How to turn off buttons on Xiaomi: Navigation management

Modern Xiaomi smartphones, which run on the shell of MIUI or the new HyperOS, offer flexible interface personalization options, but many users are annoyed by the presence of virtual buttons at the bottom of the screen. These controls, such as Back, Home and Menu, occupy a useful display area and can interfere with comfortable use of the device in horizontal mode. The question of how to turn off the buttons on Xiaomi, becomes especially relevant for those who are accustomed to gesture control or want to achieve maximum immersion in content without unnecessary visual interference.

It’s important to understand that turning off buttons in the context of the Android operating system is often not about physically removing them, but about switching the navigation method. The standard three-button scheme is a thing of the past, giving way to more ergonomic swipes. In this article, we’ll detail how to change the system settings to hide the navigation bar, and also look at specific cases, such as turning off the volume buttons or locking if they were reassigned by third-party applications.

Before we start to make changes, it’s worth noting that the menu interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version and model of your smartphone, whether it’s a budget Redmi or a flagship Xiaomi. However, the logic of the system is the same for all devices of the brand. We’ll look at the regular system tools that do not require superuser rights (Root) and are safe to guarantee the device.

Transition to gesture management in MIUI and HyperOS

The most common way to remove buttons from the bottom of the screen is to activate gesture control mode. This is a standard feature that completely replaces virtual buttons with swipes at the edges of the display. To do this, you need to go to the settings menu of your device. Find the Settings section and select the option Additional or immediately go to the Desktop category, depending on the version of your operating system. Inside this menu, look for the Navigation option on the screen.

In the window that opens, you'll see two main options: "Buttons" and "Gestests." Often the default is the first option, which displays the three buttons at the bottom. You need to select Gesture. The system will instantly remove the bottom bar, and at the edges of the screen there will be small tips-bars pointing to swipe areas. Swipe from the bottom up returns to the desktop, a delayed swipe opens the menu of running applications, and a swipe from the left or right edge of the screen performs the "Back" button.

Once switched, the system can offer a short learning tour that you should avoid to understand the logic of new movements. If you're used to the classic circuit, you may experience input errors at first, but in a couple of days, gestures will become natural for you, not only freeing up space on the screen, but also making using your smartphone with one hand much more convenient, since you don't have to reach for the bottom edge of the display.

Sensitivity setting and hiding stripes

Once you've managed to turn off the navigation buttons on Xiaomi and switch to gestures, many users notice small bars at the bottom of the screen that suggest a zone for the home swipe. These elements can also be hidden to make the interface completely clean. The same Navigation menu often features a Hide gesture switch or a similar option. Activation of this option removes visual markers, leaving the screen completely free.

Be careful, though: completely hiding hints can be disorienting in the early days of use. In addition, some versions of MIUI offer a screen edge sensitivity setting. If back swipes don't work the first time or occur too often when accidentally touched, you can adjust the width of the gesture area.

You can find a slider that adjusts the size of the activation area here, and by increasing this parameter, swipes are more responsive, which is especially useful for users with large rooks or when using thick edged protective glasses. Remember that in horizontal mode (when watching videos or playing games), the system automatically shaves off any navigation elements if full screen mode is turned on for a particular application.

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If after switching to gestures, the fingerprint scanner in the screen stopped working, try restarting the device - this is a frequent software glitch of older versions of MIUI.

Disabling volume and lock buttons

The question of how to turn off buttons on Xiaomi often concerns not only the on-screen elements, but also the physical keys on the case. Standard system means to completely disable the response to pressing volume or lock buttons, as they are critical to the operation of the device (for example, to log in to Recovery or emergency call), however, there are ways to minimize their impact or reassign functions.

To temporarily lock buttons so that they do not react to random taps in your pocket or while playing, you can use Pocket mode or special game modes. Game Turbo settings often have a feature to lock the side buttons during the game. You can add the desired application to the list of games, and when you start the swipe from the edge of the screen or press the volume buttons will not interrupt the process.

If your goal is to prevent the power button from turning off your phone (for example, for children or the elderly), you will need third-party software, since Android does not have a built-in “lock off button” feature. Launcher or parental control applications can intercept the pressing event.

⚠️ Warning: A complete software shutdown of the physical power button may result in you not being able to restart the suspended smartphone, in which case you will have to wait for the battery to discharge or use the connection to the charger to force the start.

Use of third-party applications for customization

If you don't have the standard Xiaomi settings, and you want to make buttons translucent, resize them, or emulate their absence entirely with a unique set of gestures, apps from the Google Play Store come to the rescue. Programs like Navigation Bar or Fluid Navigation Gestures allow you to completely replace system navigation. They require permission to access over other windows and, in some cases, connect via ADB to hide system bandwidths.

For advanced users willing to risk stability for the sake of appearance, there is an option to modify system files, but this requires unlocking the bootloader. However, even without deep intervention, many launcher applications (for example, Nova Launcher in conjunction with plugins) allow you to reassign the actions of the volume buttons. You can configure that long pressing the volume button triggers the flashlight or camera, making the buttons themselves less noticeable in everyday use.

When installing these applications, pay attention to permissions. They will need access to “Map on top of other applications” and “Special features.” This is necessary so that the program can draw its controls on top of the MIUI interface. Be careful with applications that require Root-right, as this can disrupt the banking applications and security system Xiaomi.

Solving problems with sticking and phantom pressing

Sometimes users are looking for a way to turn off buttons on Xiaomi because they are beginning to “live their lives” by spontaneously tapping or reacting to late touches, which can be a sign of a software bug or hardware problem. If the navigation buttons are bugged, the first thing you should do is to try to clear the cache of the System Interface (or System) system application. UI). To do this, go to the Settings. → Annexes → All applications, find the desired process and click Clear.

If the problem is physical buttons (volume, power) and they stick, check if there is any debris or moisture inside the case. Frequently pressing the button for 10-15 seconds can help to “develop” the mechanism if it is stuck due to oxidation. In cases where the screen responds to touches in the button area even without your involvement (“phantom presses”), you may need to calibrate the screen or replace the touch screen.

You can run the Xiaomi engineering menu for diagnostics. Type ##6484## (or #4636## for some models) in your phone. In the testing menu, select Touchpanel or Key and check the response of all buttons and screen zones. If the test shows failures, the software methods will not help, you will need to contact the service center.

Reset navigation settings and restore

If the experiment with settings has made navigation uncomfortable or has stopped working correctly, you can always go back to the original state. In the Navigation menu on the screen, simply select the option of the Button to return the classic look. This action is reversible and does not require resetting all the phone data. The system will instantly apply the changes, and you will see the three usual buttons at the bottom again.

In more complex cases, when the system interface is completely broken, you may need to reset all settings to factory. Before that, be sure to back up important data through your Google or Mi Cloud account. Go to Settings → About Phone → Reset → Erase all data. This will return the phone to the “out of the box” state, where the buttons will work in standard mode.

Remember that regular updates to the MIUI or HyperOS operating system often include fixes for touchscreen and navigation errors. If you haven’t updated your smartphone in a long time, check for new versions of the software. Developers are constantly optimizing the interface, and the problem with the “bag” buttons can be solved in the latest security patch.

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Returning to factory navigation settings is the quickest way to fix software errors if cleaning the cache didn’t help.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)