Gestures on Xiaomi: how to enable, configure and eliminate errors

Why are gestures better than navigation buttons?

Xiaomi's current MIUI smartphones offer two basic controls: classic virtual buttons and navigation gestures, which are becoming the de facto standard, and for good reason. First, they free the screen from unnecessary elements — the usable display area increases by 5-8% depending on the model. Second, gestures allow you to interact with the interface intuitively, with a single movement of your finger, without having to press the buttons purposefully.

The transition to gesture control is especially relevant for owners of devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12 Pro+), where every extra navigation button can cause pixels to burn out over long periods of time, and gestures work faster, according to Xiaomi's internal tests, switching between apps to a different location. 20-30% faster than using the buttons.

Some users complain of accidental positives (such as returning to the home screen when scrolling through social media) or inconvenience in games. In this article, we will discuss how to properly enable gestures on Xiaomi, avoid typical errors and adjust control to your needs - whether it is Poco F5 on MIUI 14 or Redmi 10 with MIUI 12.5.

Types of gestures on Xiaomi: what are and how are different

MIUI has three main gesture types, and their availability depends on the firmware version and smartphone model, and we will consider each option in detail so that you can choose the best one for yourself.

1. MIUI gestures (full screen) are the most modern and recommended option. There are no hints on the screen, and the control is carried out by swipes from the bottom edge of the display:

• 🔙 Back - swipe from right to left from the edge of the screen.
• 🏠 Home – Swipe up from the bottom edge and pause (or quick swipe and let go).
• 📄 Recent applications – swipe up from the bottom edge with a delay (or swipe up and hold).

2. Android gestures (with hints) are a hybrid version, where a thin stripe is displayed at the bottom of the screen that resembles the Home button.

• 🔙 Back up -- swipe from right to left down the strip.
• 🏠 Home - Pressing a strip (or swipe up).
• 📄 Recent apps - swipe right strip and hold.

3. Button gestures (an outdated version) - imitation of physical buttons swipes at the bottom of the screen. This type of gesture is found on older versions of MIUI (before the 11th) and is practically not used today.

Which option to choose? If you have Xiaomi on MIUI 12 and later, we recommend full-screen MIUI gestures — they are ergonomic and modern. For users who are just switching from buttons to gestures, the option with hints (Android gestures) is suitable.

Step-by-step: how to turn on gestures on Xiaomi

The gesture activation process is the same for most Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco models based on MIUI 12-15. If you have an older firmware version (for example, MIUI 11 on the Redmi Note 8), some menu items may be called differently - we will talk about this separately.

So, to enable navigation gestures:

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the Display section.
3. Select Full-screen mode (in some versions – Navigation buttons or Navigation type).
4. Click on Navigation Type (or Navigation Style in MIUI 13+).
5. Choose one of the options: 📱 Gestures MIUI (Full screen) - recommended option. 📱 Android gestures - with a hint at the bottom of the screen. ⚙️ Navigation buttons – classic version (3 buttons).

Confirm the choice and wait for the application of settings (the smartphone may briefly "hang").

If you notice that some apps (such as games or banking programs) are not working properly after you turn on gestures, go back to the settings and try another type of gesture, and check if you need to restart the device, sometimes changes only take effect after the gesture is activated.

Examine the location of gestures in the settings|Check compatibility with frequently used applications|Make a backup copy of important data|Charge your phone at least to the minimum. 30%|Prepare for the Adaptation Period (1-2 day-day)-->

Hidden gesture settings: what can be configured additionally

Many users don't know that MIUI has hidden gesture options that allow them to fine-tune their work, and those options are hidden in the developer menu or in the extra settings of the system. Let's take a look at the most useful ones.

1. Sensitivity of gestures

If swipes are too easy or too hard to do, you can adjust the sensitivity.

1. Activate Developer Mode (go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times).
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find the item Gesture Sensitivity (or Gesture Response Threshold) and select the optimal value.

2. disable the “Back” gesture in certain applications

Some programs (like Google Photos or Instagram) conflict with the "back" gesture, which can cause a swipe from right to left to close the app instead of scrolling through the tape.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select a problem app (like Instagram).
3. Activate the option to turn off the "Back" gesture (or Full-screen mode → Ignore gestures).

3. Set up vibration when gestures are triggered

By default, MIUI can vibrate when performing gestures, but this option can be turned off or changed in intensity:

1. Open Settings → Sound and vibration → System vibration.
2. Find the Vibration item when navigating and adjust the response strength or deactivate it completely.

Problems with gestures on Xiaomi: causes and solutions

Even when you set up the gestures properly, you can't do it right, so let's look at some of the most common problems and how to fix them.

If none of these methods helped, try resetting your gesture settings to the standard:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen mode.
2. Choose a different type of navigation, then go back to the gestures.
3. Reset the device.

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If gestures stopped working after the MIUI update, try rolling back to the previous firmware version via Settings → Device → System Update → Three Points → Selecting an update package.

Gestures on older Xiaomi models (MIUI 11 and below)

Owners of devices like Xiaomi Mi 9, Redmi Note 7 or Poco F1 with MIUI 11 and below may find that the settings do not have the option "Full screen mode". This does not mean that gestures are not available - just their activation is different.

To enable gestures on older versions of MIUI:

1. Open Settings → Display → Navigation buttons.
2. Select Full Screen Gestures (or MIUI Gestures).
3. If you don’t have one, upgrade to MIUI 12+ or use ADB:

If you’re actively playing on your smartphone, consider using an external gamepad (such as Xiaomi Game Controller) or activating Immersive Mode in your game settings to hide all system controls and avoid conflicts.

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In games that support Google Play Games (such as Call of Duty: Mobile or PUBG), you can set up virtual buttons on the screen that will not conflict with system gestures.

Alternative Control: What to Do When Gestures Are Not Good

Despite all the advantages, gesture control is not suitable for everyone. If you have tried different options but have not been able to get used to it, consider alternatives:

1. Classical navigation buttons

You can always return three buttons (Back, Home, Recent) in the settings.

1. Go to Settings → Display → Full-screen mode.
2. Select the navigation buttons.
3. Set the order of the buttons (in some versions of MIUI you can change the "Back" and "Recent" places).

2. Navigation panel from third-party manufacturers

Apps like Fluid Navigation Gestures or Edge Gestures allow you to customize your own gestures that work on top of the system gestures, which is useful if you don't like standard MIUI gestures, and note that these programs may require permission to use special features.

Voice control

MIUI has a built-in voice assistant called Xiao AI that can execute basic navigation commands (e.g., "Go Back" or "Open Recent Applications") to activate it:

1. Go to Settings. → Voice assistant.
2. Set up voice activation and add the necessary commands.

4.Gesturals on the back (for supported models)

Some flagship Xiaomi models (e.g. Xiaomi) 11T Pro or Xiaomi 12) supports gestures by double-tapping the back panel, called Double-tap to wake or Quick tap, which allows you to take a screenshot or return to the home screen, for example. → Special facilities → Quick action.

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If you use your smartphone with one hand often, try activating one hand mode in Settings → Display → One hand mode. It reduces the size of the interface, making it more convenient to control.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Gestures on Xiaomi