The MIUI interface and its successor HyperOS offer many ways to interact with the screen, but sometimes the standard behavior of the system is puzzling. Users often search for information about the swipe up Xiaomi, as this gesture can perform different functions depending on the context: unlock the device, open the notification curtain or call the control panel. Understanding the logic of these elements is necessary for comfortable use of the smartphone.
In this article, we will take a look at all possible scenarios involving the movement of your finger from the bottom up, learn how to change the action when unlocking, adjust the fingerprint scanning area or completely disable the sensitivity to random touch in your pocket, and properly set up the system to eliminate annoying positives and speed up access to the desired functions.
It is worth noting that the layout of the menu and the name of the items may vary slightly on different versions of the shell. However, the general principle of operation remains the same for most models of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO. We will consider both basic settings and hidden features available through special codes or engineering menus.
Unlocking swipe up and managing gestures
One of the most popular features is the ability to unlock your smartphone with a finger movement, which is especially true for devices without a physical Home button or with a scanner underscreen. To activate this option, you need to go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Unlock by fingerprint. Here you can choose whether the phone will unlock immediately after touching or require additional movement.
If your device supports the Swipe Unlock feature, after a successful fingerprint readout, a slight upward movement of the finger will confirm the action. This speeds up access to the desktop bypassing the lock screen. In some versions of MIUI, this option is hidden or replaced with a standard press, depending on the regional firmware and processor model.
It is important to distinguish between the unlock gesture and the navigation gestures. The first one works only on the lock screen, the second one works on all applications. To adjust the navigation, go to Settings → Desktop → Navigation. Here you can choose between classic buttons and gesture control, where the swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen returns to the home screen.
Speed users often combine different methods, such as using navigation gestures paired with quick unlocking to create a live interface, but it’s worth remembering that over-sensitivity can lead to false positives when the phone is in your hand.
Swipe setting for notification curtain and control center
Modern versions of the MIUI 12, 13, 14 and HyperOS have a separation of notification curtains and control center. The swipe up-down or right-left at the top of the screen now performs different functions. To customize this behavior, open Settings → Notifications and status bar.
Here's the "Use Control Center" switch. If it's activated, the swipe down on the right side opens a panel with Wi-Fi switches, Bluetooth switches and brightness. The swipe on the left side or in the center shows a list of notifications from applications. This solution, borrowed from iOS, requires some addiction, but increases the ergonomics of using large screens.
- 📱 Standard Mode: Swipe down the entire line opens general notifications.
- 🔘 Control Center Mode: Separating Swipe Zones for Notifications and Switches.
- ⚙️ Access setting: the ability to open the curtain from a locked screen.
If you don't like the standard partition, you can turn it off, and then swipe down at any part of the top of the screen will open up a single list, where the switches are at the bottom, which is the classic kind of Android interface that many users are used to.
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To quickly open the control center on the locked screen, make sure that the “Show Content” option is enabled in the “Notifications on the Lock Screen” settings.
You also need to pay attention to the sensitivity of the edges of the screen, and in some cases, the swipe may not work if you hold the phone behind the edges, and the setting is in the special features menu, where you can calibrate the touchscreen response to touch.
Resolving the Pocket Mode Problem and False Swipes
A common problem faced by Xiaomi owners is that the phone unlocks itself or performs actions in the pocket. This is because the fabric of the trousers mimics swiping up or touching. The protection system against this is called "Pocket Mode," but it doesn't always work correctly.
To minimize the risk of random action, go to Settings → Passwords & Security → Privacy. Find Pocket Mode and make sure it is activated. If the problem persists, you can try to increase the sensitivity of the proximity sensor, although in new models this setting is often hidden from the user.
⚠️ Warning: If the phone continues to respond to touches in your pocket, use a case with a protective frame or set up “Mode in your pocket” through third-party apps that block input when the sensor is closed.
Another cause of false positives may be static electricity or poor quality protective film, and cheap hydrogel films can create a multi-touch effect that the system perceives as a complex gesture, in which case calibration of the screen through an engineering menu helps.
To enter the engineering menu, dial ##6484## in your phone. In the test list, select Touchpad or Sensor. Here you can check the screen's response to touch. If you see phantom presses without touching your finger, the problem is hardware-based.
Special features: swipe with two fingers and other gestures
The MIUI shell is rich in features for people with disabilities that can be useful for ordinary users, such as the two-finger swipe feature, which allows you to scroll the screen or perform other actions without using one hand, and you can find these settings in the Settings → Advanced Settings → Special.
The Gesture Management menu offers options such as zooming in with triple touch, turning the screen, or running Google Assistant from a corner, which can be combined to create a personalized experience, but too many active gestures can lead to conflicts where the system doesn’t “understand” what action you want to perform.
☑️ Checking the gesture settings
The special feature is called Quick Commands, which allows you to assign an application launch or an action (for example, turning on a flashlight) to a certain movement, for example, a swipe up three fingers can take a screenshot, and a swipe down can open the curtain.
- 🖐 Three fingers up: creating a screenshot (by default).
- 🖐 Three fingers down: Enable "Do Not Disturb" mode or screenshot.
- 🖐 Two fingers: scaling or scrolling (in special. capabilities).
If you don't like standard combinations, you can reassign them, which is especially useful for large-screen models, where it can be difficult to reach the top corner, and using special features properly makes a smartphone a more convenient tool.
Comparison of Swipe Actions in Different Scenarios
To organize the information, consider a table that shows how swipe behavior changes upwards depending on the current state of the interface, which will help you understand the logic of the system and predict the outcome of your action.
| Context/Screen | Action (Swipe up) | Where to set up | We can turn it off. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lock screen | Unlocking / Launching the camera | Passwords and security | Partially. |
| Desktop | Opening of all windows (Menu) | Desktop settings | No. |
| Inside the app | Scrolling Content / Backwards | Navigation | No. |
| Notification panel | Hiding the panel / Control Center | Notifications | Yeah (style) |
As you can see from the table, the main field for experimenting is the lock screen and notification style. Inside applications, swipe up is most often reserved for navigation or scrolling, and you can't change this behavior with system tools without root rights.
Hidden codes for testing swipes
Understanding these differences helps diagnose problems faster, and if swipe doesn't work in just one application, then it's about optimizing the app itself, not the phone settings.
Additional settings and hidden interface functions
Advanced users can have more in-depth settings through ADB or special applications, such as changing the speed of swipe animation or its sensitivity, but with standard MIUI methods, this is difficult to do.
Users often confuse swipe up with “Raise to turn on,” which activates the screen when you pick up your phone, which is located in Settings → The screen is always on and locking. If the phone lights up too often in your bag, it’s best to turn off this feature.
⚠️ Note: Modifying system files through ADB This can cause an unstable interface.Be sure to back up your data before making changes.
Also worth mentioning is the floating windows feature. A swipe up from the bottom of the late screen (or swipe sideways, depending on the version) can roll the app into a floating window. This is convenient for multitasking, but requires precision movements.
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The most flexible swipe behavior is on the lock screen and in the notification curtain; navigation gestures inside apps are standard for Android.