Although Android does not provide many options to customize the buttons on the navigation bar, it does allow you to hide the navigation bar or invert the buttons that make it up.
In addition to this native function, to customize the navigation bar of your Android terminal, you can also use the help of third-party apps that are dedicated to it.
Next, we explain in detail how to modify or hide the Android navigation bar in two ways: with the native function of the system and with the customization apps dedicated to customizing the bar and its buttons.
How to hide or modify the navigation bar with a native function
The customization of the buttons of the navigation bar in Android does not stand out for being very extensive, but you have some possibility of action to edit it.
This function is especially useful in those mobiles in which the buttons come the other way around than usual, and it is difficult for you to get used to its use. If it has happened to you, you will know that it is especially annoying to go back to consult the most recent apps and vice versa.
Put an end to those problems with a feature that allows you to modify the order of the buttons and hide the navigation bar, which is useful if you prefer gesture navigation that was implemented natively in Android 10. To modify or hide the Android navigation bar, follow these steps:
- Go to “Settings.”
- Click on the “Screen” section.
- Select ” Navigation Bar” or “Navigation Bar. “
- Select what kind of order you want for the buttons. If you want to remove the navigation bar, uncheck the initial box.
This is the procedure you must follow to hide the Android navigation bar, although the steps may change depending on the manufacturer of your terminal. In the case of Samsung, you must access Settings> Display and select the option “Full-screen gestures.”
In the case of Xiaomi mobiles, it is similar; go to Settings> Display> Full-screen gestures to make the virtual buttons of the terminal disappear.
Whether through one procedure or another, many Android phones have native functions to hide and modify the order of the buttons on the navigation bar. Access that tool and use it to customize the mobile to your liking.
How to customize the navigation bar with third-party apps
In the Google Play Store, you can find free applications that help you customize the navigation bar, with the possibility of reversing the order of the buttons, changing their color and intensity, choosing new icons, and, of course, also hiding those buttons virtual.
To customize the navigation bar, we recommend apps like Navigation Bar – Assistive Touch Bar, Simple Control, or Custom Navigation Bar. To carry out this explanation, we have chosen the free Navigation Bar application, although the functions and use are very similar.
After downloading and installing this application on your Android mobile, the first thing you should do is open it to give it the accessibility permissions it needs to work.
After completing this step, follow this process to customize the Android navigation bar with Navigation Bar.
- In the “Settings” tab, you can select the width of the navigation bar, its background color, and the color of the buttons. Also, with the option “Swap Back and Recent Button,” you can reverse the order of the buttons.
- Once the “Settings” tab is configured, enter “Action” to link some actions with a long press on each button.
- Finally, click on the “Theme” tab to choose the buttons’ appearance on the navigation bar. If you activate the “Custom” box, you will choose a button for each aesthetic to configure the bar to your liking. In addition, you can unlock 28 new themes in exchange for seeing the ads in the app.
Those are the three main steps to use the Navigation Bar app to customize your Android’s navigation bar. It is a free application that gives you extensive customization options, but it has a small drawback: more present ads than we would like.
As you choose the bar’s aesthetics, the changes will be applied, and you will be able to check how they look in real-time. Without a doubt, both the Navigation Bar and the rest of similar apps are very useful tools to customize the navigation bar.
In addition, you can always use these applications to integrate the virtual buttons in case the navigation bar of your mobile does not work correctly.
Sharlene Meriel is an avid gamer with a knack for technology. He has been writing about the latest technologies for the past 5 years. His contribution in technology journalism has been noteworthy. He is also a day trader with interest in the Forex market.
