How to hide navigation buttons on Xiaomi: from gestures to ADB-team

Why users want to hide the navigation buttons on Xiaomi – and whether or not to do so

Virtual navigation buttons (Back, Home, Recent) have taken up precious space on Xiaomi’s smartphone screen, especially on small-diagonal or front-facing models. According to Counterpoint Research (2023), 68 percent of MIUI device owners have tried to turn them off in favor of gestures at least once — but not all of them have succeeded the first time. The problem is that the manufacturer is actively promoting its proprietary navigation system, MIUI Gestures, which is not always intuitive, and classic methods of hiding buttons (via settings or ADB) do not work on all versions of the firmware.

On the other hand, the rejection of navigation buttons has a reverse side: gesture control requires addiction, and on some models (for example, for example, for example, for the use of the device, POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12 Pro+) There may be conflicts with applications optimized for the old navigation system. AMOLED-The constant display of buttons in the navigation bar can cause pixels to burn out in the navigation bar area, a problem that is often overlooked. Before hiding the buttons, it is worth weighing the pros and cons: you will win. ~5-7% Useful screen area, but you will lose the usual interface.

In this article, we’ll break down 5 working ways to hide the navigation buttons on Xiaomi, including:

• 🔄 Switching to gesture control through standard settings MIUI.
• 🛠️ Using hidden functions through ADB (power-user).
• 📱 Alternative launchers with support for navigation panel concealment.
• ⚙️ Editing system files (requires root).
• 🔧 Bypassing restrictions on models with HyperOS (new interface from Xiaomi).

Method 1: Standard disabling via MIUI settings (without root)

The easiest and safest method is to switch to gesture control via the settings menu, which works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices with MIUI 12 and later firmware (including HyperOS). Importantly, once gestures are activated, the navigation buttons will disappear automatically, but you can return them at any time.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings → Display.
2. Select Full-screen mode (on some models – Navigation buttons).
3. Use the option of MIUI Gestures or Full-screen gestures.
4. Choose your gesture style: 👆 MIUI-gestures (swipe from the bottom up to return to the main screen). 📱 Android Gestures (Edge to Center Swipe for Backward Return).

Confirm the choice – the navigation buttons will disappear immediately after application.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi) K60 Pro) after switching to gestures, the fingerprint can be unlocked from the screen of the disabled display. To return the function, restart the device or temporarily return to the navigation buttons.

Method 2: Hiding buttons through ADB (for advanced users)

If the standard method didn’t work (for example, on custom firmware or older versions of MIUI), you can use the ADB command. This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer, but does not violate the warranty and does not require root rights. The main advantage is flexibility: you can not only hide the buttons, but also adjust their transparency or size.

Step-by-step:

1. Install. ADB-PC drivers.
2. Activate Developer Mode on your smartphone: go to Settings → About Phone and tap on the MIUI version 7 times.
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
4. Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command line: adb shell settings put global policy_control immersive.full=* This command will hide the navigation buttons in all applications.
5. Use the following buttons: adb shell settings put global policy_control null

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO X5 Pro or Redmi Note 11 Pro+) after-use ADB-commands may have problems displaying the keyboard in landscape mode. To fix this, restart the device or manually return the settings through ADB.

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If so, ADB-button commands are gone, but gestures don’t work, try manually enabling full-screen mode in the app settings that doesn’t respond to swipes.

Method 3: Alternative launchers with navigation concealment support

If you don't like standard MIUI gestures, but you don't want to mess with ADB, you can install a third-party launcher. Many of them (like Nova Launcher, Lawnchair or Hyperion Launcher) support the concealment of the navigation bar and offer flexible gesture settings, the advantage of which is that there is no risk of "breaking" the system, as well as additional features (like customizing icons or animations).

How to set up:

1. Install a launcher from Google Play (we recommend Nova Launcher for maximum stability).
2. Launch the launcher and select it as the main one in the window that appears.
3. Go to the launcher settings (usually a long press on the main screen → Settings).
4. Find the Gestures and Navigation (or Screen Behavior) section.
5. Activate Hide Navigation Bar or Full Screen Mode.

Comparison of popular launchers:

• 🌟 Nova Launcher: Supports button hiding, but requires the purchase of a Prime version for extended gestures.
• 🎨 Lawnchair: Free, open source, but may conflict with MIUI on some models.
• ⚡ Hyperion Launcher: Optimized for Xiaomi, but less customizable.

Method 4: Edit system files (root only)

This method is suitable for experienced users who are willing to risk the stability of the system, not only allows you to hide the navigation buttons, but also completely remove them from the interface, freeing up space for the display of content. Attention: wrong actions can lead to a bootloop, so make a backup using TWRP or OrangeFox Recovery before you start.

Instructions:

1. Get root rights (for example, through Magisk).
2. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
3. Go to /system/usr/keylayout and find the Generic.kl file.
4. Open the file in the text editor and find the lines: key 158 BACK key 172 HOME key 139 MENU
5. Comment on them by adding a # #key 158 BACK #key 172 HOME #key 139 MENU at the beginning of each line
6. Save the file, set the rights to 644 (rw-r--r---) and restart the device.

⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi 14 or Redmi) K70) editing Generic.kl can cause touch input to fail, in which case restore the original file from the backup.

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Editing system files is the most radical way, but it gives you complete control over navigation, and only use it if other methods have failed.

Method 5: Bypassing HyperOS restrictions (New Xiaomi Interface)

With the release of HyperOS (replacement) MIUI Xiaomi has tightened control over system settings, now hide navigation buttons through the standard menu on all models, and ADB-Security policies often block teams, but there is a workaround: using the Shizuku app. + AppOps to unlock hidden functions.

Algorithm of action:

1. Install Shizuku and AppOps.
2. Connect Shizuku via ADB (instructions on the official website).
3. In AppOps, find the Android System section and allow operations. WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS.
4. Install Nacho Notch or Full Screen Immersive Mode.
5. In the application settings, activate Force Full Screen for the system interface.

⚠️ Note: Some applications on HyperOS (e.g. banking or with a DRM-protection) may refuse to work in full screen mode, in which case temporarily return the navigation buttons through the ADB:

adb shell settings put global policy_control immersive.status=0

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after successfully hiding navigation buttons, Xiaomi users face typical problems, including the most common ones and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods worked, check:

• 🔍 The relevance of firmware (in beta versions) MIUI bugs often).
• 📱 Compatibility of the model with the chosen method (for example, Black Shark uses its own shell).
• 🛠️ Conflicting applications (e.g., Second Space or Dual Apps) can block changes).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions