Xiaomi gesture mode: how to enable and configure navigation without buttons

Modern smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO They offer two main ways of navigation: classic virtual buttons (“back”, “home”, “recent”) and intuitive gesture mode, which not only frees the screen from unnecessary elements, but also speeds up interaction with the device. However, many users have difficulty turning on this feature for the first time – especially if they have previously used push-button navigation.

In this article, we will analyze all the ways of activating gestures on different versions of the shell. MIUI (12 to 15), including hidden settings for older models, you will learn how to switch between gesture types (standard ones). MIUI Or full-screen, like the iPhone, what to do if the option isn't on the menu, and how to get the buttons back, and unique gesture combinations to quickly trigger features that aren't written in the official instructions.

What is the gesture mode on Xiaomi and why it is needed

The gesture mode replaces traditional navigation buttons (Back, Home, Recent) with swipes around the edges of the screen.

• 📱 More usable screen area – disappears the panel with buttons, which is especially noticeable on smartphones with a small diagonal (for example, Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5).
• ⚡ Quick switching – gestures are often performed faster than clicking buttons (e.g. swiping up to return to the home screen).
• 🎮 Comfort in games – the absence of virtual buttons reduces the risk of accidental clicks during gameplay.
• 🔄 Flexible settings - in MIUI You can choose between “classic” gestures (like in older Android) and “full-screen” gestures (similar to iPhone).

However, there are downsides to this mode, such as the addictive process takes 2-3 days: many users first confuse swipes or accidentally cause the wrong actions. 11T Pro) gestures may conflict with system animations, but these problems are solvable, as we'll talk about in the setup section.

Types of gestures on Xiaomi: what is the difference

V MIUI There are two basic types of gestures available, and they're easy to confuse:

Important: on some devices (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi) K60 Pro) is available in a hybrid mode where you can combine swipes from the side and bottom edges. → Special facilities → System navigation and works unstable on all firmware.

💡

If you drop your smartphone often, choose gestures. MIUI — A thin strip at the bottom of the screen reduces the risk of accidental swipes when falling.

How to turn on gesture mode: step-by-step instructions

The process of activating gestures depends on the version MIUI. Below is a universal instruction that will suit most models (from Redmi). 9A Up to Xiaomi 14 Pro if your device is running MIUI 12 or older, skip the steps associated with the Lab – they are only relevant to the MIUI 13+.

Method 1: Through the basic settings (MIUI 14/15)

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the Display section.
3. Select Full Screen Mode (or System Navigation on some models).
4. Slip on gestures and choose one of the options: 🔹 Gestures MIUI — swipe. 🔹 Full-screen gestures – swipes from any edge below.

Confirm the choice and wait for the interface to restart (usually takes 5-10 seconds).

Method 2: Through the laboratory MIUI (covert)

If there is no gesture item in the main settings, try this method:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 5-7 times on the MIUI version line until the notification “You became a developer” appears.
3. Return to the main settings menu and select Additional → Special facilities → Laboratory.
4. Find the Full-screen gestures section and activate the switch.
5. Choose the gesture style (we recommend Type 2 for maximum screen area).

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro) after activating gestures through the Laboratory, the notification panel may disappear. To return it, restart the device or turn off / turn on gestures again.

Method 3: For older models (MIUI 11 and below)

If you have a Xiaomi Mi A2, Redmi 7 or other model MIUI 11, the way will be different:

1. Go to Settings → System → Gestures.
2. Select System Navigation.
3. Activate the option Full-screen gestures (if not, update the firmware).
4. In the Gesture Style section, select “Swipe up” to simulate an iPhone.

Sensitivity settings and additional chips

So, to turn on gestures, that's half the story, and to make navigation really easy, you have to calibrate the sensitivity and adjust the extra parameters.

1. Swipe speed adjustment

If gestures are too slow or react to casual touches:

1. Go to Settings. → Display. → Full screen mode → Gesture settings.
2. Move the slider Sensitivity: 👉 Left for slow, clear swipes (suitable for older users). 👉 Right - for quick gestures (optimum for gamers).

Swipe vibration

2. Hidden gesture combinations

Few people know, but in MIUI Undocumented gestures that speed up work:

• 🔄 Quick switching between applications: swipe right on the bottom strip (works only in gestures) MIUI).
• 📱 Google Assistant Call: Swipe from the bottom corner diagonally up (you need to enable in Settings) → Annexes → Google Assistant → Gestures).
• 🔍 Screen search: swipe down the center of the lower strip (analogue Ctrl)+F on PC).
• 🔇 Quickly shut down sound: swipe down the left edge of the screen (requires activation in Settings) → Sound).

⚠️ Attention: POCO F5 Xiaomi 13T Google Assistant gesture may conflict with system swipe back. To fix this, turn off the option of Sensitivity to corner swipes in gesture settings.

3. Personalization of the navigation strip

If you use gestures MIUI (with a strip, it can be adjusted:

• 🎨 Change color: Settings → Display. → Full screen mode → Color stripes (options available: black, white, transparent).
• ⏱️ Hide the strip: activate the auto-hide option - it will only appear when swipe.
• 🔄 Change location: on some models (Xiaomi Mix 4) you can transfer the strip to the side edges.

💡

Nana MIUI 15, there's an option called "Adaptive Gestures," which automatically adjusts the sensitivity to your usage style. → Display. → Intellectual functions.

Solving gesture problems

Even when you're fine-tuned, gestures can work incorrectly, and here are the most common problems and solutions.

If the gestures don't turn on at all

If the item with gestures is not in the settings, try:

1. Update MIUI to the latest version via Settings → About Phone → System Update.
2. Reset the settings to factory (Settings) → Resetting settings, having previously made a backup copy.
3. Install the Quick Ball app – it adds a virtual gesture button.
4. Check if the gestures are disabled through ADB (To do this, connect your smartphone to your PC and follow the command: adb shell settings put global settings. force_fsg_nav_bar 1

Gestures work, but uncomfortable

If the swipes are too sharp or, conversely, require a lot of effort:

• 🔧 Calibrate the sensor: go to Settings → Display. → Calibration of the sensor and follow the instructions.
• 📉 Turn off animations: in Settings → Special facilities → Remove animations – it will speed up the response to gestures.
• 🛠️ Check the screen protection: thick glass or film can block swipes. Try pressing harder or replacing the protection.

How to return the navigation buttons back

If the gesture mode is not suitable for you, return the classic buttons simply:

1. Open Settings → Display → Full-screen mode.
2. Select the navigation buttons (or the three buttons on the older versions) MIUI).
3. Confirm the change and wait for the settings to apply.

In some models (POCO X5 Pro, Redmi K50) When the buttons are returned, the notification bar may disappear:

• Reset the device.
• If it doesn’t help, reset the launcher settings: clamping the empty space on the home screen → Home screen settings → Reset the settings.

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 15 If you return to the buttons, you may reset the order of the buttons. To restore the usual order, go to Settings. → Display. → Navigation buttons → Order of buttons.

Comparison of gestures on different Xiaomi models

Not all Xiaomi smartphones support gestures the same way, and here’s how it works on popular models:

On flagship models (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Xiaomi 14), gestures work as smoothly as possible thanks to the high frequency of the sensor survey (240 Hz). 10A, POCO M5) There may be delays due to hardware limitations.

FAQ: Frequent questions about gestures on Xiaomi