Owners of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro smartphone often face the desire to optimize the screen workspace. The standard navigation bar located at the bottom of the display occupies a useful area and can interfere with immersion in content or games. You can remove this panel by switching to modern gesture control, which makes interaction with the interface more smooth and intuitive.
The process of changing the navigation type in the MIUI shell (or HyperOS) does not require complex manipulation or obtaining superuser rights. Access to the settings is hidden in the standard menu of the system, but sometimes users can not find the right switch due to interface updates. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the steps necessary to turn off the buttons.
The switch to gesture control not only frees up space on the screen, but also prolongs the life of the physical matrix in the lower edge, because static elements stop burning constantly. AMOLED-screens, although the Redmi Note 8 Pro is installed IPS-The habit of a new way of navigation comes quickly.
Types of navigation in MIUI and their differences
Before making changes to the system, you need to understand what management options the developer offers. In current versions of Xiaomi firmware, there are two main modes: classic (buttons) and full-screen (gestures), each of which has its own features of interaction with the Android operating system.
Classic mode involves three static or program buttons: Back, Home, and App Menu. These can be placed at the bottom of the screen, so be placed in a separate floating panel. Gesture controls completely remove visual elements, leaving only a thin bar-indicator or leaving nothing if the concealment option is enabled.
⚠️ Attention: When you switch to gestures, the logic of the return to the menu changes. Instead of triple tapping or swiping up the button, now you use a swipe from the bottom edge of the screen up.
Redmi Note 8 Pro users often choose gestures because of ergonomics; on large diagonals, reaching the bottom corner with your thumb is more convenient than aiming at a small button; and there is no risk of accidentally tapping the phone when it is in your pocket or bag, as the sensitivity zone shifts.
- 📱 Classic buttons: the usual interface for those who upgrade from older versions of Android.
- 🖐️ Full-screen gestures: maximum area of useful space and modern animation.
- 🔄 Hybrid mode: the ability to use a floating button instead of a static panel.
- ⚙️ Sensitivity setting: the ability to adjust the speed of swipe response in advanced settings.
Importantly, some versions of MIUI have a third, lesser-known version, "Fullscreen with buttons," in which case the bottom panel disappears visually, but the functionality of the Back and Home buttons is saved via swipes from the edges of the screen, a compromise for those who do not want to learn new gestures but want to remove visual noise.
Preparing the device for changing settings
Before you start modifying the interface, it is recommended to make sure that the system is stable. Although changing the navigation is a safe software operation, having an up-to-date firmware version ensures that there are no bugs associated with the touchscreen response.
Check if you have third-party launchers that can intercept navigation control. Xiaomi's standard settings take priority, but custom shells may conflict with system settings. If you're using a standard POCO Launcher or MIUI Home launcher, there shouldn't be any problems.
☑️ Ready to set up
You also need to remember the basic combinations beforehand, so that you don't get confused after you turn off the buttons, for example, swiping up late opens the menu of running applications, and swiping to the right of the left edge or to the left of the right edge returns a step back, memorizing these actions will speed up the adaptation.
If your device has One Hand Mode enabled, it’s best to temporarily disable it, which can change the size of the workspace and affect the location of controls, creating confusion when testing new navigation settings.
Step-by-step: disabling navigation buttons
The process of removing the bottom panel on the Redmi Note 8 Pro is done through the system settings menu.The path may vary slightly depending on Android version (10 or 11) and the MIUI shell version, but the logic remains the same for all devices of the brand.
First of all, you need to unlock your smartphone and find the Settings app (cog icon). In the menu that opens, you should scroll down to the "Additional" section or immediately look for "Fullscreen mode." In newer versions of firmware, this item is often placed at the top of the list of basic settings.
Settings → Full-screen mode → Selection of navigation methodInside the Full Screen Mode menu, you'll be offered options. Select Full Screen gestures. Once you touch this item, the three-button bottom bar will instantly disappear, giving way to a thin horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen.
If the bar at the bottom of the screen is also annoying, you can hide it. To do this, in the same menu, "Full screen mode" find the switch "Hide the full screen indicator" (or "Hide the hint"). Once this option is activated, the bottom of the screen will become completely clean.
- 🔍 Go to the “Settings” of the smartphone.
- 📲 Select the section "Full screen mode».
- ✅ Activate the item "Full screen gestures».
- 🙈 Turn on the option “Hide the indicator” if you need to remove the strip.
Once the changes are made, the system can offer a short tutorial tour, and don't ignore it if you see it for the first time, because it shows the basic swipes for window management, and you can only drop the training if you're already skilled in gestures.
Setting sensitivity and response speed
Many users complain that after switching to gestures, the smartphone reacts to actions slowly or, conversely, too sharply. MIUI provides the ability to fine-tune this setting, which is especially important for the Redmi Note 8 Pro model with its refresh rate.
The Full Screen menu often hides an additional item, "Animation Speed" or "Sensitivity," and moving the slider to the right will speed up the system's response to swipes, making the interface more "live," and shifting to the left will add smoothness, but can create a sense of delay.
| Parameter | Default value | Recommended value | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign speed | Medium | Tall. | Reduces delay when swiping |
| Vibrant response | Included. | If you wish, | Gives tactile confirmation of the action |
| Indicator | See. | Hidden. | Increases usable area |
| Window animation | 1.0x | 0.5x | Visually speeds up the interface |
For advanced users, you can change the animation speed through the developer menu. To get there, you need to quickly click on the build number 7 times in the About Phone section. Then in the advanced settings, find the Windows Animation Scale, Transition Animation Scale, and set the 0.5x value. This will make gesture work instantaneous.
⚠️ Attention: Excessively increasing animation speed can make the interface twitchy and uncomfortable to perceive.
Secret Sensitivity Adjustment
Solving the problems with the disappearance of the panel
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the bottom panel disappears on its own or, conversely, does not want to hide even after switching settings, this can be caused by a malfunction in the system process SystemUI or application conflict.
If the buttons are gone and the gestures are not working, try restarting the device, which restores the interface to normal 90 percent of the time, and if the problem persists, check to see if Do Not Disturb or Game mode is on, which can block navigation to prevent accidental taps.
If the panel doesn't retract, make sure you're in the system launcher. Some of the themes may force the old controls back. Try temporarily changing the theme to standard Classic or Default and check the results.
- 🔄 Perform a smartphone reboot.
- 🎨 Change the theme of the design to the standard.
- 🧹 Clear the cache of the "Security" application».
- 📱 Check the system updates in the menu "About the phone».
Also worth mentioning is the Pocket Mode feature, which if it doesn't work properly, the phone can think it's in your pocket and lock the bottom of the screen. Turn it off in the security settings if the problem is permanent.
Alternative methods of interface management
Removing the bottom is not the only way to improve ergonomics. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro supports the use of the “Floating button” (Assistive Touch), a virtual analog of the button that can be moved around the screen and customized to your needs.
To enable this feature, go to Settings → Additional → Floating Button. You can assign single, double press or long hold actions here, which is a great option for those who are physically difficult to perform complex swipes.
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Use the “Run Apps” function in the floating button settings to quickly open frequently used instant messengers with a single touch.
Another method is to use quick commands, tack on the back (if supported by the software version) or use a proximity sensor to call the menu, but these methods require more in-depth tuning and are not native to all versions of MIUI.
Remember that in full-screen apps (video, games) the bottom bar is automatically hidden regardless of your settings. If you have buttons left in horizontal YouTube mode, check the settings of a particular application or try to close it through the menu of running tasks.
A Return to Classical Management
If you don't like the gesture experiment, you can go back to the buttons at any time, and it's completely reversible, and it doesn't require data resets or complicated manipulations, and all of your personalizations will be maintained.
To do this, go back to Settings → Full-screen mode and select “Buttons.” The system will instantly return the bottom bar to place. You will also be able to select the order of the buttons (left to right or right to left) in the “Button Order” menu that appears.
⚠️ Note: When you return to the buttons, the gesture indicator will disappear, but the swipe sensitivity settings will remain in case of a re-switch.
Many users use a hybrid scheme: gestures for everyday use and buttons for working with certain applications where swipes can conflict with management (for example, in some emulators or specific utilities), the flexibility of the system allows you to change modes at least every day without losing data.
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Switching between gestures and buttons takes a few seconds and does not affect the stability of the smartphone, so feel free to experiment.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that the abandonment of the bottom panel on the Redmi Note 8 Pro is a matter of habit. The first days can be difficult to get into the right areas, but after a week, most users note increased comfort and speed with the device.