Xiaomi’s Lower Strip: How to Remove, Configure or Return in 5 Minutes

The bottom bar on Xiaomi’s screen is not just an interface element, but a key navigation tool that many users either don’t notice or want to change, and can display classic Back, Home and Recent buttons, or be replaced with gestures in newer versions. MIUI But what if it interferes, disappears after the update or doesn't work properly?

In this article, we'll look at all the scenarios that we can think of, from basic setups to hidden features that the manufacturer doesn't advertise, how to remove the bottom bar altogether, replace it with gestures, return it back after a crash, or even customize its appearance, and why it sometimes disappears on its own and how to fix it without resetting it.

Important: instructions are relevant to all modern smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO base MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS (including 2020-2026 models) If you have an older device, some menu items may differ.

What is the bottom strip on Xiaomi and why you need it

The bottom bar (or navigation bar) is the horizontal area at the bottom of the screen that is responsible for the main actions:

• 🔙 Back button** – returns to the previous screen or closes the application.
• 🏠 Home button ** - returns to the main screen.
• 📄 The “Recent” button** opens the list of recent apps.

Xiaomi's new smartphones often use gestures instead, swipes from the bottom up or on the sides of the screen, but the strip remains relevant for:

• 📱 Users who are used to classic navigation (especially after switching from Android to other brands).
• 🎮 Gamers – in some games gestures interfere with management.
• 👵 Older people or beginners who find it easier to click physical buttons.

Interesting fact: in HyperOS (the new firmware from Xiaomi), the navigation bar can automatically hide in some applications (for example, in full-screen videos or games), but returns when swiping from the bottom. This behavior can be customized — we will talk about this later.

How to remove the bottom strip on Xiaomi: 3 proven ways

If the navigation bar is in the way, or you want to go to gestures, there are a few ways to turn it off, and let's look at it from the simplest to the most advanced.

Method 1: Switch to gestures in system settings

This is the official method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 10+ hyperos:

1. Open the Settings → Display.
2. Select Full-screen display (in some versions – Navigation style).
3. Slip on the Gestures item. MIUI (Full-screen gestures in HyperOS).
4. Choose one of the options: 👉 Swipe from the bottom – classic gestures (like on the iPhone). 👈 Swipe from the sides - gestures from the edges of the screen (convenient for large displays).

Confirm the choice - the bottom strip will disappear immediately.

When you switch to gestures, the buttons will disappear, but their functions will remain:

• 🔹 Swipe from bottom up - returns to the main screen (analogue "Home»).
• 🔹 Swipe from the bottom up and hold - opens recent apps.
• 🔹 Swipe from right to left at the bottom edge - simulates the "Back" button».

Method 2: Hiding a strip through a developer (for experienced ones)

If standard settings do not give the desired result (for example, the strip remains in some applications), you can use the developer mode:

1. Activate Developer Settings: Go to Settings → About the phone, tap 7 times on the version MIUI (A notification will appear saying, “You have become a developer»).

Settings → Additional → Developer Parameters

USB debugging

Interface configuration

• Hide the navigation bar (if any).
• Navigation bar size – set the value 0 (reboot may be required).

⚠️ Attention: Changing the developer settings can lead to unstable operation of the interface. If after manipulation the screen starts to glitches (for example, gestures stopped working), return the settings to the original state or reset via Settings. → System system → Reset settings (select Reset interface settings»).

Method 3: Use ADB (for advanced users)

If previous methods have not worked, you can resort to commands. ADB. This is true for devices with custom firmware or if the manufacturer has blocked the change of strips.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and platform-tools.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB smartphone.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line in the folder with the platform-tools.
2. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices (should appear serial number of your device).
3. To remove the bottom bar, do: adb shell settings put global policy_control immersive.full=*
4. Related: Adb shell settings put global policy_control null
5. Reboot your smartphone.

After completion ADB-The navigation bar will disappear completely, including the gesture indicator, and to return it, you will need to re-enter the command or reset the settings.

How to return the lower strip if it is missing

Sometimes the navigation bar disappears by itself after updating the firmware, resetting the settings or installing a custom theme.

Method 1: Resetting interface settings

The most reliable way to return a strip without losing data:

1. Go to Settings → System → Resetting settings.
2. Select Reset UI Settings (not to be confused with a full reset!).
3. Confirm the action - the phone will restart.
4. After turning on, check the display settings (Settings) → Display. → Full screen display) and select Navigation buttons.

Method 2: Recovery through Safe Mode

If the strip is lost due to a conflict with the application (for example, after installing a launcher), try:

1. Press the power button and hold the option to Turn off - a suggestion will appear to go to safe mode.
2. In Safe Mode, check if the strip appears. If so, the problem is in third-party software.
3. Remove recently installed launchers or customization apps (e.g. Nova Launcher, Good Lock).
4. Restart your phone in normal mode.

Method 3: Manually enable through settings

If the reset didn't help, try manually:

1. Open Settings → Display → Full-screen display.
2. Select the navigation buttons (if the option is not available, the system has blocked it – see the method with the following: ADB higher).
3. If no point, try changing the size of the navigation bar in the Developer Settings (set 48 or default).

⚠️ Note: On some models POCO (for example, POCO F5) After upgrading to HyperOS, the navigation buttons can be hidden, in which case only resetting to factory settings or firmware via Fastboot will help.

Customization of the appearance of the lower strip

V MIUI And HyperOS can not only remove or return the navigation bar, but also change the appearance of the navigation bar.

Change of button order

The default buttons are in the order of "Back" - "Home" - "Recent" but you can change it:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen display.
2. Select the navigation buttons.
3. Slap the icon. ⚙️ (gear) next to the button option.
4. Choose one of the proposed orders or create your own (for example, “Home” in the middle).

On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T) One button mode is available – when “Home” is left alone, and “Back” and “Recent” are called by swipes on it.

Transparency and colour of stripes

In HyperOS, it is possible to change the transparency of the panel:

1. Open the Settings. → Display. → Full-screen display → Navigation buttons.
2. Activate the option Transparent Navigation Panel.
3. Set the level of transparency with a slider (from 0% to 100%).

To change the colour:

• 🎨 Use a dark theme – the panel will automatically turn dark.
• 🖌️ Set a custom theme from the theme → My themes (some themes change the color of the stripes).
• 🛠️ For the advanced: through ADB You can set any color by command: adb shell settings put global navigation_bar_color "FF000000" (where FF000000 — hex-code color in format AARRGGBB).

Hiding strips in individual applications

HyperOS has a feature to automatically hide the strip in full-screen applications (such as games or videos) to configure it:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen display.
2. Select Automatically Hide the Navigation Panel.
3. Add apps to the exclusion list or vice versa – allow cover-up for everyone.

If the option doesn’t work, check the settings of a particular app (e.g. YouTube or YouTube). PUBG Mobile has its own full-screen options).

Lower-strip problems and their solutions

Even after you set it up properly, the navigation bar can malfunction, and we'll look at the most common problems and how to fix them.

If none of the methods worked, check:

• 🔄 System updates - possibly a bug fixed in the new firmware version.
• 📱 Firmware integrity – if the phone was stitched with a custom version, the panel may not work properly.
• 🛠️ Hardware damage – if the sensor does not respond to the lower part of the screen, the plume may be damaged.

💡

If after updating to HyperOS gestures disappeared, try to roll back on MIUI via official annex MIUI Downloader. Instructions: download the firmware for your model, go to Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Select a firmware file.

Hidden Lower Strip Features on Xiaomi

Many users don’t know that the navigation bar on Xiaomi has more than just a home screen back.

1. Quickly Open Google Assistant

If you have Google Assistant installed, you can swipe it by clicking the Home button:

1. Make sure that Google Assistant is installed and enabled.
2. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen display → Navigation buttons.
3. Enable the Long Click on Home option for Google Assistant.

Now holding the Home button will trigger the voice assistant.

2. Hidden mode "One button"

Some models (such as Xiaomi 12 Pro or Redmi Note 11) have a mode where only one home button is displayed on the panel, and the rest of the functions are called by swipes:

• 🔘 Back - swipe left on the home button».
• 🔘 Recent - swipe to the right on the home button».

To include:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen display.
2. Select the navigation buttons → Single button mode.

3. Additional gestures in the strip

HyperOS has new gestures for the navigation bar:

• 🔹 Double tap strip - locks the screen (analogue of double tap on the screen).
• 🔹 Swipe up and hold – Google Assistant or Mi opens AI (depending on the region).
• 🔹 Swipe strip left/right – quick transition between the latest applications.

To set up:

1. Open the Settings. → Additionally. → Gestures and buttons.
2. Select the gestures of the navigation panel.
3. Activate the options you need.

💡

One button mode saves screen space and reduces the risk of accidental clicks, but it is addictive.

The bottom strip on different models Xiaomi: features

Not all Xiaomi smartphones handle the navigation bar the same way.

Xiaomi 13/14 series and flagships

On flagships (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Xiaomi 14) gestures are enabled by default MIUI, And the classic strip is hidden to get it back:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen display.
2. Select the navigation buttons.
3. If you don’t have an option, upgrade to the latest version of HyperOS.

On these models, gesture sensitivity is also available – useful if swipes are triggered accidentally.

Redmi Note 10/11/12 series series

On budget Redmi, the navigation bar often behaves unstable after updates.

• 🔄 The strip disappears after rebooting.
• 🎯 Buttons shift or become too small.

Decisions:

• 🔧 Reset the interface settings (see section above).
• 📥 Install the latest firmware version through Settings → Updating the system.
• 🛠️ If the problem remains, then roll back. MIUI 12.5 (Stable version for Redmi Note 10).

POCO F3/4/5 gaming-smartphones

On the devices. POCO The default navigation bar is optimized for gaming:

• 🎮 In games, she automatically hides.
• 🔄 There is a separate Game Turbo mode that blocks random taps.

To set up:

1. Open Settings → Special features → Game Turbo
2. Enable the option to Block navigation buttons.
3. Set up exceptions for individual games.

Nana POCO F5 Game gestures are also available**, where swipes on the edges of the screen do not conflict with game management.

Older models (Redmi 4/5, Mi A1/A2)

On devices older than 2018 (Redmi) 4X, Mi A1) The navigation panel is configured differently:

1. Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Buttons.
2. Select the Order of the buttons or the Visibility of the navigation bar.
3. On some models, the Mi A1) You need to use the settings. → System system → Gestures → System navigation.

If there are no options, update the firmware to MIUI 10 (last supported version for these models).

FAQ: Frequent questions about the bottom strip on Xiaomi