How to add on-screen buttons on Android: from standard settings to ADB commands

On-screen (virtual) navigation buttons Android have become standard for most modern smartphones, but not all manufacturers offer flexible settings for their display. If your device does not have physical buttons, and the soft keys suddenly disappeared after an update or reset, they can be returned in several ways - from standard options in the menu to manual activation via ADB. In this article, we will look at all the current methods, including bypassing restrictions on devices with custom shells (MIUI, One UI, ColorOS).

The peculiarity of virtual buttons is that they occupy part of the screen, but they allow you to flexibly customize their location, transparency, and even replace them with gestures. However, on some devices (for example, Xiaomi or Oppo), manufacturers hide these settings, forcing users to look for workarounds. We tested all the methods on current versions Android 13–15 and collected working solutions - from the simplest to the most technically complex.

1. Standard Android settings: where to look for virtual buttons

On "clean" Android (for example, on smartphones Google Pixel or Nokia) turning on the on-screen buttons takes less than a minute. However, even here there are nuances: depending on the version of the system, the menu may be named differently. Look for it in the following path:

Settings → System → Gestures → System navigation

In this section you will see three options:

• 🔄 Gestures —swipe from the bottom edge of the screen (standard for new devices).
• 📱 3-button navigation —classic buttons "Back", "Home", "Recents".
• 🔘 2-button navigation —hybrid mode with a "Back" button and a gesture for multitasking.

If you have a device with a shell (Samsung One UI, Xiaomi MIUI etc.), the path to the settings may differ on Samsung Galaxy you need to go to:

Settings → Display → Navigation bar

⚠️ Attention: On some devices Huawei (with EMUI) and Oppo (with ColorOS) the option to enable virtual buttons may be blocked if the manufacturer prefers gestures. In this case, proceed to the following methods.

2. Enabling via developer mode (for hidden options)

If there is no way to return virtual buttons in the standard settings, try activating hidden options via mode developer. This method works on most devices, including Xiaomi Redmi, Realme and Sony Xperia.

First enable developer mode:

1. Go to Settings → About phone.
2. Find the item Build number and click on it 7 times in a row.
3. Enter the PIN code or pattern if required.

Now return to the main settings menu and open a new section For developers. Here, find options related to navigation:

• 🔧 Navigation bar type — select "Buttons".
• 🎨 Button layout — customize the order (for example, "Back-Home-Recent" or on the contrary).
• 🖼️ Navigation panel transparency —make the buttons less noticeable.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices Xiaomi after enabling virtual buttons through developer mode, resetting navigation settings may work reboot. To avoid this, commit the changes with the command adb shell settings put global policy_control immersive.full=* (more in the about section ADB).

3. Using ADB commands to force activation

If the manufacturer has blocked the ability to change navigation (as on some models Huawei or Oppo), the only reliable way to return the screen buttons - use ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer, but it works even where other methods are powerless.

Prepare first:

Install drivers for your device (download from the manufacturer's website)

Download Platform Tools (official tool from Google)

Enable USB debugging in Settings → For developers

Connect the phone to the PC via the original cable

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Now run the commands in the terminal (Windows: cmd, Mac/Linux: Terminal):

adb shell
settings put global policy_control immersive.full=*
settings put global policy_control immersive.status=*
settings put global policy_control immersive.navigation=*

After that:

1. Restart the device.
2. Go to Settings → System → Gestures → System navigation.
3. Select 3-button navigation.

If the buttons do not appear, try an alternative command:

adb shell settings put global force_fsg_nav_bar 1

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14+ and ColorOS 13+ after using ADB-commands, you may need to reset the system cache (Settings → Memory → Clear cache), otherwise the changes will not be made will take effect.

4. Applications for customizing navigation

If you don’t want to tinker with ADB or your firmware does not have the necessary options, you can use third-party applications. They not only return virtual buttons, but also allow you to customize their appearance, location, and even add new functions.

Top 3 tested applications:

• 🔹 Nacho Notch - hides cutouts and adds a navigation bar with transparency settings. Works without root, but requires ADB-permission.
• 🔹 Fluid Navigation Gestures - replaces buttons with gestures, but can emulate a virtual panel. Supports themes and animations.
• 🔹 Simple Control —a lightweight application for adding buttons on top of any interface. Suitable for devices with Android 10+.

Setup example in Nacho Notch:

1. Install the application from Google Play.
2. Connect to a PC and run command:

   adb shell pm grant com.quantic.nachonotch android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS

3. In the application, select Navigation Bar → Enable.
4. Customize the appearance and location of buttons.

On devices with Android 12+ some applications may require additional permission android.permission.MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGEwhich is issued only through ADB or root.

5. Problem solving: buttons disappeared after updating

Frequent situation: after updating Android or firmware, on-screen buttons suddenly disappear, and there is no way to return them in the settings. This is due to the fact that manufacturers (especially Xiaomi And Samsung) sometimes reset navigation settings to factory settings. Here's how to fix it:

Step 1. Reset navigation settings

Sometimes a simple reset helps:

adb shell settings delete global policy_control

Step 2. Checking system files

If the buttons disappear after unofficial firmware, the file may be damaged overlay. Check the integrity of the system:

adb shell dumpsys window | grep navigation

If there is a line in the output mNavigationBarCanMove=false, do:

adb shell settings put global navigation_bar_can_move 1

Step 3. Restore via Safe Mode

Boot the device into safe mode (hold the power button → "Reboot in Safe Mode"). If the buttons appear, the problem is in one of the installed applications. Uninstall recently installed apps, especially launchers or customization applications.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with Android 14+ after resetting navigation settings via ADB you may need to re-activate developer mode - sometimes the system resets this too resolution.

6. Alternative methods: gestures and third-party launchers

If you can’t return on-screen buttons, consider alternatives:

1. Gesture control with hints

You can enable Android 10+ can be turned on visual cues for gestures:

Settings → System → Gestures → System navigation → Show gesture bar

These are not full-fledged buttons, but visually resemble their location.

2. Launchers with built-in navigation

Some launchers (for example, Nova Launcher or Lawnchair) allow you to add virtual buttons to the desktop:

• 📌 Install the launcher from Google Play.
• 🔧 In the launcher settings, find the section Gestures and buttons.
• 🎯 Add a widget with the "Back", "Home", "Recent" buttons.

3. Toolbar from the manufacturer

On some devices (for example, Samsung Galaxy s One UI) there is an option Toolbar:

Settings → Additional functions → Panel tools

It adds a translucent panel with buttons that can be moved around the screen.

7. Common mistakes and how to avoid them

When setting up on-screen buttons, users often encounter typical problems. Here's how to solve them:

Another common mistake is trying to change the navigation on devices with hardware buttons (for example, old Samsung Galaxy S8 or LG G6On such models, virtual buttons may not work). It’s important to turn on - check if there are physical keys under the screen.

FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions

adb shell settings put global sysui_nav_bar "space,back;home;recent,space"

adb shell settings put global sysui_nav_bar "space,recent;home;back,space"

Settings → Display → Navigation bar → Button order