How to Hide Navigation Buttons on Xiaomi Redmi 9: From Standard Methods to Hidden MIUI Features

Touch navigation buttons on the Xiaomi Redmi 9 take up precious space on the screen, and their random clicks annoy many users. This is especially true for owners of devices with a small display diagonal (6.53 inches in Redmi 9) or those who are used to gesture control. Fortunately, MIUI offers several ways to hide or replace the classic Back, Home and Recent buttons – from built-in settings to hidden features for power users.

But there are nuances: not all methods work equally stable, and some require a connection to a PC or install additional software. In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to hide navigation buttons on Redmi 9 (including Redmi 9A/9C/9T models), their pros and cons, and give recommendations on choosing the best option depending on your version of MIUI and technical skills.

1. Standard method: gesture control in MIUI settings

The easiest and safest method is to activate full-screen gestures through the settings menu, which does not require root rights or a PC connection, but is only available on MIUI 10 and later (Redmi 9 has MIUI 11/12) installed out of the box.

Open Settings → Display → Full-screen display. In the Navigation Type section, select Gesture Control. The system will offer three options:

1. MIUI gestures - swipe from the bottom up to return to the main screen, swipe from the side to return back.
2. Android gestures are swipe from the bottom down the center for Home, swipe and hold for Recent, swipe from the edge for Back.
3. Mixed mode – a combination of gestures and a miniature panel (buttons appear when swipeing from below).

Once you select gesture control, the classic navigation buttons will disappear and swipe functions. Please note that some firmware (e.g. MIUI 12.5 for Redmi 9T) may require a device reboot to take effect.

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Note: On some custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience or LineageOS), this method may not work properly. Before changing the navigation type, check the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

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Standard MIUI gestures are the only official way to hide buttons without risking the system’s warranty or stability.

2. Hiding buttons via ADB (no root rights)

If you're in your version MIUI no option of gesture control (relevant for some regional firmware), you can resort to ADB-This method doesn't require superuser rights, but it requires Redmi 9 to connect to a computer:

1. Install ADB and Fastboot Tools on PC.

2. Activate USB Debugging on your smartphone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times on MIUI Version to unlock the developer menu), then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging on USB.

3. Connect Redmi 9 to your PC and execute at the command line:

adb shell settings put global policy_control immersive.full=*

Once you've done the command, the navigation buttons will disappear, but it'll be harder to control your smartphone, so you'll have to swipe from the bottom of the screen to call the navigation bar.

adb shell settings put global policy_control null

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Note: On some versions of MIUI (e.g. 12.0.3 for Redmi 9 Prime), this command can cause bugs with the keyboard display. Before using, back up your data via Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.

Install ADB PC-only|Enable debugging on USB smartphone|Connect your phone to the original cable|Check the connection of the adb device team-->

3. Use of third-party applications (with restrictions)

There are apps on Google Play that promise to hide navigation buttons, but most require root rights or are unstable.

• 📱 Nacho Notch – allows you to hide buttons and customize gestures, but on the MIUI It can conflict with system services. 9 on MIUI 11-12.
• 🔄 Fluid Navigation Gestures – emulates iPhone gestures, but requires the inclusion of “Special features” and can brake on weak chipsets (for example, Helio) G35 redmi 9C).
• ⚙️ GMD Gesture Control is a powerful tool, but paid and difficult to set up. Supports hiding buttons through an overlay.

Before installing, check the user reviews of Xiaomi Redmi 9 – some applications can cause CPU overheating or conflicts with MIUI Optimizations. For example, Fluid NG is known for a bug with random restarts on firmware below MIUI 12.5.

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If after installing a third-party application, the screen began to twitch, try turning off the option “Transition animation” in Settings → Special features → Animation speed.

4. editing the build.prop file (for power users)

This method involves changing the system file build.prop and requires root rights. It is suitable only for those who are ready for potential risks (up to the "brick" of the device).

1. Install a file manager with root support (e.g., Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).

2. Go to the root directory and open the file /system/build.prop.

3. Add a line to the end of the file:

qemu.hw.mainkeys=1

4. Save the changes, restart the device.

After the reboot, the navigation buttons should disappear, but it will be impossible to control the smartphone without additional gestures or hardware buttons (if any).To return everything back, delete the added line or restore the original build.prop from the backup.

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Note: On Redmi 9 with a bootloader, editing build.prop can lead to a boot cycle. Before changing, check the bootloader status with fastboot oem device-info - if Device unlocked: false, the method is not recommended.

5. Hiding buttons through developer settings (hidden function)

MIUI has a hidden option that allows you to disable the navigation buttons without gestures. It doesn't work on all firmware, but it's worth a try:

1. Activate Developer Mode (as described in the ADB section).

2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.

3. Find the item “Disable navigation buttons” (in English firmware – Force full-screen display or Hide navigation bar).

4. Select "Hide" and restart the device.

If this item is missing, try an alternative path:

1. Enable “Demonstration Mode” in the developer settings.
2. Select “Hide the navigation bar”.
3. Turn off the demo mode – the buttons may remain hidden.

On MIUI 13+ firmware for Redmi 9, this method only works when Gesture is activated. If the buttons are missing but the gestures are not working, return the settings to Settings → Display → Full-screen display.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To make the choice easier, we have compiled a table with the pros and cons of each method:

For most users of Xiaomi Redmi 9, the best solution will be gesture control (section 1). ADB-Partial application and editing system files should be considered only as a last resort.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hiding buttons on Redmi 9