Does turning this gesture off affect other full-screen gestures?

No. Disabling Go back to previous app only removes the left-edge hold-and-preview shortcut. Swiping up for home and the regular back gesture keep working as before.

Why does the app icon preview not show up even though the gesture is enabled?

You need to swipe in from the very edge of the screen and hold briefly instead of swiping quickly. A fast swipe is read as a normal back gesture instead of triggering the previous-app preview.

Can I use this gesture to switch between more than two apps?

No. The gesture always returns to the single app you used immediately before the current one. For switching between several recent apps, use the standard recent-apps overview instead.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi: Enable or Disable the Go Back to Previous App Gesture

If swiping in from the left edge and holding for a moment does nothing on your Xiaomi phone, the Go back to previous app gesture is probably switched off. This shortcut only shows up once full-screen gestures are active, and it needs its own toggle buried inside the gesture settings. Without it, the small app-icon preview at the screen edge never appears.

Updated: 05.08.20263 min4 steps

VersionAndroid 10 · MIUI

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Xiaomi

Go Back to Previous App Gesture auf Xiaomi

The Go back to previous app gesture belongs to the full-screen navigation gestures on MIUI. It only becomes available once you have switched your device from the classic navigation buttons to full-screen gestures.

When enabled, swiping in from the left screen edge and holding briefly makes a small app icon appear at the edge. Releasing your finger switches straight back to the app you used before the current one, without pulling up the full recent-apps overview.

If this shortcut stops working, the toggle for it has usually been turned off separately, or your phone is still set to the older button-based navigation, which does not support this gesture at all.

You find the switch here:

Open the Settings ➔ Tap on Additional settings ➔ Tap on Full screen display ➔ Enable or disable Go back to previous app

Turning the option off removes the edge preview entirely, and a left-edge swipe then only opens the regular back or home gesture instead. Turning it on restores the quick-switch behavior without affecting your other full-screen gestures, such as swiping up for home or swiping in from the side to go back a screen.

If the toggle is grayed out or missing, check that full-screen gestures are selected as your navigation style before looking for this setting again.

Frequently asked questions

This option only appears once you use full-screen gestures for navigation. If your phone still uses the classic navigation buttons or an older gesture style, switch navigation first, then check Open the Settings ➔ Tap on Additional settings ➔ Tap on Full screen display again.

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System & Settings

Xiaomi: Enable or Disable the Go Back to Previous App Gesture

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