over other windows |
| Pushed lags | Lack of RAM | Clear background processes or restart the device |
If none of these methods helped, try resetting the assistant settings:
- Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find the Touch Assistant on the list.
- Select Warehouse. → Clear the data.
- Reboot your smartphone.
💡
If the touch assistant began to brake after updating MIUI, try rolling back its settings to factory: hold the assistant button for 5 seconds, then select Reset.
Hidden opportunities: what can help, but not advertise
Many of the functions of the touch assistant are not documented, but can be extremely useful:
- 🔍 Lupa: Hold the button + swipe down - there will be a magnifying glass for small text.
- 📋 Quick notes: double pressing + swipe left opens Xiaomi Notes with template for quick input.
- 🔄 Switching between the latest apps: swipe on the left/right button (analogue of a gesture on the navigation bar).
- 🎧 Headphone management: if you connect Xiaomi Buds, swipe up/down regulates noise cancellation.
To activate hidden functions:
- Enable Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone).
- Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
- Find the Advanced Functions of the Touch Assistant and activate it.
On devices with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra), the assistant supports press strength recognition — a light touch causes one action and a strong touch causes another. This feature is experimental and may require manual activation via ADB:
adb shell settings put global assistive_touch_pressure_enabled 1Touch Assistant vs. Gesture Control: Which is Better
Many Xiaomi users face a choice between using a touch assistant or switching to full-screen gestures, with pros and cons:
| Criteria | Touch assistant | Gesture management |
|---|---|---|
| Comfort in games | ✅ Does not block the screen, you can assign macros | ❌ Swipes can conflict with game gestures |
| Speed of operation | ⚠️ Depends on the sensitivity (maybe lag) | ✅ Instant response at the system level |
| Setting up | ✅ Flexible customization (size, position, actions) | ❌ Limited set of gestures (systemic only) |
| One-handed work | ✅ The button can be moved to any corner. | ⚠️ Requires finger stretches for swipes from the edge |
The best option is a combined use:
- In everyday tasks (scrolling tape, messengers) – gestures.
- In games, video or when physical buttons are broken, it is a touch assistant.
💡
If you often use your smartphone with gloves or wet hands, the touch assistant is more reliable than gestures – its button has an increased sensitivity to touch.