How to remove full screen mode on Xiaomi phone

Owners of modern Xiaomi smartphones often face situations where the usual interface does not work as expected, especially in full-screen mode, which hides the traditional navigation bar and replaces it with gestures. For many users who have switched from other devices or use old application models, this behavior of the system becomes a source of constant discomfort and confusion.

The concept of full-screen mode in the context of MIUI and HyperOS can mean two different things: first, it is system gesture control, when there are no buttons on the bottom of the screen; second, it is the forced stretching of the interface of applications that are not optimized for the elongated displays of new smartphones, in both cases the solution lies in deep system settings, which are not always obvious at first glance.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the ways you can get the interface back to its classic look, learn how to switch between gestures and buttons, and learn how to make apps work in standard resolution if they don’t show up correctly, which will allow you to customize Xiaomi in the way you like, not the way the company decided.

Distinguishing System Gestures from Classical Navigation

Before making changes, we need to be clear about what we're going to turn off. Current versions of the MIUI 12, 13, 14 shell and the new HyperOS have gesture control activated by default. This means that the Home button and the Back button are physically or programmatically hidden from the screen, giving way to the content of the apps. A swipe from the bottom up returns to the desktop, and a swipe from the edge of the screen is a Back action.

Many users call this "full-screen mode," because the usable display area is used as efficiently as possible. However, for those who are used to tactile response or just don't want to remember new finger movements, this creates problems. Returning to classic three-button navigation is the first and easiest step to eliminating discomfort.

It's worth noting that turning off gestures doesn't affect the way media works. YouTube videos or movies in the movie library will still play full-screen when you turn the device. We're talking about system navigation, which is available to you 24 hours a day, and choosing between these two modes is a matter of personal preference and ergonomics.

⚠️ Note: When you switch navigation modes, the screen may blink, and all open applications may be closed by the system to apply the changes.

The switching process takes only a few seconds, but it changes the experience of using a smartphone. If you accidentally turn on this mode or update and do not find the usual buttons, do not panic. All settings are in the standard menu and do not require superuser rights or complex flashing.

Instructions: How to turn off gesture control

To remove the full-screen control mode and return the buttons, you will need access to the main settings of the system.The path to the desired menu may vary slightly depending on the firmware version, but the logic remains the same for all devices of the Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi brand.

First, open the settings menu, look for the "Advanced" or "Advanced Settings" section, and that's where the settings that govern the behavior of the interface are hidden. In some software versions, this item may simply be called "System navigation settings." It's important not to confuse this with special settings that are designed for people with disabilities.

Inside the menu, you'll see two options: Full-screen and Buttons. You'll have to choose the second option. Then you'll have three virtual keys at the bottom of the screen. The system can suggest you change their location (left to right or right to left), which is convenient for left-handers. Choose a configuration that is comfortable for you and press "Ready."

If you're using HyperOS, the path might be a little shorter: Settings → Settings → Navigation on the screen. In older versions of MIUI, this section was often in "Fullscreen Mode," where you just had to uncheck the box. Now the choice is more explicit and visual.

After settings are applied, it is recommended to restart the device so that the new navigation profile applies to all system processes, which is especially important if glitches with a touchscreen response at the bottom of the display have been observed before.

Set up full screen mode for individual applications

The navigation buttons are solved, but there is another aspect: some applications, especially older games or programs designed for the 16:9 screen, may not display correctly on modern 20:9 elongated displays. They can stretch, cutting off important interface elements, or, conversely, leaving black stripes on the sides. MIUI There is a separate mechanism.

To force full screen mode on or off for a particular application, you need to use a hidden developer menu or a special settings section, most often through the settings of the application itself, but MIUI has a global switch that allows the system to think that the smartphone has a different screen resolution, and run the application in compatible mode.

To access these settings, you often need to activate the developer mode, and this is done by repeatedly clicking on the build number in the About section. Once activated, a new "Developers" option will appear in the settings menu.

• 📱 Open Settings and go to About Phone section.
• 🔨 Find the line Version MIUI (or OS) And press it fast. 7-10 successively.
• ✅ Wait for the message “You became a developer” and go back to the main settings menu.
• ⚙️ Go to the Supplementary → For developers.

In the developer menu, look for "Minimum width" or "Less width." Changing this value can cause applications to restructure the interface. However, be careful: too much change can make text unreadable. The standard value is usually around 360-400 dp. Write down the original value before making changes.

⚠️ Warning: Changing the settings in developer mode can lead to unstable system operation. If you are not sure about your actions, you should use the standard application compatibility settings.

Eliminating black bars and stretching the interface

A common problem is unwanted stretching in games or video players when the proportions of the image are broken, or vice versa, the appearance of black fields when the application does not want to occupy the entire screen. In modern versions of the Xiaomi shell, the Full-screen applications function is responsible for this.

You can find this section by Settings → Screen → Full-screen applications. This is a list of all the programs installed. If the switch in front of the application is active, the system tries to stretch it to the full screen. If it is turned off, the application runs in standard mode with possible black fields.

This feature is especially useful for older games that don't support FHD+ or QHD+ resolution. Forced full-screen activation can "strip" the game interface by hiding the control buttons. In this case, you need to find the game in the list and disable the option. The interface will become smaller, but all the controls will be visible.

Also worth paying attention to the sensitivity of the edges of the screen. In some models, such as the Xiaomi 13 or POCO F5, the curved edges of the display can interfere with swipes. In full-screen settings, there is often a slider "Swipe Area"; its adjustment helps to avoid accidental taps or, conversely, makes the swipe more responsive.

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If the application does not change visually after changing the settings, try to close it completely through the menu of running tasks and open again.

Specifics of the work in the mode "One hand"

Another nuance that users sometimes confuse with full-screen mode is the one-handed mode, which reduces the scale of the entire image by shifting it to the corner of the screen so that all elements can be reached with the thumb, and random activation of this feature can be disorienting to the user who sees the small screen in the center.

This mode is activated usually by triple tapping the Home button (if the buttons are on) or by a special gesture in the corner of the screen. To remove this effect, you just press the expansion arrow or swipe from the edge. To completely disable the function, go to Settings → Additional settings → Mode with one hand and deactivate the switch.

This feature is useful on large smartphones like the Xiaomi Note series or Max, but on compact models it is more likely to interfere. If you accidentally turn it on, the screen becomes a small square. Don't worry, it's not a matrix breakdown, it's a software feature.

• 🖐️ The mode is useful for devices with a diagonal of more than 6.5 inches.
• 📉 Reduces the area of engagement by shifting content.
• ⚙️ It does not affect the screen resolution, only the scaling.

It is important to distinguish between this mode and changing the screen resolution in the engineering menu. One-handed mode is a temporary software utility, whereas changing the DPI (dots per inch) changes the pixel density throughout the system globally.

Problems after MIUI update and HyperOS update

Often users are looking for a way to remove full-screen mode after updating the firmware. Xiaomi regularly changes the location of settings and the logic of the interface. What worked in MIUI 11 may be called differently in MIUI 14. In addition, the update can reset your personalized settings to factory, returning the default gestures.

In HyperOS, the company is betting on the uniformity of the ecosystem, so navigation settings can be synchronized with a tablet or even a laptop of the brand. If you have a Mi Account account with synchronization settings, the phone can automatically pull up the control profile from another device.

If the button selection is lost after the update (the switch is grey or missing), this can be a bug of a particular version of the software. In this case, cleaning the Settings app cache or resetting the interface settings helps. However, wait for the next security patch, since global bugs usually fix quickly.

⚠️ Warning: If you've lost an entire settings section after the update, don't rush to do a full reset. Search for bug information about a particular firmware version on forums. A full reset will delete all data without the possibility of recovery.

Also worth checking is the region of the device. In Chinese firmware (CN), some menu items may be called differently or not in global (Global) builds. Switching the region in settings (Settings → Additional settings → Region) sometimes opens up hidden features, although this is not a guaranteed method.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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The flexibility of customizing the interface is one of Xiaomi’s biggest advantages: Don’t be afraid to experiment with navigation options to find the perfect balance between ergonomics and familiar handling.