How to turn on and configure gestures on Xiaomi MIUI 12

Modern smartphones, including popular Xiaomi models, have long moved to bezel-free screens, where managing three virtual buttons at the bottom of the display looks archaic. The MIUI 12 shell offers a more ergonomic and intuitive way of navigation - gesture control, which frees up useful screen space and makes interaction with the device more smooth. Many users are switching to this method, appreciating its convenience, but some are experiencing difficulties in initial configuration or want to customize the standard behavior of the system.

In this guide, we will take a closer look at the process of switching to navigation with gestures, as well as the hidden capabilities available to Mi and Redmi owners. You will learn how to adjust the sensitivity of the edges of the screen, change the duration of animations, and solve common problems when the system does not respond to swipes. A deep understanding of these settings will allow you to turn using your smartphone into a truly comfortable experience.

It is worth noting that in different versions of firmware (Chinese, global, Russian) the location of some points may differ slightly, but the logic of the navigation system remains the same. We will consider universal algorithms of actions that will suit most of the current devices of the brand. If you want to fully unleash the potential of your gadget, follow the instructions below.

Activation of standard gesture control

Open the Settings app and scroll down to the Additional section (some versions may call it Advanced Settings). This is where the key interface settings are located. Find Full-screen menu or System Navigation. Once clicked, the system will offer you a choice between buttons and gestures.

Select Gesture to activate the new mode. The screen will change instantly: the bottom buttons will disappear, and instead a thin bar will appear, and now a swipe from the bottom up will return you to the desktop, and a latency swipe will open the menu of running applications. This is the basic configuration that works out of the box on all devices.

It’s important to understand that after switching, it will take some time for your muscle memory to adapt. Xiaomi allows you to see clues in the early days of use explaining which gesture leads where. Don’t ignore them if you’re new to this type of navigation.

⚠️ Attention: When switching navigation modes, you may need to reboot the interface. If the screen blinks or goes out for a second, this is normal behavior of the system. MIUI 12, which does not require intervention.

Switching sensitivity and swipe area

One of the common problems when using gestures on large screens is accidentally triggering or, conversely, ignoring swipes at the edges of the display. MIUI 12 provides tools for sensitivity calibration, which is especially true for models with curved screens, such as the Mi 10 or Mi 11.

In the same Full Screen menu, look for gesture settings or additional settings. Here you will see a slider that regulates the scope of swipes. If you often accidentally return back in games or when reading, move the slider towards reducing the area.

For devices with protective glass or films with thickened edges, increased sensitivity may be required. The system allows you to select the High Sensitivity mode, which ignores the small air gaps between the finger and the matrix, which makes the response more clear and predictable.

• 📱 Standard sensitivity is suitable for most use cases without accessories.
• 🛡️ Mode for protective glasses compensates for the thickness of the outer layer of the screen.
• 🎮 Game mode can temporarily disable side swipes to prevent errors.

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If you wear a smartphone in a case with high sides, be sure to turn on increased sensitivity, otherwise swipes from the edge of the screen may not be recognized.

Hidden opportunities through the engineering menu

For advanced users who want to gain full control of navigation, there are hidden settings available through the engineering menu, where you can change the speed of animations, the size of the navigation area, and even include hidden gestures that are not available in the standard interface.

To get into the debugging menu, open the Phone app and dial the code ##6484## (to log in to the Debugging Menu). CIT-menus) or use ADB-commands to access hidden developer settings, but a safer way is to activate the developer mode through Settings. → Phone where you need to press the version 7 times MIUI.

In developer mode, find System Navigation, and you can find parameters like the Animation scale, and reducing that to 0.5x will make the transitions between the screens lightning fast, which subjectively speeds up the smartphone.

adb shell settings put global sysui_nav_bar


0,0,-1

Use of the ADB-The commands you put in above reset the navigation bar to the factory, which is useful if you're confused about the experiments. ADB It can cause an unsteady interface if the commands are entered incorrectly.

Comparison of navigation methods

Users often argue about whether it is better to use classic buttons or modern swipes, and to help you decide, we have prepared a comparative table that shows the pros and cons of each method in the context of the MIUI 12 shell.

As you can see from the table, gestures win in ergonomics and visuals. However, for users with large smartphones like the Redmi Note series, thumb control can be tedious, with some opting for hybrid mode or going back to buttons.

Navigation is a matter of taste, but the industry is clearly shifting towards full-screen interfaces, and app developers are also optimizing their products to manage swipes, removing unnecessary interface elements.

Addressing common problems

Despite the stability of MIUI 12, users sometimes encounter bugs when the swipe zone stops responding or is not working properly, most often due to application conflict or overflow of the system interface cache.

First, try clearing the System UI cache. Go to Settings → Applications → All Apps, search the System Interface list, and select Clear Cache. This is a secure operation that will not delete your personal data.

If the problem persists, check to see if one-handed or pocket mode is enabled, which can block the edges of the screen. Also make sure there is no static electricity or moisture on the screen, which is often perceived by the touchscreen as false touch.

• 🔄 Rebooting the device solves 90% of the navigation software glitches.
• 🧹 Cleaning the launcher cache and system interface.
• 🔌 Checking the charger (cheap power supplies create interference).

⚠️ Note: If the gestures stopped working after installing a third-party launcher (Nova, Lawnchair), the problem may be in a conflict of access rights.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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Proper sensitivity adjustment and regular cleaning of the system interface cache is the key to stable gestures on MIUI 12.