How to return navigation buttons to Xiaomi Redmi 9: all ways

Touch navigation buttons on Xiaomi Redmi 9 can suddenly disappear after a system update, reset or accidental change of interface parameters. Many users face this problem, especially after switching to gesture control in MIUI 12/13/14. Unlike physical buttons on older models, the virtual navigation bar on Redmi 9 is controlled software - and it is easy to return if you know where to look.

In this article, we will discuss all the possible causes of buttons disappearing (from banal to hidden), and provide 4 working ways to restore them - from standard settings to manually editing configuration files. Particular attention will be paid to the nuances of Android 10/11 firmware with the MIUI Global/EEA shell, where the activation algorithm may differ. If you have already tried to reboot your phone or reset settings, do not rush to carry it to the service: in 90% of cases the problem is solved in 2-3 minutes.

For convenience, we have divided the instructions by difficulty levels, from simple (for beginners) to advanced (for those who are ready to work with ADB), and the article has a table of methods compatibility with different versions of MIUI and the FAQ block with answers to frequent questions. If after reading the buttons do not appear, check the last section with the diagnosis of hardware malfunctions.

Why are the navigation buttons on Redmi 9 missing?

The reasons for the disappearance of the navigation panel on Xiaomi Redmi 9 can be divided into software and hardware, in the first case, the system settings are to blame, in the second case, there may be problems with the touch screen or the plume.

✅ Accidental shutdown in settings. Most often, buttons are hidden after full-screen gestures are activated (for example, when experimenting with the interface). MIUI This option can be reset after updates or changing the theme of the design.

✅ Update MIUI. After installing a new firmware version (especially when switching from the MIUI 11 on MIUI 12+) It can automatically switch to gesture control even if you didn't plan to, and this is due to Xiaomi's policy of promoting a buttonless interface.

✅ When you return to Factory Reset, all interface settings are reset, including navigation type. If you don't remember which mode was activated before the reset, the buttons may not show up by default.

✅ It's rare, but sometimes it's not Android that's to blame, it's the shell. MIUI For example, after installing a third-party launcher (Nova, Apex) or a failure in the standard, system interface elements, including the navigation bar, may disappear.

⚠️ Note: If the buttons don’t appear even after changing the navigation type in the settings, and the touch screen only responds to touches at the top, this may indicate a hardware malfunction.

Method 1: Enabling buttons through standard MIUI settings

The easiest and safest method is to return the navigation bar via the settings menu, which works on all versions of Redmi 9 (including Redmi 9A/9C/9T models) with the official MIUI Global/EEA firmware.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the desktop).

2. Go to the Display → Full-screen display section.

3. Select Full-screen display style.

4.In the window that opens, you will see 3 navigation options:

- Gestures (full-screen swipes);

- Buttons (classic panel with 3 buttons);

- Gestures with the back button (hybrid mode).

5. Activate the button option and confirm the selection. The navigation bar will appear at the bottom of the screen immediately after you apply the settings.

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

Settings → Additional → Special features → System navigation

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 14 for Redmi 9 with Android 12, the option may be called Navigation Type or System Management. If you don't find the right item, use the Settings Search (the magnifier icon in the upper right corner).

Check the current version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Make sure the battery is more than 30% charged

Close all background applications (especially launchers)

Take a screenshot of the current screen settings (in case of rollbacks)-->

Method 2: Activate buttons via ADB (for power users)

If the standard method didn’t work (for example, due to a failure in MIUI or the lack of a paragraph in the settings), you can force the navigation bar to turn on via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), this method requires connecting the phone to a computer, but it is guaranteed to work even on custom firmware.

📌 What's the matter:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS;
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original);
• 📱 Included debugging by USB Redmi 9;
• 🛠️ Utility. ADB Tools (download from Google website).

🔧 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Enable debugging over USB on your phone:

- Go to Settings. → The phone;

7 times click on the MIUI version to activate the developer mode;

- Return to Settings → Additional → For developers;

Activate Debugging via USB and confirm the permission.

2. Connect Redmi 9 to your computer and select File Transfer mode.

3. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Linux/macOS) in the folder with ADB and execute commands in turn:

adb devices

(Your device with serial number should be displayed)

adb shell settings put global policy_control immersive.full=*

(This disables the forced full screen mode)

adb shell settings put global policy_control null*

(resetting immersive regime policies)

adb shell settings put global force_fsg_nav_bar 1

(Forced switching on of the navigation panel)

4.Reboot the phone with the command:

adb reboot

After the reboot, the navigation buttons should appear. If this does not happen, repeat the steps or check if the antivirus does not block ADB.

Method 3: Reset the launcher settings (if the buttons are missing after the update)

Sometimes the navigation bar disappears not because of system settings, but because of a malfunction in the MIUI Launcher, the standard Xiaomi launcher. This can happen after a firmware update, installing themes or conflict with third-party applications, in which case the launcher reset will help:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.

2.In the list, find the MIUI Launcher (or Launcher) and tap it.

3. Select Warehouse → Clear the data and confirm the action.

4. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Warning: After the launcher is reset, all shortcuts and widgets from the desktop, as well as folder settings, will disappear. Take screenshots of the current location of the icons in advance to quickly restore them.

If the buttons never show up after resetting, try temporarily installing a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher) to check if the bug is specifically related to MIUI Launcher. If the navigation bar works with another launcher, the problem is the firmware, and it is worth considering the option of reflashing or rolling back to a stable version of MIUI.

Method 4: Manual editing of build.prop file (for advanced)

This method is suitable if previous methods have not worked and navigation buttons are critically needed. We will edit the build.prop system file, which contains the configuration options of Android. ⚠️ Danger: Changing this file incorrectly can cause a phone to reboot cyclically!

🔧 Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root folder access (e.g. Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer) on your phone and enable Root access (superuser rights are required).

2.Cross the path:

/system/build.prop

3. Find the line:

qemu.hw.mainkeys=0

If it is not, add it to the end of the file.

Change the value to:

qemu.hw.mainkeys=1

5. Save the file and restart the phone.

💡 If the phone does not turn on or loads into Fastboot after building.prop editing, return the original value (qemu.hw.mainkeys)=0) through ADB or re-flash the device.

Standard settings of MIUI

ADB-team

Launcher reset

Editing by build.prop

Nothing helped.-->

Compatibility table with MIUI versions

Not all methods work equally well across firmware, and here is a table of compatibility of navigation bar recovery methods with MIUI versions for Xiaomi Redmi 9:

🔹 If you have a version MIUI Not listed in the table, try the standard method first, and then — ADB. On custom firmware (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the path to navigation settings may differ.

Diagnostics of hardware faults

If none of the software methods worked, the problem may be the hardware, and here are some signs that should alert you:

• 🔴 Navigation buttons don’t respond to touch, but the top of the screen works;
• 🔴 Artifacts appeared on the screen (stripes, flickers, broken pixels);
• 🔴 The phone fell or came into contact with moisture;
• 🔴 The sensor stopped working completely (even in the recovery menu).

🛠️ What to check:

1. Display plume. On Redmi 9, it often fades after falling or disassembling the phone. Symptoms: part of the screen does not respond to touch, the image flickers.
2. Touch module: If the plume is intact but the sensor is not working, the module itself may fail (requires replacement).
3. Sensor controllers. Rarely, but sometimes, the chip on the motherboard burns, so the screen can light up, but it doesn't respond to touch.

⚠️ Warning: If you suspect a hardware malfunction, don't try to disassemble the phone yourself without experience. On Redmi 9, the display module is glued to the frame, and if you disassemble it carelessly, you can damage the plume or matrix.

💡

Before visiting the service, make a backup of data via Mi Cloud or ADB backup – after repair, you may need to reset your settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about navigation buttons on Redmi 9