How to Enable Navigation buttons on Xiaomi: From gestures to the classic bar

Modern Xiaomi smartphones offer users a choice between classic virtual navigation buttons and gesture controls, but once the firmware update or resets, these elements can disappear from the screen, causing confusion. This is especially important for owners of devices with AMOLED-displays where the navigation bar is often hidden by default to save space.

In this article, we will look at all the ways to bring the navigation buttons back to Xiaomi, including models with MIUI 12, 13 and 14. You will learn how to switch between gestures and the classic panel, adjust the sensitivity of the sensor, and what to do if the settings are gray and inactive.

If you recently updated your firmware or bought a used device where the previous owner turned off the navigation panel, this instruction will help you return the usual control for the user. 2-3 And for experimenters, there's a bonus section on customizing buttons through the ADB and third-party utilities.

1. Standard method: through MIUI settings

The easiest way to enable navigation buttons is to use built-in options. MIUI. This method works on all modern Xiaomi smartphones, including the Redmi Note. 11/12, POCO X4/X5, Mi 11/12/13 and Pad tablets 5/6. The main condition is the presence of the latest firmware version (minimum) MIUI 12).

Step instructions:

If Full-screen mode is not in the Display menu, try an alternative path:

Settings → Additional settings → Full-screen mode

On some devices (e.g. POCO F3/F4), the option may be called Gestures and buttons, in which case select the Three Navigation buttons in the list of available styles.

Has the firmware been updated to the latest version?

Is there an active internet connection (for settings synchronization)?

Battery charge above 20% (to avoid failures)

Administrator rights verified (if root rights were previously used)-->

2. Gesture control vs classic buttons: which one to choose?

Before you turn on navigation buttons, it’s worth understanding the difference between the two main MIUI control modes, each with pros and cons that affect usability.

• ✋ Gesture control: The navigation bar is hidden, and actions are performed by swipes from the bottom edge of the screen, saves space and looks more modern. However, it requires addiction - many users accidentally activate gestures in games or applications.

Comparison of the two modes in the table:

On devices with curved screens (such as Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra or Black Shark 5), gesture control may not work smoothly due to false touches on the sides of the display, in which case it is recommended to return to the classic buttons.

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If you drop your smartphone frequently, classic buttons are preferable – they reduce the risk of accidental swipes when falling, which can lead to unwanted actions (for example, closing the application).

3.What to do if the navigation buttons are gray and inactive?

Sometimes the Full-screen control options are gray and you can't select them, and this happens for three main reasons:

1. Manufacturer restrictions: On some devices (such as the POCO M4 Pro), gesture control is set by default and cannot be disabled without additional manipulation.

Solutions for each situation:

• 🔧 Turn off Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About the phone, tap 7 times on the version MIUI, Then go back to the settings. → Additionally. → For developers and deactivate the switchboard at the top.
• 📱 Reset the launcher settings: Clip the empty space on the home screen → Home screen settings → Reset the settings.
• 🔄 Update your firmware manually: Download the latest version MIUI for your model from the official website and install through Settings → System Update (select the file manually).

⚠️ Note: If the gray settings appeared after use ADB or root rights, run the command in the terminal: adb shell settings put global force_fsg_nav_bar 1 This command will force the navigation bar to activate, but may require a reboot.

4. adjust the sensitivity and appearance of the buttons

Once you turn on the classic buttons, you can customize them -- change the order, change the color, or even add additional features. MIUI:

• 🎨 Change the order of buttons: In the menu Full-screen mode, tap the gear icon next to the Navigation buttons. Here you can choose the location: Standard (Back-Home-Recent) or Reverse (Recent-Home-Back).
• 🖌️ Panel Transparency: In the same settings, Transparency slider is available - reduce the value if the buttons merge with the background.
• ⚡ Long press: In Settings → Gestures → The Back button can be configured to take action when you hold on long (for example, opening Google Assistant or Power Menu).

For advanced users, hidden options are available:

Settings → About phone → All specs → Throw 5 times on the “Core”

After that, the Miniature Navigation Mode will appear in the Developer menu, which allows you to reduce the button size to 50% of the standard one.

On devices with MIUI 14, Adaptive buttons have been introduced, which automatically change color depending on the background of the application.

5. Navigation button problems: frequent errors and solutions

Even after successful button activation, users are plagued with bugs, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

If the navigation buttons are completely gone and don’t appear even after the reboot, try the following:

1. Hold the Power button for 10 seconds to force reboot.
2. Connect your phone to the Mi PC Suite and perform system recovery.
3. If nothing helps, do a hard reset (but save the data first!).

⚠️ Note: On devices with HyperOS (new firmware from Xiaomi, which came to replace) MIUI In 2026, the path to navigation has changed. Now you need to go to: Settings → Screen. → Navigation style → If you have HyperOS, but there is no navigation style item, update your firmware to the latest version.

6. Alternative control methods without buttons

If you don’t like either classic buttons or MIUI gestures, you can use third-party solutions, which are especially useful for devices with a broken sensor or for users who need additional features (such as customizing gestures).

• ⚙️ Xposed Framework + Xposed Edge: For advanced root-right users, gives full control over gestures, including creating your own combinations.

For Fluid Navigation Gestures installation:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb -d shell pm grant com.fb.fluid android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS
3. In the application settings, select the navigation style and adjust the gestures.

Warning: Third-party navigation apps may conflict with MIUI system gestures. Before using them, back up your settings via Settings → System → Backup.

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If you’re using the Xiaomi Pad 5/6, classic navigation buttons can interfere in horizontal mode, in which case it’s better to switch to gestures or use the Taskbar app to emulate the taskbar, like on a PC.

7. Reset navigation settings to factory

If all attempts to return the navigation buttons have failed, the last option is to reset the settings.

• The settings are grey and inactive.
• After the update, all management options disappeared.
• Third-party apps have broken system navigation.

How to perform a reset without losing data:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the MIUI Launcher (or POCO Launcher for POCO devices).
3. Slip the vault. → Clear the data.
4. Reset the device.

If this does not work, you will have to do a complete reset:

1. Save important data (photos, contacts, messages) to Mi Cloud or PC.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm the action.

⚠️ Note: On bootloader devices, resetting may result in device locking (re-assignment of Mi Account is required). Before reset, check the bootloader status via the command: fastboot oem device-info If Device unlocked: True, after resetting the phone will require authorization.

FAQ: Frequent questions about navigation buttons on Xiaomi