Xiaomi Redmi 9 gesture management: how to turn on, configure and use with maximum efficiency

Why gestures are better than buttons: benefits for owners of Redmi 9

Xiaomi Redmi Smartphones 9 steerable MIUI They offer two basic ways of navigation: classic virtual buttons and modern gesture control, the latter becoming the standard for flagship devices, but even in a budget model like the Redmi. 9 And it's amazingly good, and the gestures move away from the screen, and it increases the usable area of the display. 5-7% It makes the phone more intuitive.

The main difference between gesture navigation and buttons is the absence of delay when triggered (in the form of a button). MIUI It's all about it. 80-120 opportunistic 150-200 This is especially noticeable when switching between applications or returning to the home screen quickly, and gestures reduce wear on the display: there is no constant display of static buttons, which reduces the risk of burnout. OLED-Matrixes (relevant to Redmi) 9 Pro AMOLED-screen).

But it's not that clear, for example, users with large thumbs or those who are used to physical buttons may feel uncomfortable first. 2-3 Also, consider that some applications (especially banking or old games) may conflict with gesture navigation, requiring additional settings. MIUI 12/13/14 for Redmi 9, How to avoid typical mistakes.

Preparation of the smartphone: what to check before turning on gestures

Before you switch to gesture navigation, make sure your Xiaomi Redmi 9 is ready for the changes.

  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Version. MIUI: The gestures are fully working, starting with MIUI 10, but optimal stability is achieved in the MIUI 12+. You can check the version in Settings โ†’ The phone. โ†’ Version. MIUI.
  • ๐Ÿ”„ System Updates: Outdated firmware may contain gesture bugs (such as random returns to the home screen). โ†’ Updating the system.
  • ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Shell compatibility: If you use third-party launchers (Nova, Apex), some gestures may not work. MIUI Launcher.
  • ๐Ÿ”‹ Battery charge: When you first turn on gestures, the system indexes new movements, which can require up to 15% charge.Plug the charger if the level is below 30%.

Pay special attention to the touch sensitivity of the screen. On Redmi 9 with factory protective films, sometimes you see false gestures around the edges of the display.

  1. Remove the old film and clean the screen with an alcohol napkin.
  2. Calibrate the sensor in Settings โ†’ Additionally. โ†’ Screen calibration (not available in all versions) MIUI).
  3. If the problem persists, reduce sensitivity in Settings โ†’ Screen. โ†’ Sensitivity of touch.
๐Ÿ“Š What kind of navigation you are using now?
Classic buttons
MIUI gestures
Gestures from a third-party launcher
I don't know what I'm on.

Step-by-step: how to turn on gestures on Redmi 9

Activating gesture navigation takes less than a minute, but requires precise steps. Here's a universal algorithm for all versions. MIUI on the Redmi 9 (including Redmi 9A/9C/9T):

  1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the home screen or in the application menu).
  2. Go to the Screen section (in some firmware it may be called the Display).
  3. Select Full-screen mode or Full-screen display (in) MIUI 14 - Navigation style).
  4. Slip on Gesture Navigation (or Gesture Control) and the system will offer you to choose from three modes:
Sign modeDescriptionSuitable for
MIUI gesturesSwipe from the bottom up for return to the main screen, swipe from the bottom up with pause for multitasking, swipe from the edge to go back.For beginners and those who are used to standard Android navigation.
Android gesturesSwipe from the bottom up and hold for multitasking, swipe from the left/right edge to go back.Users who migrated from other brands (Samsung, Google Pixel)
Full-screen gesturesIt hides the bottom panel completely. Back up, swipe from any edge, the main screen is swipe from the bottom up.Experienced users who want the maximum screen area.

Once you select the mode, the system will offer short training. MIUI There are some nuances that are not in standard Android, for example, in the mode of full-screen gestures to call the notification panel you need to swipe from top to bottom twice (the first swipe opens the quick settings panel, the second โ€“ notifications).

Verified version. MIUI|Updated firmware|Third-party launchers removed|Battery charge >30%|Screen cleared of contamination-->

Hidden gesture settings: how to make navigation perfect

Basic gesture settings in MIUI They don't reveal the full potential of the function. There are a few hidden parameters that will make the control more smooth and adaptable to your habits:

  1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings โ†’ About the phone and 7 times tap on the version MIUI. You will receive a notification that you have become a developer".
  2. Go back to the main Settings menu and open a new section for developers.
  3. Scroll down to the Input block and find options related to gestures.

Here are the key parameters that should be set up:

  • ๐Ÿ”„ Gesture sensitivity: Regulates how sharp a swipe must be to trigger. -- For Redmi 9 optimality โ€” 70-80% (default 100%, What can cause false positives).
  • โฑ๏ธ Return Delay: Time it takes to trigger a back gesture when holding a swipe.Reducing to 100ms speeds up navigation but can interfere with gaming.
  • ๐ŸŽฏ Operation Zone: In Full-screen gestures, you can narrow the swipe active area back (for example, only the extreme 5mm screen) to avoid conflicts with apps.
  • ๐Ÿ”’ Gesture Blocking: Allows you to disable gestures in certain applications (useful for games or banking programs). โ†’ Annexes โ†’ Special rights โ†’ Navigation gestures.

๐Ÿ’ก

If the bottom buttons are gone after you turn on your gestures, but the swipes are not working, restart your phone. 10% of the time you need to restart. MIUI Launcher to apply changes.

The vibration response settings for gestures are particularly useful, and in Redmi 9, it's hidden deep in the menu:

  1. Open the Settings. โ†’ Sound and vibration.
  2. Go to Vibration when you touch.
  3. Activate Vibration when navigating (some firmware calls tactile feedback for gestures).

This will add a light vibration to swipe, which will help you get used to new gestures and the number of errors, and the vibration intensity is regulated by a slider on the same menu.

Typical Problems and Solutions: Why Gestures Don't Work

Even after you set it up properly, gestures on Xiaomi Redmi 9 can be incorrect, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

โš ๏ธ Warning: If the screen starts twitching when scrolling after activating gestures, it is a sign of shell conflict. โ†’ Themes and reboot the device.

Problem.Possible causeDecision
Gestures work through timeLow Sensitivity or Contaminated ScreenClean the screen, increase sensitivity in the settings for developers, calibrate the sensor
Swipe back works in gamesToo wide a gesture area or conflict with the game engineNarrow down the trigger zone in the developer settings or add the game to exceptions
Notification panel not openingFull-screen gestures are enabled without trainingDo a double swipe from top to bottom or learn again in screen settings
Gestures are laid after the updateThe system cache is not cleaned or the update is installed on top of the old firmwareClear the cache in Settings โ†’ Warehouse โ†’ Clear the cache or reset settings (without data loss)

The problem of random returns to the home screen when swiping up deserves special attention, which is often due to:

  • ๐Ÿ‘† Incorrect swipe angle (should be strictly vertical, deviation more than 15)ยฐ It's a "backward gesture").
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Defects of protective glass (especially with rounded edges).
  • ๐Ÿค– Conflict with automation applications (e.g. MacroDroid or Tasker).

If the problem persists, try resetting your gesture settings to factory:

  1. Go to Settings. โ†’ Screen. โ†’ Full screen mode.
  2. Choose a different gesture mode (for example, change gestures) MIUI Android Gestures).
  3. Return to the original mode - the system will offer to undergo training again.
What to do if the gestures stop working?
If, after manipulating the settings, the gestures stopped responding at all, follow the following steps: 1. Restart the phone in safe mode (hold the power button). โ†’"Safe Mode. 2. Check the gestures โ€“ if they work, the problem is in one of the installed applications. 3. alternately remove newly installed programs, starting with launchers and utilities to configure the interface. 4. If gestures donโ€™t work and in safe mode, reset your settings through Settings. โ†’ System system โ†’ Resetting settings โ†’ Reset the interface settings (app data will not be affected).

Gesture and button comparison: whatโ€™s best for Redmi 9

To make a final decision on whether to switch to gesture navigation, compare both methods on the key criteria for the Xiaomi Redmi 9:

CriteriaGesturesButtons
Speed of navigationโšก Hurry up. 30-40% (no delay in pressing)๐Ÿข Slower due to visual feedback
Useful screen area๐Ÿ“ฑ +7% due to the lack of a button panel๐Ÿ“ฑ Standard area (buttons occupying) ~50 pixels)
Comfort in gamesโŒ Possible conflicts with swipes in gamesโœ… Stable (buttons do not interfere with gameplay)
Battery๐Ÿ”‹ Savings up to 5% due to the lack of button highlighting๐Ÿ”‹ Expenditure higher on 2-3% owing to the constant lighting
Getting used to๐Ÿง  2-3 day-to-day๐Ÿง  Instant intuitiveness

For Redmi. 9 his 6.53-inch-screen 2340ร—1080 gestures offer a significant advantage in multimedia: video and web pages occupy the entire height of the display without black bars:

  • ๐Ÿ‘ต Users over 50 years old who are used to physical buttons.
  • ๐ŸŽฎ Gamers playing in PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty or Genshin Impact (Gesturals may conflict with management).
  • ๐Ÿฆ Those who often use banking apps with screenshot protection (some block gestures).

๐Ÿ’ก

For most Redmi 9 users, gestures become more convenient than buttons after a week of use, the main thing is to adjust the sensitivity and trigger zones correctly.

If you are still in doubt, try the hybrid mode:

  1. Include gestures in Settings โ†’ Screen. โ†’ Full screen mode.
  2. Activate the display of the navigation bar in Settings โ†’ For developers โ†’ Debugging โ†’ Showing the navigation panel.
  3. Now you will have both gestures and visual cues in the form of a translucent panel.

Additional chips: gestures in applications and systems

In addition to basic navigation, MIUI It offers advanced gestures for specific tasks. You can configure them into Settings. โ†’ Additionally. โ†’ Gestures and movements (some firmware may have different paths:

  • ๐Ÿ“ธ Camera gesture: Double-pressing the volume button triggers the camera even on a locked screen. works faster than a swipe icon.
  • ๐Ÿ” Flashlight gesture: Double pressing the power button turns the flashlight on/off. Useful in the dark.
  • ๐ŸŽต Gesture for music: Double tap on the lock screen switches tracks (configured in Settings) โ†’ Lock screen).
  • ๐Ÿ“ž Call gesture: Raising the phone to your ear automatically receives an incoming call (turns off in Settings) โ†’ Calls. โ†’ Gestures).

The Redmi 9 is particularly useful in the screenshot gesture, which is a three-toed top-down conduction, and it works even in games and apps where the standard button combinations are locked, to activate:

  1. Go to Settings. โ†’ Additionally. โ†’ Gestures and movements โ†’ Screenshot.
  2. Turn on the Three-toed swipe option down.
  3. Try to take a screenshot on the main screen - a preview should appear.

Another hidden possibility is split-screen gestures, to quickly split the screen into two parts:

  1. Open the first appendix.
  2. Swipe from the bottom up and hold your finger (the multitasking menu will open).
  3. Drag the icon of the second application to the top of the screen.
  4. To change the size of the windows, pull the dividing line.

โš ๏ธ Attention: B MIUI 14 for Redmi 9, split screen gestures don't work in all apps.For example, Instagram and TikTok block this feature.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions about Gestures on Redmi 9

Can I return the buttons after the gestures are turned on?
Yeah, anytime. Go to Settings. โ†’ Screen. โ†’ Full screen mode and select Navigation buttons. Changes apply immediately, without rebooting.
Why does the back gesture work when I play Genshin Impact?
This is a typical problem for swipe games around the edges of the screen. Solutions: Add the game to gesture exceptions (Settings) โ†’ Annexes โ†’ Special rights โ†’ Navigation gestures. Narrow back gestures in the developer settings. Use Android Gesture mode instead of Gesture. MIUI โ€” It is less sensitive to side swipes.
How to turn off vibration when gestures?
Go to Settings. โ†’ Sound and vibration โ†’ Vibration when touched and disable Vibration when navigation. If no point is available, vibration is controlled by global setting Vibration when touched.
The gestures work, but the notification panel won't open.
In Full-screen gestures, you need to make a double swipe from top to bottom to open the notification bar: the first swipe opens the Quick Settings Panel; the second swipe (if you pull further) opens notifications; if that doesn't help, check if the panel blocks some application (such as Clean Master or Battery Saver).
Can you customize gestures to run specific applications?
In the standard MIUI There is no such feature, but you can use third-party utilities: Fluid Navigation Gestures (requires root or root). ADB). Edge Gestures (runs without root but with limitations). + AutoInput plugin (for advanced users). For Redmi 9, we recommend Edge Gestures - it has less impact on performance.