The disappearing home button on some phones comes in two forms. Either the user has switched to gesture mode from navigation bar mode, or there's a bug causing the home button to disappear randomly. To make the most of your screen, Android has introduced a method of navigation that relies on gestures rather than traditional buttons. This system eliminates the navigation buttons, including the home button, to provide additional screen space. Instead of interacting with physical or virtual buttons, users initiate actions using various gestures. For new users or those who accidentally switch to this mode, it may appear as if the home button has disappeared.
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Possible Bug Causing the Disappearance of the Home Button
Aside from the deliberate system design, bugs or software glitches may cause the disappearance of the home button. That was notably prominent due to the latest software update for Android users. Often, when inside an app or a game, the navigation bar, including the home button, pops out of sight of its own accord. That creates confusion and disruption as users may tap on some function key in the app, thinking it's the back or home button. This glitch can understandably be quite frustrating for users while they're interacting with their devices.
Manually Turning On the Navigation Bar
If you're facing the issue of a disappearing home button in your phone, you can often resolve the problem by manually turning on the navigation bar. Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to do this:
- Swiping Up Once: try swiping up from the bottom of your screen. If your navigation bar is set to hide automatically, this will make it reappear, but this fix is usually temporary. Or access your device's settings for a more permanent solution.
- Opening "Settings": locate and open your phone's "Settings" application. A gear-like icon generally represents this and can be found among your list of apps.
- Accessing "Display" Settings: inside the "Settings" menu, scroll down and tap on the "Display" option to open a list of settings that allow you to adjust almost every aspect of your device's display, including the navigation bar.
- Navigation to "Navigation Bar": in the "Display" settings, proceed and tap on the "Navigation bar" option to access the settings related explicitly to the navigation bar.
- Selecting "Buttons": in the "Navigation bar" settings, switch your preferred mode of navigation by tapping the "Buttons" option. That will turn off the gesture navigation, restore the home button, and allow the navigation bar to stay visible on your screen.
Note
These steps may vary slightly based on your wireless service provider, software version, and device model.
Steps To Resolve If the Home Screen Button Is Still Missing
If the home button remains missing after following the previous steps, a few more solutions can help resolve the issue. Here are the steps to bring back the missing home screen button:
- Swipe Up On Any Blank Spot: depending on your device's settings, the home button might disappear while you are in an app or a game. If this happens, try swiping up from the bottom of the screen. This gesture can trigger the appearance of the home button.
- Tap settings: if swiping up does not resolve the problem, you should access your device's main settings. Open your phone settings, proceed to display settings, and scroll down to the navigation bar settings. That is where you can manually manage the visibility of the navigation buttons, including the home button.
Turn On The “Show Apps Screen Button On Home Screen”
Within the navigation bar settings, look for the option "Show apps screen button on the Home screen." By toggling this option, the home button should permanently display on your screen, eliminating the need to swipe up to see it. This setting ensures your home button is always visible, providing quicker and easier access to the main screen.
Note
Although these steps generally help resolve the problem, in some rare cases, the issue might persist. In situations like these, performing a factory reset can help restore the original settings and functionality of the device. However, a factory reset should be a last resort as it deletes all user data stored on the device.
Using Swipe Gestures Instead Of Navigation Buttons
If all attempts at restoring the home button prove futile, or you're interested in an alternative way of navigating on your Samsung phone, consider switching from navigation buttons to swipe gestures. That is a recommended way to get the most out of your screen's real estate, as it eliminates the navigation buttons, creating more room on your screen. The gesture mode also provides an intuitive and smooth way to interact with your device. Here's how to switch to using swipe gestures from navigation buttons:
- Open "Settings": open the "Settings" app on your Samsung device. Locate the app, typically emblematized with a cog-like icon, and open it.
- Accessing "Display" Settings: in the "Settings" app, navigate to the section labeled "Display." Tap on it to access the vast display options available on your device.
- Navigating to "Navigation Bar": From the "Display" settings, scroll down until you locate the "Navigation bar" option. Once you see it, tap to open.
- Choosing "Swipe Gestures"
In the "Navigation bar" settings, you'll see two options: "Buttons" and "Swipe gestures." Choose the "Swipe gestures" option. Once this is selected, your device will switch to gesture mode, replacing the traditional navigation buttons with more modern and sleek user navigation.
Note
Remember, if you're uncomfortable with gestures instead of buttons, you can always revert to the original navigation buttons by following the same process but choosing "Buttons" instead of "Swipe gestures".
