Virtual buttons on Xiaomiโs screen can take up precious space, distract from content, or simply annoy with a constant presence, especially for users of Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones, where the manufacturer actively integrates banner ads, system hints and navigation bar. But not everyone knows that most of these elements can be hidden or completely turned off โ both temporarily and permanently.
In this article, weโll look at all the possible ways to remove buttons from the screen, from standard MIUI settings to hidden features for power users. Youโll learn how to remove virtual navigation buttons, disable banner ads in system applications, hide the notification bar in full-screen games, and even remove unnecessary interface elements through ADB. All methods have been tested on the latest firmware versions and are relevant for models from 2020-2026.
Important: Some activities require administrator or unlocked bootloader rights, and if youโre a beginner, start with the safe ways (sections 1-3) and then move on to the advanced ones (sections 4-6).
1. How to remove virtual navigation buttons (panel at the bottom of the screen)
The standard back, home and recent panels take up to 10 percent of the screen's usable area, and MIUI has two official ways to hide it: switch to gesture control or turn off the display altogether.
To activate gestures (recommended method):
- Open the Settings โ Display.
- Select Full Screen Mode.
- Slip on MIUI Gestures (or Android Gestures on new versions).
- Follow the system's hints for gesture learning (bottom-up swipe for return to the home screen, latency swipe for multitasking).
If you donโt like gestures, you can simply hide the panel by leaving the navigation through the buttons:
- ๐น In the same settings (Full screen mode) select Hide the navigation bar.
- ๐น Activate Automatic Hide option โ the panel will only appear when swipeing from below.
- ๐น For permanent hiding, use the No button mode (not available on all models).
โ ๏ธ Note: On some models (POCO F3, Redmi Note 11) after the panel is hidden gestures may not work correctly. Before changing the settings, check compatibility in the official documentation for your model.
2. Removal of banner ads and system prompts
Xiaomi is known for integrating ads into system applications, from Browser to Settings, which can be removed without root rights, but you need to disable several settings.
First, deactivate personalized advertising:
- Go to Settings โ Google โ Advertising.
- Turn off Personalized Ads and reset the Advertising Identifier.
Next, remove the ads in the system applications:
- ๐ฑ Browser: Browser settings โ Additionally. โ Advertising recommendations โ Shut down.
- ๐ Files: Application settings โ Recommendations โ Turn it off.
- ๐ ๏ธ Settings: About the phone โ Version. MIUI (tap 7 times to unlock Advanced Settings, then turn off Receive Recommendations).
To remove all ads in MIUI 13/14, use the developer mode:
Settings โ About the phone โ MIUI version (shap 7 times)
Settings โ Additional โ For developers โ Disable โShow recommendationsโ๐ก
If you have left the ad after you turn off, clear the app cache through Settings โ Applications โ Application Management โ Clear the cache for each system service.
3. Hiding the notification panel in games and applications
In full-screen games or video, the notification bar (top curtain) can interfere by accidentally opening when swiping. MIUI has a built-in feature to hide it, but it doesn't work in all applications.
To activate the "No Notch" mode:
- Open Settings โ Display โ Full-screen mode.
- Select Full Screen Display.
- Enable the option to Hide the status bar for individual applications (e.g. PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact).
If your app is not supported, use the workaround:
- ๐ฎ Activate Game Mode in the Notification Curtain (disables swipes from above).
- ๐ Install third-party software like Nacho Notch (requires overlay permission).
- ๐ ๏ธ For rooted devices: edit the build.prop file by adding the line qemu.hw.mainkeys=1.
| Method | Root required | Works in games. | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-screen MIUI mode | โ No. | โ Yes (selectively) | Not all applications are supported |
| Game mode | โ No. | โ Yes. | Disable all notifications |
| Nacho Notch | โ No. | โ Yes. | Could be in conflict with gestures |
| Editing by build.prop | โ Yes. | โ Yes. | Risk of disrupting the system |
4. Remove buttons via ADB (for power users)
If standard methods donโt work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a tool for deep system configuration, which is suitable for removing system buttons (for example, the Google Assistant button in the navigation bar) or disabling unnecessary interface elements.
Before starting work:
Install Xiaomi drivers on PC| Enable debugging over USB in developer settings | Download ADB platform from Google | Connect phone to PC via cable-->
Commands for removing elements:
# Turn off the "Recent" button (multi-tasking)
adb shell settings put global force_fsg_nav_bar 1
Remove the Google Assistant button from the navigation bar
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.apps.googleassistant
Hide the search icon on the main screen
adb shell settings put secure laf.show_search_bar 0To return the changes, use:
adb shell settings delete global force_fsg_nav_bar
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.google.android.apps.googleassistantโ ๏ธ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB It can cause system applications to lose functionality or restart cycle.Before experimenting, back up through Settings โ Additionally. โ Backup.
5. Hiding buttons in specific applications (YouTube, Chrome, etc.)
Some apps (like YouTube or Chrome) add their own controls that cannot be removed through the system settings, which can be helped by either built-in app features or third-party utilities.
For YouTube:
- ๐ฅ Turn on Mode of the cinema (double tap on video) - hides the control panel.
- ๐ Use modified versions (YouTube Vanced or ReVanced) with the option to turn off the buttons.
- ๐ ๏ธ For rooted devices: delete the com.google.android.youtube package and install Vanilla YouTube.
For Chrome:
- ๐ Activate the reading mode (โฎ โ Reading โ removes all buttons and ads.
- ๐ Install the uBlock Origin extension to block obsessive elements.
- ๐ฑ In the browser settings, disable Show the "Share" button and Suggest articles.
How to return hidden buttons to YouTube?
6. Radical methods: disabling through TWRP and editing system files
If you are willing to take drastic measures and you have unlocked the bootloader, you can remove buttons at the system file level, which is suitable for removing built-in Xiaomi services (for example, Mi Video, Mi Music) or deep customization of the interface.
Instructions for TWRP:
- Install custom recovery (TWRP or OrangeFox).
- Create a backup copy of the /system partition.
- Go to /system/priv-app via the file manager in TWRP.
- Delete folders with unnecessary applications (for example, MiBrowserGlobal for the browser).
- Wipe the Dalvik cache and restart the device.
To edit systemui (remove system buttons):
- ๐ Decompile. SystemUI.apk via Apktool.
- ๐ง In the file res/layout/navigation_bar.xml Delete the lines with the description of the buttons.
- ๐ Compile back and run through Magisk or TWRP.
โ ๏ธ Attention: Removal of system APK through TWRP may result in loss OTA-updates and errors in the work MIUI. Use this method only if you understand the risks!
๐ก
Editing system files is the most effective, but also the most dangerous way. Always back up before making changes and check for compatibility with your version of MIUI.