How to Turn On Navigation Buttons on Xiaomi Phones: A Complete Guide to 2026

The on-screen navigation buttons on Xiaomi smartphones are a classic MIUI feature that many users prefer to gesture. However, after updating the firmware or resetting the settings, they can suddenly disappear, and they are not always easy to find in the menu of options. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to return control buttons, from standard settings to hidden commands for power users.

The problem is especially relevant for owners of devices with full-screen display (Mi 10/11/12 series, Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO F3/F4/F5), where the manufacturer is actively promoting gesture control. But even on new models, you can turn on the navigation buttons - you know where to look. We tested all methods on the latest versions of MIUI 14/15 (including global and Chinese builds) and collected working solutions.

Important: If you use custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the algorithm may be different – there’s a separate section at the end of the article for such cases.

1. Standard method: through MIUI settings

The simplest method is to activate buttons through the system menu, which works on 90% of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices with official firmware.

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the Display section.
3. Select Full-screen display (on some models – Navigation panel).
4. Slip on the line Type of navigation.
5. Select the button option (or the three buttons on older versions of MIUI).

After that, the classic buttons will appear at the bottom of the screen: Back, Home and Recent. If there is no navigation type, then your version of MIUI is using a different path (see the next section).

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On some devices (such as the Redmi Note 9 Pro), the navigation buttons are hidden behind the option “Additional Settings → Navigation Pro”.

Pay attention to additional parameters:

• 🔄 Order of buttons: you can swap places Back and Recent (relevant for left-handed people).
• 🎨 Transparency: adjusting the degree of panel dimming (useful for AMOLED-screen).
• ⚡ Animation: enable/disable smooth appearance of buttons.

Is the device connected to charging (recommended when changing system settings)|

Are all applications closed (to avoid conflicts) |

Is backup settings made (via Settings → About Phone → Backup)|

Verified version of MIUI (relevant for older devices)

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2.An alternative path for MIUI 12/13/14

Since MIUI 12, Xiaomi has redesigned the menu structure, and the path to navigation settings has become less obvious. If the standard method didn't work, try this algorithm:

1. Go to Settings. → Additional settings.
2. Select Full-screen mode (or Screen and brightness on some models).
3. Slap the navigation buttons.
4. Activate the switch Show navigation buttons.

On some devices (such as the Xiaomi 12T or POCO X5 Pro), this item may be called Navigation Style or Control Type. If there are no buttons here, then move on to the next section.

On devices with MIUI 15 (2026), navigation buttons can be completely removed from the interface for models with a dynamic island (for example, Xiaomi 14 Ultra), in which case they can only be returned through ADB or third-party launchers.

3. Enabling buttons through launchers

If the system settings do not allow the buttons to be turned on, you can bypass the restrictions with third-party launchers, which works even on devices with locked MIUI options.

The most popular launchers with navigation button support:

• 📱 Nova Launcher: allows you to add a virtual button bar through gesture settings.
• 🎯 Microsoft Launcher: has a built-in option "Navigation panel" in experimental features.
• ⚡ Lawnchair: open launcher with support for customization of the bottom panel.
• 🔧 Smart Launcher 6: Offers its own implementation of navigation buttons.

Instructions for Nova Launcher:

1. Install a launcher from Google Play.
2. Set it as the default launcher (the first start will be a proposal).
3. Go to Settings Nova → Gestures and controls.
4. Activate the navigation bar.
5. Customize the appearance and location of the buttons.

Standard MIUI|

Nova Launcher|

Microsoft Launcher|

Lawnchair|

Other| -->

The advantage of this method is the flexibility of the configuration (you can change the icons, add additional buttons, adjust transparency).

⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi) K50 Gaming) Third-party launchers may conflict with system gestures. Check compatibility on forums (e.g., before installing, 4PDA or XDA-Developers).

4. ADB-Teams for experienced users

If system settings and launchers don’t work, the most reliable (but also the most difficult) way is to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that requires connecting your phone to a PC and basic command line knowledge.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your phone: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on the line MIUI Version. Enter the password from your Mi Account if necessary.
2. Activate Debugging by USB in the Developer Menu.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and install ADB drivers (you can download from the Android Developers website).
4. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type: adb devices Make sure your device appears in the list.
5. Use the command to enable navigation buttons: adb shell settings put global policy_control immersive.full=* To disable gestures and return buttons: adb shell cmd overlay enable com.android.internal.systemui.navbar.threebutton

After you execute the commands, restart the device. The buttons should appear at the bottom of the screen.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This can cause a soft-brick device. Before executing commands, back up your device using Mi. PC suite TWRP. If after the commands the buttons did not appear, and the gestures stopped working - reset the launcher settings: adb shell pm clear com.miui.home

5. Solution for custom firmware (LineageOS, Pixel Experience)

If you use an informal firmware (like LineageOS 20 or ArrowOS), the button-on algorithm will be different. AOSP-The setting is in the Systems menu:

1. Open the settings → System → Gestures.
2. Select System Navigation.
3. Activate the Three buttons (or 2-button navigation).

Some builds (such as Havoc-OS) may require editing the build.prop file.

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Solid Explorer).
2. Open the file /system/build.prop.
3. Add a line: qemu.hw.mainkeys=0
4. Save the changes and restart the device.

If you use MIUI-ports (e.g. ports, MIUI by XIAOMI.EU), Check for the module availability MIUI Extra Settings in Magisk – it often adds hidden navigation options.

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On custom firmware, navigation buttons may conflict with system gestures. If swipes stop working after activating the buttons, turn off the option Full-screen gestures in the firmware settings.

6.Problems and solutions

Even after successful button activation, users often encounter bugs, and consider the most common problems and ways to solve them:

Buttons appear, but do not respond to clicks

• 🔧 Check if left-handed mode is enabled in special features settings.
• 🔄 Restart the device – sometimes the system doesn’t apply the changes right away.
• 🛠️ Disable all apps that use overlays (e.g. Blue Light Filter or Game Turbo).

The buttons disappear after the screen is blocked.

This is a well-known MIUI 13/14 bug on some devices (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro+).

• 🔒 Disable Show when Locking in Lock Screen Settings.
• 📱 Install an alternative launcher (e.g. Nova Launcher).
• 🔄 Reset the launcher settings through ADB: adb shell pm clear com.miui.home

Buttons are superimposed on interface elements

If the bottom panel covers the contents of the applications:

1. Go to Settings → Additional settings → Full-screen display.
2. Select Automatic Hiding of the Navigation Panel.
3. Activate the option to Hide in full-screen applications.

FAQ: Frequent questions