Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones offer users a wide range of personalization options. However, the standard navigation bar located at the bottom of the screen often prevents full immersion in content or just annoys with its presence. Many device owners are looking to change the usual way of control to free up useful display space.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods to remove the bottom bar on Xiaomi smartphones. We will look at both the standard Android operating system tools with MIUI and HyperOS shells, and advanced methods through debugging and third-party utilities. You will learn to switch between buttons and gestures, and also hide interface elements in specific applications.
Before making any changes, it's important to understand that removing system elements completely requires care. Incorrectly configured can lead to temporary management discomfort, but all changes are reversible. Let's start with the simplest and safest methods available to every user out of the box.
Transition to gesture management
The most effective and regular way to get rid of the Back, Home and Menu buttons is to activate gesture control mode. In modern versions of Xiaomi firmware, this method is the main and most convenient for devices with large screens. Switching is instant and does not require superuser rights.
To activate, you need to go to your device settings. Find the partition that handles screen performance and navigation. Depending on the version of your MIUI or HyperOS shell, the path may vary slightly, but the logic remains the same for all current models.
- 📱 Open the Settings app on the main screen.
- 🔍 Go to the "Additional" or "Extended settings" section».
- 🖱️ Select "Full screen mode" or "System navigation».
- ✅ Activate the “Full-screen gesture” switch».
Once this function is enabled, the bottom bar with three buttons will disappear. Instead, thin bars will appear, indicating the edges of the screen or the control will become completely contextual. Swipe to the right from the edge will take you back, swipe up to home, and hold your finger at the bottom will cause a menu of running applications.
⚠️ Attention: When you first switch to gestures, the system will offer a brief tutorial. Don't ignore it, because the logic of movement is different from the usual button mechanics, and you need to get used to it.
The use of gestures maximizes the useful area of the display, especially when watching videos, reading books or playing in a horizontal orientation, where buttons often overlap important interface elements of games or video players.
Set up transparency and hiding in applications
If the complete rejection of buttons is not suitable for you, but their visual presence interferes, the system offers flexible display settings. You can make the panel semi-transparent or adjust its automatic hiding in certain use cases.
The navigation menu often includes a Hide Tips option or button transparency adjustment, which makes the lower area less visible by merging it with the background of desktops or dark themes, but requires additional action to completely disappear in specific programs.
Many modern apps, such as YouTube, Netflix or browsers, automatically hide the navigation bar when you go to full screen mode. To force the panel to be removed in other cases, you can use the Do Not Disturb feature or Game mode for optimized applications.
| Display mode | Visibility of buttons | Screen impact | Recommended use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classical. | Always visible | It takes 40-50 pixels. | For seniors and beginners |
| Semi-transparent | Seen but pale | Minimum visual impact | For light interfaces |
| Gestures (with a strip) | Thin strip from below | Almost invisible. | Standard for modern smartphones |
| Full screen (App) | Hidden programmatically | 0% (maximum area) | Videos, games, reading |
Also worth noting is the Game Turbo feature, which is guaranteed to hide the bottom panel when running games through this mode, and access is only via swipe from the corner of the screen, which prevents accidental clicks during battles.
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If the gesture bar gets in the way of a particular app, try swiping up from the bottom edge of the screen and holding your finger – sometimes it temporarily removes the indicator.
Use of third-party launchers
Xiaomi’s regular launcher has limited customization functionality. If the built-in tools don’t deliver the desired result, third-party shells come to the rescue. Launchers like Nova Launcher, Lawnchair or Microsoft Launcher give deep control over the interface.
Installing an alternative launcher does not remove the bottom navigation bar directly, as it is part of Android.However, third-party shells allow you to change the behavior of the desktop, hide the Google search bar and the bottom docks with icons, creating the illusion of a clean screen.
For advanced users, there are plugin-enabled launchers that can block system navigation with their controls or completely simulate gesture control with unique visualization.
- 📥 Download the selected launcher from Google Play.
- 🏠 Click the Home button and select Always for a new launcher.
- ⚙️ Go to the settings of the new launcher and turn off the bottom panel of icons.
- 🎨 Set up the grid and indentations for the perfect view.
In addition, when updating the system, the rights to use a third-party launcher may be reset, and the procedure will have to be repeated.
Compatibility with MIUI 14 and HyperOS
Advanced Methods Through ADB and Debugging
For users who want to completely remove or hide system elements at the code level, there is a method using Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which allows you to make changes that are not available in the regular menu, but requires a computer connection and basic command line knowledge.
Before you start, you need to activate the developer mode, and you can click seven times on the build number in the About Phone section, then turn on the USB Debugging menu in the Developer Menu, without which the computer will not be able to interact with the smartphone file system.
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.internal.systemui.navbar.gesturalThe above command is an example of how you can try to influence the interface components. However, completely removing the navigation system panel through the interface. ADB on modern versions of Android (11-14) often leads to instability of the system or the inability to go back. ADB More for fine tuning than for removing critical components.
A safer option through ADB is to change the density of the DPI or hide the status bar in certain applications, which indirectly affects the perception of the bottom panel. Use the wm density command with caution, having previously learned the standard value for your model.
⚠️ Attention: Use of teams ADB To disable system packages can lead to a "boot loop" (cyclic reboot).Always have the ability to reset settings through Recovery Mode if the phone stops responding to commands.
Solving panel sticking problems
Sometimes users don't want to remove the panel forever, but because it's stuck or it's not behaving properly. For example, the bottom bar may not disappear in full-screen video or overlap buttons in the application interface. This is often a software shell failure.
The first step in diagnosis is to reboot the device. A simple rebuke often clears the SystemUI cache and returns navigation to the correct behavior. If the problem persists, it's worth checking for system updates.
It can also be a conflict with a particular application. If the panel disappears anywhere but one program, the problem is to optimize the application for a screen cutout or bang. In the screen settings, look for "Nethole Management" and try to change the display mode for the problematic application.
☑️ Diagnostics of panel sticking
Specificity of the HyperOS shell
With the release of the HyperOS shell, which replaced MIUI, the logic of navigation has changed: the new system is based on deeper integration with the ecosystem and has improved transition animations.
HyperOS has the ability to more flexibly adjust the sensitivity of the edges of the screen to call gestures, allowing users who are accustomed to buttons to gradually switch to gestures without fear of random activation. The bottom panel in the new system behaves more predictably in multitasking mode.
If you upgraded to HyperOS and noticed that the usual settings are gone, look for them in the new section “Screen and brightness” -> “System navigation”. The interface of settings was unified, but the functionality remained the same with the addition of new animation effects for swipes.
For owners of tablets Xiaomi Pad with HyperOS, a floating navigation bar feature is available, which can be moved around the screen or hidden in a corner. This is a unique feature of large devices that allows you to control the tablet with one hand in any position.
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HyperOS offers the most stable gesture implementation at the moment, minimizing conflicts with applications and ensuring smooth animations, which makes the rejection of buttons as comfortable as possible.