How to set up gestures on Android 9 Pie: a complete guide with instructions

Android 9 Pie was not a revolutionary update not only because of the improved performance, but also due to the introduction gesture navigation. This feature has revolutionized the way users interact with devices, offering a more intuitive and modern experience. However, many smartphone owners still do not use gestures to the fullest - either due to ignorance of the capabilities, or due to difficulties with setting up customized shells from manufacturers.

In this article we will look at all available ways to activate and configure gestures on pure Android 9 and proprietary shells (Samsung One UI, Xiaomi MIUI, Huawei EMUI and others). You will learn how to return the classic buttons if you don’t like the gestures, how to adjust the sensitivity of swipes, and what hidden features are available through adb. We will pay special attention to typical problems - for example, when gestures conflict with applications or do not work correctly after an update.

What is gesture navigation in Android 9 and why do you need it

Gesture navigation in Android 9 Pie replaced traditional three buttons (Back, Home, Recent) to intuitive swipes. The main idea is to free the screen from unnecessary elements and make control more natural. For example, instead of pressing a button Back you simply swipe inward from the edge of the screen.

Benefits gesture navigation:

• 📱 More space for content - buttons do not take up space on the screen.
• ⚡ Quick switching between applications in one motion.
• 🎯 Fewer accidental clicks (relevant for devices with small screens).
• 🔄 Adaptability —gestures work the same on all devices with Android 9.

However, the new interface also has its drawbacks. For example, on some devices, gestures conflict with applications that use swipes from the edges of the screen (for example, Instagram or TikTok). Also, users who are accustomed to physical buttons may need time to adapt.

How to enable gestures on pure Android 9 (Google Pixel, Android One)

If your device is running on pure Android 9 (for example, Google Pixel, Nokia s Android One or Essential Phone), the process of enabling gestures is as simple as possible. Follow the instructions:

1. Open Settings → System → Gestures.
2. Select item Swipe up on the Home button.
3. Activate the switch at the top of the screen.
4. (Optional) Tap More (three dots in the upper right corner) to adjust the sensitivity of gestures.

After activation, you will see a thin white stripe at the bottom of the screen - this is a gesture indicator. To return to the classic buttons, repeat the steps and disable the option.

Is the "Swipe up on the Home button" option enabled|Is the bar at the bottom of the screen visible?|Has the left/right swipe for the Back button been tested?|Has switching between applications been tested?

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⚠️ Attention: On some pure Android devices (for example Pixel 3 XL) after updating to Android 10, gestures may be reset to standard buttons. This is due to changes in the navigation logic in new versions. To return the usual gestures from Android 9, you will need to use adb-commands (we will discuss below).

Setting up gestures on custom shells (Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei)

Manufacturers often modify the standard one Android 9 gesture navigation, adding your own features or restrictions. Let's look at the features for popular brands:

On devices Samsung with One UI three gesture options are available:

• 🔄 Swipe up - opens Recent, holding calls Google Assistant.
• 🔙 Swipe from the corner - imitates the button Back.
• 🏠 Swipe from the center — returns to Home screen.

To Xiaomi to MIUI gestures work differently: swipe from bottom to top and hold opens Google Assistant, and a quick swipe left/right switches applications. To return to the standard behavior of Android 9, you will need to disable proprietary gestures in the settings.

Fine-tuning gestures via ADB (for advanced users)

If the standard gesture settings do not suit you, you can change their behavior via adb (Android Debug Bridge). This method works on most devices with Android 9, but requires connecting to a computer and enabling USB debugging.

Here are the parameters you can change:

• 🔧 Swipe sensitivity (speed and length of gesture).
• 🔄 Button order in the navigation bar (if the classic view is returned).
• 🚫 Disable tooltips (remove vibration or backlight during gestures).
• 📱 Emulation of two-button mode (as in Android 10+).

Example command for changing the sensitivity of a gesture Back:

adb shell settings put secure back_gesture_inset_scale_left 0.2
adb shell settings put secure back_gesture_inset_scale_right 0.2

Here 0.2 is the sensitivity coefficient (the lower the value, the narrower the zone swipe). Range of valid values: from 0.0 to 1.0.

⚠️ Attention: Incorrect commands adb can lead to navigation failures. Before experimenting make a backup copy current settings with the command:

adb shell settings list secure | grep gesture

This will allow you to return the original settings if something goes wrong.

adb shell settings delete secure system_navigation_keys
adb shell settings delete secure swipe_up_to_switch_apps_enabled

Common problems with gestures and their solutions

Even after proper configuration, gestures may not work correctly. Here are the most common problems and ways to solve them:

If gestures conflict with a specific application (for example, in Instagram swiping from left to right opens stories instead of a button Back), try:

1. Disable full screen mode in the application settings.
2. Use alternative gestures (for example, swiping from the bottom corner instead of the edge).
3. Update the application to the latest version.

How to return the classic navigation buttons

If gesture. navigation is not suitable for you, you can return traditional buttons (Back, Home, Recent) in a few clicks:

1. Go to Settings → System → Gestures.
2. Select Three-button navigation (the name may vary depending on the shell).
3. Confirm the change - the buttons will appear at the bottom screen.

On some devices (for example, Xiaomi or Huawei), an additional step may be required:

• 🔧 Go to Settings → Full Screen Display.
• 🔙 Disable the option Hide navigation buttons or Full screen gestures.
• 🔄 Reboot the device if the buttons do not appear immediately.

If, after returning to the buttons, they are displayed in an inconvenient order (for example, Recent on the left, and Back on the right), you can change their location:

• Via Settings → System → Gestures → Button order (on pure Android).
• Via adb-command:

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

  Here back, home and recent are the buttons in order from left to right.

Hidden gesture features in Android 9

In addition to the basic functions, Android 9 has several hidden gesture navigation features that not many people know about all:

• 🔍 Quick access to search: swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen with a hold opens Google Search (does not work on all devices).
• 📱 Switching between the last two applications: double swipe to the right along the bar at the bottom of the screen.
• 🔄 Gesture screenshot: on some devices (for example, OnePlus) you can take a screenshot with a three-finger swipe down.
• 🎮 Game mode: in In games, gestures are automatically disabled so as not to interfere with gameplay (configurable in Settings → Accessibility → Gestures).

On devices with OxygenOS (for example, OnePlus 6/6T) a unique function is available parallel applications through gestures:

1. Activate the gesture in Settings → Buttons and gestures → Gesture for launching parallel applications.
2. Set up applications that will open when you swipe up and hold.
3. Now swipe up and hold will open the selected application in a split screen.

Another little-known feature - setting vibration for gesturesOn pure Android 9, vibration. turns on automatically, but you can turn it off or change the intensity via adb:

adb shell settings put secure haptic_feedback_enabled 0 # Disable vibration
adb shell settings put secure haptic_feedback_enabled 1 # Enable vibration

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about gestures on Android 9

adb shell settings put global force_full_gesture_navigation 0