[GUIDE][NO ROOT] Disable navigation gestures and get the old Android navigation style

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Mobstergunz

Member
Oct 23, 2017
42
7
Just got this phone and the gesture navigation bugs me a lot. Google or Nokia I don't know who decided not to give us the option to disable this or revert it back to the old navigation buttons.

the goal of this guide is to get this result
V68Hdjw.jpg
Steps:

1.) Install any 3rd-party launcher of your choice. This is a must because otherwise, you won’t have a launcher app left once we’re done with this guide. Make sure you set it as the default launcher!

2.) Connect your Nokia 9 to your PC and make sure the usb drivers are installed

3.) Set up ADB on your PC. theres a tutorial here -> https://www.xda-developers.com/install-adb-windows-macos-linux/

4.) Connect your Nokia 9 to your PC and open up a command prompt in the directory where you downloaded ADB.

5.) Enter these commands

Code:
adb devices

*Make sure you authorized the ADB connection on your Nokia 9. It should say "device" not "unauthorized" in the command prompt*

Code:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.launcher3

This will Uninstall the Stock Launcher. This is necessary.

Code:
adb shell settings put secure system_navigation_keys_enabled 1

This will re-enable the old style navigation bar after a reboot

Code:
adb shell reboot

Now your phone will reboot and you will have the old style navigation bar on your Nokia 9. Now you can install any launcher you want, personally i chose "Rootless Launcher" from the PlayStore, but thats up to you.

I hope this helps anyone else that didn't like the changes to the Nav bar.
 
Last edited:
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Nice tutorial if you wish to go back. It's a bit off topic, but I really like the new implementation. Took me a few days to figure out that opening the app drawer doesn't only require two short swipes, but instead shows right away after one long swipe all the way up. I think it's a useful feature from Google, but it's better if users can decide themselves. Now they can, well done!
 

Mobstergunz

Member
Oct 23, 2017
42
7
I can see the functionality potential in the gestures but it just doesn't work for me. I've been using Android since Eclair and the old Nav is plain and simple. I think if the hit box for a gesture is that small or precise I'd rather see what I'm pushing as a button instead. They could've had me if the change was gradual like the transition of physical buttons to on screen touch. My point was at least give me the option you know
 

OO7R3N7

Member
Apr 21, 2019
12
1
Just got this phone and the gesture navigation bugs me a lot. Google or Nokia I don't know who decided not to give us the option to disable this or revert it back to the old navigation buttons.

Now your phone will reboot and you will have the old style navigation bar on your Nokia 9. Now you can install any launcher you want, personally i chose "Rootless Launcher" from the PlayStore, but thats up to you.

I hope this helps anyone else that didn't like the changes to the Nav bar.

Hey man I have a smartwatch (android 5.1) and want to disable the touch gestures - in particular the back swipe where you swipe right from the left side of the screen. Would these commands work with that as well? Really stuck here!
 
Jul 20, 2009
7
0
Brisbane
Just got this phone and the gesture navigation bugs me a lot. Google or Nokia I don't know who decided not to give us the option to disable this or revert it back to the old navigation buttons.

the goal of this guide is to get this result
V68Hdjw.jpg
Steps:

1.) Install any 3rd-party launcher of your choice. This is a must because otherwise, you won’t have a launcher app left once we’re done with this guide. Make sure you set it as the default launcher!

2.) Connect your Nokia 9 to your PC and make sure the usb drivers are installed

3.) Set up ADB on your PC. theres a tutorial here -> https://www.xda-developers.com/install-adb-windows-macos-linux/

4.) Connect your Nokia 9 to your PC and open up a command prompt in the directory where you downloaded ADB.

5.) Enter these commands

Code:
adb devices

*Make sure you authorized the ADB connection on your Nokia 9. It should say "device" not "unauthorized" in the command prompt*

Code:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.launcher3

This will Uninstall the Stock Launcher. This is necessary.

Code:
adb shell settings put secure system_navigation_keys_enabled 1

This will re-enable the old style navigation bar after a reboot

Code:
adb shell reboot

Now your phone will reboot and you will have the old style navigation bar on your Nokia 9. Now you can install any launcher you want, personally i chose "Rootless Launcher" from the PlayStore, but thats up to you.

I hope this helps anyone else that didn't like the changes to the Nav bar.

I followed these instructions when I first got my Nokia 9 PureView and they worked brilliantly. However tonight, I updated the phone to Android 10 and after the upgrade, my App Switcher button (square button on the right) stopped working. It turns out they've changed how this works in Android 10 and you actually no longer need this workaround to get 3-button navigation. So here are the steps I followed to undo this change and switch to a working 3-button navigation setup on Android 10.

Firstly I ran to restore that setting to what I assume is its default (the workaround switched it on [1] so undoing the workaround switches it off [0]:
Code:
adb shell settings put secure system_navigation_keys_enabled 0

Then I reinstalled the Quickstep launcher (thankfully you don't need to go to shady parts of the internet to find an APK for this, you can reinstall a safe version from your own phone's system image)
Code:
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.android.launcher3

Then I rebooted the phone
Code:
adb shell reboot

Finally, I was then able to goto the Settings app -> System -> Gestures -> System Navigation and switch it to 3-button navigation.

Hope that works for everyone as well as it did for me :)
 

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    Just got this phone and the gesture navigation bugs me a lot. Google or Nokia I don't know who decided not to give us the option to disable this or revert it back to the old navigation buttons.

    the goal of this guide is to get this result
    V68Hdjw.jpg
    Steps:

    1.) Install any 3rd-party launcher of your choice. This is a must because otherwise, you won’t have a launcher app left once we’re done with this guide. Make sure you set it as the default launcher!

    2.) Connect your Nokia 9 to your PC and make sure the usb drivers are installed

    3.) Set up ADB on your PC. theres a tutorial here -> https://www.xda-developers.com/install-adb-windows-macos-linux/

    4.) Connect your Nokia 9 to your PC and open up a command prompt in the directory where you downloaded ADB.

    5.) Enter these commands

    Code:
    adb devices

    *Make sure you authorized the ADB connection on your Nokia 9. It should say "device" not "unauthorized" in the command prompt*

    Code:
    adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.launcher3

    This will Uninstall the Stock Launcher. This is necessary.

    Code:
    adb shell settings put secure system_navigation_keys_enabled 1

    This will re-enable the old style navigation bar after a reboot

    Code:
    adb shell reboot

    Now your phone will reboot and you will have the old style navigation bar on your Nokia 9. Now you can install any launcher you want, personally i chose "Rootless Launcher" from the PlayStore, but thats up to you.

    I hope this helps anyone else that didn't like the changes to the Nav bar.