Virtual buttons on Xiaomi smartphones are a software alternative to physical or touch navigation keys, appearing on the screen as a transparent bar with the Back, Home and Recent buttons (or Review) buttons, which is especially useful if the hardware buttons are out of order, the screen occupies the entire facade of the device (as in the Mi Mix or Redmi Note 12 Pro+ models), or you just prefer gesture control.
In this article, you will find 4 working methods for activating virtual buttons, from standard MIUI settings to hidden commands via ADB. We will also discuss why buttons can suddenly disappear and how to return them without reset to factory settings. All instructions are relevant for MIUI 12-14 firmware and models from Redmi 9 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra.
If your smartphone supports gestures, virtual buttons can be hidden by default, and it can take less than a minute to turn them on, but in some cases, you'll need to connect to your computer, and let's start with the simplest way.
1. Enabling virtual buttons through MIUI settings
The most obvious and safe method is to use built-in system options, which is suitable for 90% of Xiaomi models, except for devices with a pure gesture interface (for example, the POCO F5 or Xiaomi 13T Pro in Full Screen Gestures mode).
To activate the virtual panel:
- Open the Settings app (cog icon).
- Go to the Screen section.
- Select Full Screen Mode or Screen Style (name depends on MIUI version).
- Slip the navigation buttons (may be called Virtual buttons).
- Select the button option (not "Gests"!).
Then you'll see a three-button bar at the bottom of the screen, and if you don't have Navigation Buttons on the menu, your model uses gestures only, and then you'll move on to the next one.
Activation through “Developers Mode”
On some firmware (especially custom or global versions of MIUI), the virtual button option is hidden, and you can unlock it through the developer menu.
First, turn on the developer mode:
- Open the Settings. → The phone.
- Find the MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row.
- You will be notified: You have become a developer.
Now go back to the main settings menu and do:
- Go to Settings → Additional → For Developers (or Advanced Settings → Developer Mode).
- Scroll down and find the option of Virtual Navigation Buttons or Force Full Screen Display.
- Activate the switch and restart the device.
⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro) after activation of this mode, buttons may appear, but only work correctly after resetting the screen settings!
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If the developer menu does not have a virtual button option, try to enter the “force full screen” request in the settings search – sometimes the item is hidden under a different name.
3.Use of ADB-Teams (for experienced users)
If previous methods failed, virtual buttons can be forced to turn on via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method suitable for devices with locked bootloader and without root rights.
You'll need:
- 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux
- 📱 USB-cable (preferably original)
- 🛠️ Installed Xiaomi drivers and package ADB Tools
Step-by-step:
- Download Google’s Platform Tools and unpack the archive.
- Turn on the smartphone debugging by USB (Settings → For developers).
- Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
- Open the command line (or Terminal) in the folder with the platform-tools.
- Enter the command: adb shell settings put global force_fsg_nav_bar 1
- Reset the device.
If the buttons don’t appear, try the alternative command:
adb shell cmd overlay enable com.android.internal.systemui.navbar.gestural⚠️ Note: On some firmware (e.g. HyperOS), these commands can only work after shutting down. MIUI-To do this, do: adb shell settings put global miui_optimization_disabled 1
What if the ADB can’t see the device?
4. button recovery after crash or update
Sometimes virtual buttons disappear after updating MIUI or resetting settings, in which case resetting the screen settings without losing data will help:
Follow the following steps:
- Open Settings → System → Resetting settings.
- Select Reset Screen Settings (not to be confused with a full reset!).
- Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.
If that doesn’t work, check if the buttons are disabled by the system app. For example, on some POCO devices, the function is hidden in the Settings menu → Special Features → System Settings.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| There are buttons but do not respond to the presses. | Conflict with shell (launcher) | Install a standard MIUI launcher or reset its settings |
| The buttons disappear after the screen is blocked. | Error in security settings | Turn off Smart Lock in Settings → Lock screen |
| The buttons are too transparent | Display settings | Enable "Show background buttons" in Settings → Screen → Navigation buttons |
| Buttons only appear in some applications | Immersive display mode | Turn off Full Screen Mode for problem apps in their settings |
Check if the buttons are on in the screen settings |
Make sure that the gesture mode is not activated.|
Reboot the device |
Try another launcher (like Nova Launcher)-->
Alternative solutions: third-party applications
If the built-in methods didn't work, you can use third-party utilities to emulate virtual buttons.
- 📱 Navigation Bar (from Navigation Bar) XDA Developers) – adds customizable panel with gesture support.
- 🎛️ Floating Soft Keys – Floating buttons that can be moved around the screen.
- 🖥️ Button Mapper – allows you to reassign hardware and virtual buttons.
These applications may require overlay permission (Settings → Special Features → Overlay permissions) and root access (for full functionality).
Important: Third-party apps may contain ads or collect data, install them only from official Google Play and check reviews.
6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them
When setting up virtual buttons, users often face typical problems, and here's how to prevent them:
- ❌ Buttons don't appear after ADB-team → Make sure the debugging is done USB It's enabled and the drivers are installed correctly. Try the adb device command to check the connection.
- ❌ Buttons interfere with games → Enable the "Game Turbo" mode (Settings) → Special facilities → Play settings) or use immersive mode.
- ❌ Buttons are reset after the update → It's a known problem. MIUI. After the update, re-configure the setting through ADB or screen settings.
If you use custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), virtual buttons may not work properly, in which case check your firmware settings or consult your build documentation.
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On HyperOS devices (such as Xiaomi 14), virtual buttons can be removed from the firmware completely, in which case the only way out is to use third-party apps or roll back to MIUI.