How to Remove Swipe Up on Xiaomi with MIUI 12: The Complete Guide

Why users want to turn off swipe up in MIUI 12

The swipe gesture up from the bottom edge of the screen is one of the most controversial features in the MIUI 12 shell. For some, it’s a convenient way to return to the home screen or open a panel of recent apps, for others, a source of constant irritation. The problem is that in MIUI 12, this gesture often works by accident when scrolling through the tape on social networks, games or even typing, especially on devices with curved screens (for example, Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra or POCO F4 GT).

The root of the problem is the aggressive implementation of gestures: the system recognizes even a minimal touch at the bottom edge as a command, which leads to unexpected closure of applications, loss of progress in games or the accidental opening of the multitasking panel, especially for smartphone owners with a high refresh rate of the screen (90 Hz, 120 Hz), where the delay in response to gestures is minimal.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to disable or reconfigure a swipe upwards, from standard MIUI settings to hidden features for power users. It’s important to understand that some methods require unlocking the bootloader or superuser rights, so let’s start with the safest options.

Method 1: Disable gestures through standard MIUI settings

The easiest way is to use the built-in shell options. Unfortunately, MIUI 12 doesn't have a direct "Swipe Up" button, but you can reassign it or reduce the sensitivity zone. Here's how to do it:

1. Open Settings → Additional → Full-screen display.
2. Select Gesture (or Navigation by gestures depending on the firmware version).
3. Slip on the Gesture settings (usually this item is hidden under the gear icon in the upper right corner).
4. Move the slider Swipe Sensitivity up to Low or Disable (if such option is available).

On some devices (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro or Xiaomi Mi 10T), instead of the slider, the option will be edge-only. In this case, the gesture will only work when swiping strictly from the lower corners of the screen, which significantly reduces the number of false positives.

Check out the MIUI version (Settings → About the phone)

Backup settings (Settings → System → Backup)

Battery charge of at least 30%

Turn it off. VPN (It can block access to system settings)-->

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 12.5 Enhanced (e.g. Xiaomi 12 Pro) may reset gesture sensitivity after the update. Check settings after installing new firmware versions.

Method 2: Use the navigation button mode

If you don't really need to use gestures, the most reliable way to get rid of swipe up is to return the classic virtual buttons (Back, Home, Recent) that completely disable all navigation gestures, including the problematic swipe.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Full-screen display.
2. Select the navigation buttons instead of the gestures.
3. Click Save and confirm the change.

Advantages of this method:

• 🔄 Completely disabling all gestures, including swipe up.
• 🛡️ No risk of accidental positives.
• ⚡ It works on all devices with MIUI 12 without exception.

Disadvantages:

• 📱 It takes up space on the screen (about 50 pixels below).
• 🎮 Less convenient for games with immersive mode.

💡

If virtual buttons seem too large, they can be reduced. To do this, hold your finger on the navigation bar and select Small Size or Transparent background from the menu that appears.

Method 3: ADB-commands to disable swipe (without root)

For users ready for more complex manipulations, there is a way to turn off swipe up via ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method doesn't require superuser rights, but it will require a computer and a computer. USB-cable.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your phone: go to Settings → About Phone and tap the MIUI version 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and activate Debugging over USB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC, install ADB Tools, and execute the command: adb shell settings put global. force_fsg_nav_bar 1
4. Reboot the device. After that, the swipe up will be turned off, but the navigation bar will appear (as in Method 2).

To return the gestures back, follow the command:

adb shell settings put global force_fsg_nav_bar 0

⚠️ Note: On certain devices (e.g, POCO X3 Pro) after application ADB-commands may reset the theme. Save the current theme in Settings → Topics before the start.

Method 4: Modification of system files (root only)

If you have a bootloader unlocked and you have Magisk (or another root rights manager) installed, you can edit the system files that handle gestures, which is the most radical and potentially dangerous method, but gives you complete control over the behavior of the swipe.

You'll need:

• 📱 Root rights (Magisk or SuperSU).
• 🛠️ File Manager with root support (e.g. Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
• 📄 Backup of the file /system/usr/idc/Vendor_0955_Product_7121_Touch.idc (path may differ!).

Instructions:

1. Create a backup of the original Touch.idc file (copy it on the file). SD-map).
2. Open the file in a text editor (for example, through QuickEdit with root access).
3. Find the line touch.deviceType = touchScreen and add after it: touch.gesture.swipe.up.enabled = 0
4. Save the file, set the rights to 644 (rw-r--r---) and restart the device.

This method works on most Xiaomi and POCO devices, but the path to the Touch.idc file may be different. For example, on Redmi K40, it is in /vendor/usr/idc/.

Method 5: Third-party launchers with gesture customization

If you don't want to interfere with system settings, you can get around the problem with alternative launchers that allow you to reassign gestures. MIUI 12:

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – supports swipe up via Settings → Gestures and buttons → Swipe gesture up.
• 🔧 Lawnchair – open launcher with flexible gesture settings (requires activation in Settings) → Behavior → Gestures).
• ⚡ Hyperion Launcher – Optimized for Xiaomi, has a built-in gesture blocker.

How to set up in Nova Launcher:

1. Install a launcher from Google Play.
2. Press your finger on the main screen → Settings → Gestures and buttons.
3. Find Swipe up and select No Action.
4. Save the settings and install Nova with the default launcher.

The advantage of this method is that there is no risk to the system and the ability to return the standard launcher at any time, but some MIUI features (for example, Second Space or Child Mode) may not work properly.

💡

Third-party launchers are the only way to disable swipe up without changing system files and without losing warranty.

What do you do if nothing helps?

If none of these methods worked, it may be a hardware fault in the touch screen or a conflict with installed applications.

1. Perform a reset (without deleting data): Settings → System → Resetting → Reset interface settings.
2. Check the gestures in Safe Mode (hold the power button → Safe Mode). If the problem has disappeared, the third-party app is to blame.
3. Update your firmware to the latest version of MIUI 12.5 Enhanced or MIUI 13 (if available for your model).
4. Contact Xiaomi Service Center if you suspect a hardware malfunction (for example, after a fall or moisture).

On some devices (such as Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 or Black Shark 3), swipe up may conflict with game mode. Try turning it off in Settings → Special Features → Game Turbo Mode.

FAQ: Frequent Swipe Up Questions in MIUI 12