How to make gestures on Xiaomi smoother: detailed instructions with MIUI settings

Why Xiaomi gestures are slowing down and how to fix it

Gestures have become an integral part of managing Xiaomi smartphones, but many users are faced with the problem of their unstable work: slowing down, delaying reaction or jerking when swiping. The reasons can be in both the software settings of MIUI and the hardware limitations of the device. Most often the problem is manifested in budget models (for example, the Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5), but even flagships like Xiaomi 14 are not immune to failures after updates.

In this article, we'll discuss 7 working methods that can help make gestures smoother, from basic system settings to hidden developer settings. It's important to understand that smoothness depends on a set of factors: firmware version, CPU load, animation optimization, and even the physical state of the screen. Some methods will require root rights, but most are available without them.

Before you start setting up, check if the delays are due to mechanical damage to the display or protective film, for example, thick glass or a poor oleophobic layer can create additional friction, which the system perceives as a deliberate gesture, and if that's the problem, try removing the cover or replacing the film.

1. Optimization of animations in the developer settings

The most effective way to speed up the system's response to gestures is to reduce the duration of animations, and to do this, you need to activate the developer mode and change the hidden parameters:

1. Open Settings → About your phone and tap 7 times on the MIUI version until the notification “You became a developer” appears.
2. Go back to the main settings menu and find a new Developer section (usually at the bottom of the list).
3. Scroll to the animation block and set values: 🔄 The scale of window animation → Off or 0.5x ⚡ Scale of transition animation → 0.5x 📱 Duration of animation → Off.

These changes will make the interface more responsive, but visual transitions between the screens will become less smooth. 0.5x Instead of completely shutting down, you can also activate the option on this menu. GPU-acceleration (if available on your model), which will further unload the processor.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) If you shut down the animations completely, you can create graphic artifacts in games. 0.5x.

2. setting the screen refresh rate (Hz)

The screen refresh rate directly affects gesture smoothness. Most modern Xiaomi supports 90Hz or 120Hz, but by default can run in 60Hz mode to save battery.

1. Go to Settings → Display.
2. Select the screen refresh rate.
3. Set the maximum value available (e.g. 120Hz for Xiaomi 13 Pro or 90Hz for Redmi Note 12 Pro+).
4. Activate the Adaptive Frequency option, if any, which will allow the system to dynamically adjust Hz depending on the content.

Pay particular attention to the Security app, which often scans the system in the background, which can cause slowdowns, to reduce its impact:

1. Open Security. → Settings (⚙️) → Automatic cleaning.
2. Turn off Auto Cleanup when locked and Deep Cleanup options.
3. In the Real-time Protection section, deactivate scanning of installed applications.

Clear the cache of system applications | Turn off auto-run of unnecessary services | Set Performance mode in the battery settings |Limit background activity of Security | Turn off animations in the developer menu-->

4. Reset gesture settings and sensor calibration

If the gestures are not working correctly (for example, swipe up does not open multitasking, but the notification bar), the problem may be in the wrong settings.

1. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen display.
2. Select Navigation Type → Gestures and click Reset Settings (if the option is available).
3. If there is no reset, delete the Launcher app data (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Launcher → Storage → Clear data).

After reset, you may need to calibrate the sensor.

1. Enter the dialer code ##6484## (not working on all models).
2. Follow the instructions on the screen to touch the points indicated.
3. Reset the device.

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 14 for Xiaomi 12T), calibration is available via the developer menu: For developers → Calibration of the touch screen. If after calibration gestures are even worse, go back to factory settings via Settings → System → Reset (select Reset interface settings).

⚠️ Warning: Launcher data reset will remove your widgets and icon locations on your desktop. Take screenshots of the current layout in advance.

5. Update firmware and rollback to stable version

Gesture delays often appear after MIUI updates, especially in beta versions.

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. If a new version is available, install it. If your firmware is already relevant but there are still problems, consider rolling back.

To return to the stable version:

• 📥 Download the full firmware package (e.g. from miuirom.org) for your model.
• 🔄 Rename the file to update.zip And put it in the root folder of internal memory.
• 📲 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system → Menus (⋮) → Select a Service Package.
• 🔄 Select the downloaded file and confirm the installation.

Critical information: On models with a locked bootloader (for example, Xiaomi) 13T For the European market, a rollback through recovery is not possible - you will need to unlock the bootloader and firmware through Fastboot. If you are not sure about your actions, you better wait for the next one. OTA-Update or contact the service center.

6.Using third-party launchers for smoothness

If the standard MIUI Launcher is slowing down, try alternative shells optimized for gestures:

• 🚀 Nova Launcher: Supports customizable gestures (like swipeing down for search), has minimal animations and runs faster than a standard launcher. Recommended settings: Disable App animation in Nova settings. Set scroll speed to maximum.
• ⚡ Lawnchair: Lightweight launcher with support for gestures Android 10+. Ideal for weak devices (Redmi) 9C, POCO M4).
• 🎯 Hyperion Launcher: Optimized for gaming smartphones, supports 120 Hz without lags.

To install a third-party launcher:

1. Download APK from the official website (for example, Nova Launcher) or from Google Play.
2. Install the app and click Home to select it as the default launcher.
3. In the new launcher settings, turn off all animations and activate Performance mode.

On some MIUI firmware, third-party launchers may conflict with system gestures. If swipes stop working, go back to the standard MIUI Launcher and try other optimization methods.

💡

The side launchers do not replace MIUI system gestures (e.g., swipe from the edge to return); they only optimize animations and the speed of opening applications.

Hardware methods: replacement of the display module and cooling

If the software didn't work, the problem could be physical wear and tear on the display module or overheating of the processor.

• 🔧 Touch glass replacement: On models older than 2 years (for example, Redmi Note 10) the touch layer may wear out, leading to incorrect gesture registration.
• ❄️ Cooling of the device: Overheating (above 45)°C) causes the processor to trottle, which affects smoothness. Use: cooling pads for games. Thermopaste (for example, Arctic). MX-6) rear-cover.
• 🔋 Battery replacement: A bloated battery can press on a display plume, causing artifacts when swipes. Check the battery for bloating (put the phone on a flat surface - if it sways, the battery is deformed).

To diagnose overheating, use the application AIDA64 (Sensors section: If the processor temperature exceeds 50°C in plain - require dust cleaning or heat paste replacement. 12S Ultra) overheating may indicate leakage of thermal conductive fluid - in this case, repairs are needed in the service.

FAQ: Frequent questions about gesture smoothness on Xiaomi