How to make a strip from the bottom on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Modern Xiaomi smartphones running MIUI shells or the new HyperOS offer gesture control by default, where a thin strip appears at the bottom of the screen. This interface element serves as a visual anchor that tells the user where to start swiping to return to the desktop or call the menu of running applications. However, many device owners prefer the classic three-button style, which seems more familiar and informative.

The question of how to strip from the bottom on Xiaomi or how to remove it remains one of the most frequent in user communities. Standard system settings often hide the direct option to switch between the strip and buttons in an obvious place, causing users to wander through the menu. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to control this navigation element, including hidden features for advanced users.

It should be borne in mind that the interface may vary slightly depending on the version of Android and regional firmware (Global, China, EEA). However, the logic of the system components remains the same for most models, from the budget Redmi to the flagship Xiaomi 14. USB Possible reasons why the strip may behave incorrectly.

Standard methods of navigation management in MIUI and HyperOS

Settings

Additionally.

Next, you'll find the Full Screen Gestures tab, and that's where the key switch is. If it's activated, the system uses gestures and displays that same bar. If you turn off that switch, the interface changes instantly, the bar disappears, and it's replaced by three classic navigation buttons ("Back", "Home", "Menu"), which is the basic algorithm that works on 95% of the brand's devices.

Importantly, some HyperOS updates have changed the logic a little bit. Now, there may be a separate "Hide the gesture indicator" switch on the same menu. If your goal is to leave swipe control but remove the strip visually so that it doesn't overlap interface elements in games or applications, you need this option. It makes the indicator transparent, but the swipe functionality is preserved completely.

⚠️ Warning: After switching to the navigation buttons, the strip will disappear instantly. If you go back to the gestures, the strip will appear again, but its color and transparency may depend on the theme of the design.

It's also worth mentioning that in Full Screen, the system allows you to adjust the direction of the swipe, so you can choose whether the swipe to swipe back is from the left and right edges of the screen, or just one of them, and this affects the ergonomics of using your smartphone with one hand.

How to hide a strip, leaving gesture control

Many users are wondering if you can leave the swipe control conveniently, but make the bar invisible. Standard system tools can do this, but with reservations. As mentioned earlier, the menu Full-screen display often has the option of hiding the indicator. However, some global firmwares this feature may be missing or blocked.

If you don't have a regular setup, theme comes to the rescue. There are custom interface designers at GetThemes that mask the bottom of the screen or make the strip completely transparent. When you install this theme, visual noise disappears, creating a clean edge-to-edge screen effect. AMOLED-screens where the black color of the indicator merges with the frame.

Another method involves Do Not Disturb or Read mode, where the system forcibly hides navigation elements for maximum immersion. For permanent effect, it is better to use third-party launchers, although they require more complex permissions configuration through the ADB-The teams that will be discussed below.

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Use themes with a black bottom of the screen if you have one. AMOLED-display - this visually hides the strip and saves battery power.

Keep in mind that completely hiding the navigation element can lead to random swipes and calling up the multitasking menu. The strip serves as an important visual guideline, especially in dark applications where the screen boundaries are not obvious. So before making it invisible, evaluate how comfortable you are with touching your smartphone.

Configure through Developer Mode and ADB

For those who aren’t afraid of technical terms, there’s a deeper level of customization. Xiaomi’s developer mode is hidden by default. To activate it, you need to go to About Phone and quickly click on the build number seven times (MIUI Version or OS Version). Once you have the message “You’ve become a developer,” a new section will appear in the settings menu.

You can find options in the Developer Menu that affect how the interface behaves, like Hide the Navigation Bar (if available in your Android version) or scale settings for fonts that indirectly affect the bottom bar display, but the magic lies in using USB debugging and a computer.

Connecting your smartphone to a PC with an ADB (Android Debug Bridge) installed, you can enter a command that forcibly changes the navigation mode. This is useful if a software bug prevents you from switching settings through the menu.

adb shell settings put global system_navigation_mode 2

Here, a value of 2 corresponds to buttons, and a 0 or 1 corresponds to gestures. The exact value can vary depending on the version of Android. There is also a command to force the indicator to be hidden, but it does not work stable on new versions of HyperOS due to the increased protection of the system.

Compatibility table of navigation modes

Different models and versions of the operating system react differently to changes in the interface. Below is a table that will help you navigate what features are available on your device, which will help you understand why one Xiaomi strip can be hidden with one click, and another requires “dancing with a drum”.

As you can see from the table, with the release of HyperOS Xiaomi finally listened to users and added a native ability to hide the indicator. On older devices running pure Android or early versions of MIUI, you will have to resort to installing themes or using third-party launchers.

It’s also worth noting that on Xiaomi’s Pad tablets, the logic of the strip is different: it often transforms depending on the orientation of the screen and can be hidden automatically when media content is launched. On smartphones, this behavior is less common and usually requires activation of “immersion mode” in specific applications.

Solving problems: the strip does not disappear or glitch

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where even after switching to the buttons, the strip remains hanging at the bottom of the screen, or it begins to blink and disappear. This is a classic software failure of the SystemUI process. In this case, simply switching back and forth navigation mode often helps to shake up the system and return everything to normal.

If reconnecting doesn't work, try clearing the system interface cache. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find System UI (or System UI) in the list, and click Clear Cache. Fear not, it won't delete your personal data, photos or contacts, only temporary interface files.

• 📱 Reboot: A banal but effective method: Reboot your smartphone by holding the power button and selecting the appropriate item.
• 🎨 Change theme: Try applying a standard “Classic” or “No Limits” theme to avoid design conflict.
• 🔌 Safe Mode: Load into Safe Mode. If the stripe is behaving normally, then the problem is in one of the apps you installed.

⚠️ Note: If a bar is overlaid on text or buttons in apps, check the screen extension or notch settings in the display.

In rare cases, the problem lies in the damage of system files after a failed update. If nothing helps, you may need a full reset (Hard Reset), but this is an extreme measure that requires prior backup of data.

Third-party launchers and customization

For those who like complete freedom of action, there are alternative launchers such as Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Evie Launcher. They allow you not only to change the look of the desktop, but also to implement your own navigation bar, completely ignoring the system settings of Xiaomi.

Using these launchers, you can make a strip of any shape, color, and size, or replace it with a floating button that can be moved around the screen. However, it is worth considering that on modern versions of Android (11, 12, 13, 14), Google has limited the ability of third-party applications to manage system navigation.

To allow a third-party launcher to fully control the bottom panel, commands are often required through ADB to grant special permissions. Without this, the launcher will run on top of the system navigation, creating a dual layer of control, which can be inconvenient. So before installing an alternative interface, study the requirements of a particular version of Android.

However, even without a deep modification, many launchers offer their navigation widgets that can be placed anywhere on the screen, making the system bar less noticeable or unnecessary in everyday use.

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Third-party launchers offer maximum design flexibility, but on Android 12+, additional permissions are required to replace system navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)