How to make a navigation bar like on iPhone on Xiaomi

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the desire to change the standard interface to more resemble the iOS operating system. Especially this applies to navigation, which on Apple devices is considered one of the most convenient and intuitive in the world. Users are accustomed to swipe gestures and no unnecessary buttons, so the question of how to adapt this logic to work on Android, becomes extremely urgent. Fortunately, the shell MIUI and HyperOS provide ample opportunities for customization without the need to obtain superuser rights.

Implementing iPhone-style navigation on Xiaomi can be done in two main ways: through built-in system settings or through third-party launcher apps. The first method is the most secure and stable, as it uses native system resources. The second method allows you to copy the appearance of the interface as accurately as possible, including icons and animations, but can consume more battery power. The choice of a particular path depends on whether it is more important to the user: pure functionality or visual identity.

In this article, we will discuss both methods in detail, focusing on the subtleties of gesture customization and eliminating possible interface conflicts, learn how to properly adjust the sensitivity of swipes and where to find hidden options in the developer menu, and discuss which launchers best simulate the behavior of iOS based on Android, and whether it is worth installing heavy themes.

System Navigation: Enabling MIUI gestures

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To activate this mode, you need to go to the system settings. Find the Settings section, then select Desktop. In the menu that opens, you need to find the System Navigation option. This is where the switch between the classic buttons and gesture control occurs. Once you select Full-screen gestures, the interface will instantly change, and the buttons at the bottom of the screen will disappear.

It's important to note that newer versions of HyperOS may have slightly different paths, sometimes hidden in the "Additional" section of the desktop menu. If you don't see the switch right away, search the settings by typing in the phrase "navigation" and that will save you time and quickly find the switch, even if it was moved during the firmware update.

⚠️ Warning: Once full-screen gestures are enabled, the back button can only appear when you swipe from the edge of the screen. Make sure you're used to the new mechanics before removing old control habits.

However, standard MIUI gestures have one significant difference from iOS: on the iPhone there is no separation into “MIUI gestures” and “Android gestures”, there is a single system. On Xiaomi, after enabling full-screen mode, there is often a choice between two types of swipe behavior. For maximum similarity with Apple products, it is recommended to choose MIUI gestures, since they provide smoother return animation and are better optimized for working with the screen cutout (bang).

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For a more accurate iOS simulation, try reducing the animation speed in the For Developers menu to 0.5x – this will make transitions more sharp and responsive, like on Apple devices.

Remember, in gesture mode, there's a thin bar at the bottom of the screen, which is a home screen indicator. On iPhones, this bar is also present, but on Xiaomi, it can be hidden in some design themes, although it's systemically a navigation element. Complete concealment is only possible with third-party solutions, which will be discussed below.

Using third-party launchers for full imitation

If the built-in tools aren’t enough and you want to see not only similar gestures, but also identical dock panel (bottom panel with apps), as well as the characteristic location of the icons, you will need third-party launchers. These are special applications that completely replace the standard Xiaomi desktop. The most popular solutions for imitating the style of Apple are Launcher iOS 17, C Launcher or Control Center iOS 14.

Installing such a launcher requires several steps. First, download the selected application from the Google Play store or GetApps. After the first launch, Android will ask for permission to use this launcher by default. You need to agree and select "Always" so that the new interface opens when you press the Home button, rather than the standard MIUI.

• 🍏 Launcher iOS 17 – the most accurate copy, including control center, widgets and even lock sounds.
• 🎨 C Launcher – a lighter option that allows you to flexibly adjust the sizes of icons and fonts to the style of Apple.
• 🛠 iLauncher OS — Offers deep integration with system notifications and simulates the operation of a dynamic island.

It’s worth considering that third-party launchers may conflict with some of the security features of MIUI. For example, the system may periodically reset default settings or show ad windows when you start, requiring confirmation. To avoid constant reminders, in the phone’s security settings, find the Permissions → AutoStart section and allow the selected launcher to work.

Another important aspect is resource consumption. Third-party shells often work in the background to track swipes and change icons in real time. This can lead to faster battery discharge compared to the standard system. If you notice that the phone is starting to warm or discharge quickly, you may want to abandon heavy launchers in favor of simple themes.

Switching sensitivity and swipe zone

After you turn on gestures or install a launcher, users often complain that navigation is not as smooth as on the original device. The problem may be the sensitivity of the touches or that the active swipe areas are overlapped by the application interface elements. On Xiaomi, there is a hidden setting that allows you to expand the area to call the “Back” menu.

Accessing advanced navigation options sometimes requires activating developer mode. Make a few quick clicks on the build number in the About section. Then go to the Advanced Settings menu → For developers, look for navigation-related items. While direct swipe width changes are rare there, you can find animation settings that are critical to the “iPhone-like” experience.

Some versions of MIUI (especially Chinese firmware) have Prevent accidental touch. If it's enabled, the system can ignore your swipes from the edge of the screen, thinking they're random palm touches. Try turning this feature off or changing its sensitivity level to make navigation more responsive.

⚠️ Note: Changing the settings in the developer menu may affect the stability of some applications. Write down the original settings so you can go back to them.

Also worth paying attention to is screen calibration. If swipes aren't registered the first time, you may need to calibrate the sensor. Type ##6484## into the dialer to get into the engineering menu, and select the Touchpanel test. Do some testing to make sure the edges of the screen respond to touch correctly.

Visual adaptation: Dock panel and icons

Navigating gestures is only half the story, and to make Xiaomi feel as much like an iPhone as possible, you need to adapt the visuals, especially the bottom panel (Dock), which often look different on standard Android than on iOS. Themes are the best for this task.

Go to the Themes app on your smartphone. Search for "iOS 17," "iPhone style," or "Apple UI." There are many free themes that change not only icons, but also folder shapes, notification curtains, and most importantly, the bottom appbar. When you install the theme, the system will suggest using all components or selecting individual ones. Be sure to choose the style application for desktop and System icons.

If the standard Xiaomi theme store doesn’t offer a suitable option, you can use the ZFont 3 app. It allows you to install third-party fonts and icon sets that are not officially available. With ZFont, you can download an iOS-style icon package and apply it as a regular theme, which often gives a better result than standard tools.

Don't forget widgets. The bottom panel on the iPhone often includes not only icons, but also widgets (like weather or batteries). Xiaomi has also introduced new versions of MIUI to support desktop widgets. Add a weather widget to the bottom of the screen to visually bring the composition closer to the ideal.

An important element of visual style is font. Apple uses the font San Francisco. On Android, it can be replaced by downloading the corresponding font file (.ttf) and applying it through the Settings menu → Screen → Font (if your version of MIUI allows you to change fonts without them).

Solving Application Compatibility Issues

Switching to iOS-style navigation can cause problems in some applications that are not optimized for full-screen modes or non-standard aspect ratios. Often, there is a situation where the bottom of the application is blocked by a navigation bar or, conversely, the bar disappears and the bottom buttons become inaccessible.

To solve this problem, MIUI has a special setup for individual applications. Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Full-screen Mode (or Full-screen Application Management). Here you will see a list of all installed programs. Find the problem application and change the setting from "Default" to "Full-screen mode" or "Classic proportions".

Sometimes problems arise with games. Gestures can be accidentally activated during gameplay, interrupting the process. In this case, it is recommended to use Game Turbo mode. Add the game to the Game Turbo list, and the system will automatically turn off unnecessary gestures and notifications during the game, blocking the edges of the screen.

• 🎮 Game Turbo – blocks random swipes while playing.
• 📱 Full screen mode – forcibly stretches applications to the full screen.
• 🔒 Orientation Blocking – prevents screen rotation that can knock navigation.

If an app categorically refuses to work properly with gestures, the only way out may be to temporarily switch to classic buttons for that particular use case, although this is inconvenient.

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Customizing full-screen mode for each application individually is the key to comfortable use of gestures without interface conflicts.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions