Gestures on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: how to enable, configure and eliminate bugs

Why gestures are better than navigation buttons and how to activate them

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is still a popular choice even in 2026 thanks to the powerful Helio G90T processor and current firmware support. However, many users still do not use navigation gestures — although they save up to 20% of the usable screen area and speed up interaction with the system. In this article, we will analyze not only the basic ways of inclusion, but also hidden MIUI chips that the manufacturer does not advertise.

It’s important to understand that gestures on the Redmi Note 8 Pro work differently than on Xiaomi flagships (such as the Mi 11 or 13 Pro). There is no support for Android 12+ Gestures out of the box, but there are unique options like Full-screen gestures with hints, which we’ll also consider. If gestures are missing or malfunctioning after the update, at the end of this article you will find a list of ADB commands for forced reset navigation settings.

Before you get to the instructions, check the version of MIUI in Settings → About Phone.

• 📱 MIUI 12.5 and below: Classic gestures only (with bar at the bottom)
• 🔄 MIUI 13/14: full-screen gestures + sensitivity
• ⚠️ Custom firmware: may require manual activation through ADB

Official way: enable gestures through the MIUI settings

The easiest way is to use a standard menu that is suitable for 90% of users and does not require superuser rights.

1. Open the settings (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Display section.
3. Select Full-screen mode (in some versions – Navigation buttons).
4. Slip on the option Full-screen gestures or MIUI gestures.
5. Choose one of the options: 🔄 Swipe up – a classic gesture (like on the iPhone) 👆 Swipe from the sides - back wire on the edge of the screen 🎯 With Tips – Temporary Tips for Learning

Ready.

If you don’t have Full-screen gestures, you have an outdated version of MIUI. Update your firmware through Settings → About Phone → Update your system or use alternative methods from the following sections.

⚠️ Note: Redmi Note 8 Pro with MIUI 12.0.3.0 and below, gestures may conflict with some banking applications (e.g. Sberbank Online).If the app stops opening after activating gestures, return to the navigation buttons or update the firmware.

Hidden settings: fine-tuning the sensitivity of gestures

Few people know, but MIUI has a hidden menu for calibrating gestures, which is especially useful if swipes are triggered over and over or conflict with gestures in games (like PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact).

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Enter the Mi Account password if required.
2. Return to the main Settings menu and open a new section for developers.
3. Scroll down to the Enter block and find: 🔍 Sensitivity of return gestures (regulates swipe from the edge) 📏 Height of the gesture area (for the lower band)

Experiment with values by testing gestures after each change.

The best value for most users:

• 🔹 Sensitivity of return: 50-70% (Too high a value leads to false positives)
• 🔹 Height of the area: 1.5-2.0 (Depends on the size of your fingers)

Alternative method: activation of gestures through ADB

If standard methods don’t work (for example, after factory reset or custom firmware installation), you can force gestures to be enabled via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires a computer but gives 100% results.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original)
• 📥 ADB Tools by Google
• 🔧 Initiated debugging mode USB phone-on

Step-by-step:

1. Download and unpack the platform-tools in any folder on the PC.
2. Connect the Redmi Note 8 Pro to your computer and select File Transfer mode.
3. Open the command prompt (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux) in the folder with the platform-tools.
4. Enter the commands in turn: adb devices (you should have the name of your device) adb shell settings put global force_fsg_nav_bar 1 (includes full-screen gestures) adb shell cmd overlay enable com.android.internal.systemui.navbar.gestural (forced activates the navigation bar)
5. Reboot the phone.

💡

If no gestures appear after executing commands, check if the set theme blocks them. Return the standard theme to Settings → Themes and repeat the procedure.

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB It may conflict with some Magisk modules (e.g., Xiaomi). EU If the phone is stuck on the boot after execution, press the power. + Volume up 10 seconds for forced reboot.

Comparison of MIUI gestures and standard Android gestures

Many users don’t know, but on the Redmi Note 8 Pro, you can choose between two types of gestures:

• 🔵 Gestures MIUI — Xiaomi proprietary solution with unique chips (for example, swipe down to call the notification panel).
• 🟢 Android Gestures – standard implementation from Google (similar to Pixel or Samsung One) UI).

Major differences:

To switch between gesture types:

1. Open Settings → Display → Full-screen mode.
2. Select the gesture type (may be called the navigation style).
3. Slip on the desired option and confirm the choice.

💡

MIUI gestures are better for single swipes (like going back) and Android gestures are better for multitasking (quickly switching between apps).

Solving Common Gesture Problems

Even when properly set up, gestures can malfunction, and here are typical scenarios and ways to correct them:

1.Gesturals disappear after MIUI update

Reason: reset navigation settings when upgrading the firmware.

Decision:

• 🔄 Switch to navigation buttons and back to gestures in Settings → Display.
• 📥 If it doesn’t help, do the reset through ADB: adb shell cmd overlay disable com.android.internal.systemui.navbar.threebutton

2.The back gesture works in games

Reason: high priority of system gestures over game gestures.

Decision:

• 🎮 Turn off gestures for a specific game in Settings → Annexes → [play-name] → Additionally. → Gestures.
• 🔧 Reduce sensitivity in Developers (see section above).

3. Hanging up when swipeing

The reason: conflict with running services (for example, Mi Share or Game Turbo).

Decision:

• ⚡ Restart your phone in safe mode (hold power). → Safe regime).
• 🗑️ Clear the cache of system applications in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Three points. → Show system-based.

Gestures on custom firmware (Pixel Experience, LineageOS)

If you installed an alternative firmware on the Redmi Note 8 Pro, the standard gesture-enabled techniques may not work.

1. Through firmware settings

Most of them. AOSP-Firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience) gestures are turned on like this:

1. Open the settings → System → Gestures.
2. Select System Navigation.
3. Activate Gestures or 2-button navigation (depending on the Android version).

2. Through editing build.prop

For power users, you can force gestures to be enabled by editing the system file. Root!

Instructions:

1. Install Root Explorer or any file manager with root access.
2. Open the file /system/build.prop.
3. Add the lines: qemu.hw.mainkeys=0 ro.omi.navbar=1
4. Save the changes and restart the phone.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of build.prop can lead to bootloop.Before changes, back up the file!

FAQ: Frequent questions about gestures on the Redmi Note 8 Pro