Skip to content
TechBone
Realme

Realme: Switch Between Navigation Buttons and Gesture Controls

If the three-button navigation bar keeps taking up screen space on your Realme phone, or you switched to gesture controls and now miss having visible Back and Recent buttons, the setting that controls this sits in Navigation. Realme UI lets you swap between virtual buttons and swipe gestures at any time, and each mode changes how you go back, return home, and view recent apps.

3 min4 steps
VersionAndroid 11 · Realme UI 2

Step by step

1 / 4

Step 1 of 4: Tap on **Settings**

1

Tap on Settings

Live simulator

Android 11 · Realme UI 2
Switch Between Navigation Buttons and Gesture Controls – Realme UI 2: step 1 – Tap on Settings
Tap on Settings
1 / 4

Scroll or use the buttons for the next step

Feedback

Was the guide correct?

Help others: confirm the path or report a problem.

78

Confirmations

Forum verified this path

Realme

Switch Between Navigation Buttons and Gesture Controls auf Realme

The Android navigation bar runs in one of two modes on Realme UI: three virtual buttons or swipe gestures from both sides. Which mode is active decides how much screen stays visible in video and gaming apps, and how you trigger Back, Home, and Recent apps actions.

Virtual buttons keep a permanent bar with three icons at the bottom of the screen. This mode makes switching apps quick and predictable, but it removes a thin strip of usable screen on every app you open.

Swipe gestures from both sides hide that bar completely. Going back becomes a swipe from either screen edge, going home is a swipe up from the bottom, and recent apps opens with a swipe up and hold. This mode gives full-screen content but needs a short adjustment period, especially in apps that use their own edge-swipe menus.

To switch between the two, open SettingsConvenience toolsNavigation and pick Swipe gestures from both sides or Virtual buttons. The first time you activate gesture control, Realme UI shows a short on-screen tutorial that walks through each gesture before it takes effect.

If certain apps misread edge swipes as their own menu gestures, switching back to virtual buttons avoids the conflict without changing any other setting.

Frequently asked questions

Realme UI only shows it automatically the first time you switch to gestures. Turn Swipe gestures from both sides off and back on in SettingsConvenience toolsNavigation to trigger the tutorial again.