[gtamhankar]

I was searching for some way to hide the bottom navigation bar and get some additional screen real estate.
I know custom ROMs can do it but I'm running stock.
Nova launcher lets you remove the dock but not the navigation bar.

On reading some threads on XDA I realized there are couple of different ways to do it.

1) Add "qemu.hw.mainkeys = 1" (without the quotes) at the end of the build.prop in /system
2) Use an app like or

I used option 1 since I didn't want to install an app to do this, rebooted and it works!

Now with the navigation bar gone I use which gives soft keys on the side which hide as and when required.

Thought this would be useful to someone like me who thinks the nav bar is a waste of space!

[Sam Osborne]

Do you know if theres any way that I can just do a gesture to hide and unhide the nav bar. I'd love to be able to just hide it whenever I need to rather than always using gestures or pie with lmt.

[gtamhankar]

Do you know if theres any way that I can just do a gesture to hide and unhide the nav bar. I'd love to be able to just hide it whenever I need to rather than always using gestures or pie with lmt.

You can do it with GMD GestureControl.
I haven't tried it but there's a video with the app in google play doing what you want.

Try it out and let us know how it works!

[celliott96]

I would definitely recommend GMD gesture control. I just got the paid version ($5 but it lets you hide/unhide the navigation bar easily). I haven't had any problems with GMD yet and it lets you make custom gestures to do a wide variety of things. For example I have it set so when I tap the bottom edge of the screen it will hide/unhide the navigation bar, and it works great. I really like the extra screen space it frees up.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

[gtamhankar]

I would definitely recommend GMD gesture control. I just got the paid version ($5 but it lets you hide/unhide the navigation bar easily). I haven't had any problems with GMD yet and it lets you make custom gestures to do a wide variety of things. For example I have it set so when I tap the bottom edge of the screen it will hide/unhide the navigation bar, and it works great. I really like the extra screen space it frees up.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

Pretty cool. I might give that a try. The free version doesn't allow hiding navigation bar.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

[Agent Agrimar]

I was searching for some way to hide the bottom navigation bar and get some additional screen real estate.
I know custom ROMs can do it but I'm running stock.
Nova launcher lets you remove the dock but not the navigation bar.

On reading some threads on XDA I realized there are couple of different ways to do it.

1) Add "qemu.hw.mainkeys = 1" (without the quotes) at the end of the build.prop in /system
2) Use an app like or

I used option 1 since I didn't want to install an app to do this, rebooted and it works!

Now with the navigation bar gone I use which gives soft keys on the side which hide as and when required.

Thought this would be useful to someone like me who thinks the nav bar is a waste of space!

Doesn't stock usually mean like default/not rooted unless its not and you can do this then I say wow

[gtamhankar]

Doesn't stock usually mean like default/not rooted unless its not and you can do this then I say wow

Stock can be rooted or not rooted.

You can try doing it on un-rooted. Not sure if it will let you edit build.prop.
My guess is no.

Gesture GMD is the way to go in that case.

[navedoperez]

hahaaa, this is a pretty cool app.. it makes me laugh seeing my nexus do this

[AbuYazeedUK]

I've added that line in build.prop done a reboot but my nav bar is still there. Does GMD let you disable nav bar only? I want to keep my status bar

[habskilla]

GMD disables both.

[AbuYazeedUK]

Is this right?



Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

[2eyesee]

I was searching for some way to hide the bottom navigation bar and get some additional screen real estate.
I know custom ROMs can do it but I'm running stock.
Nova launcher lets you remove the dock but not the navigation bar.

On reading some threads on XDA I realized there are couple of different ways to do it.

1) Add "qemu.hw.mainkeys = 1" (without the quotes) at the end of the build.prop in /system
2) Use an app like or

I used option 1 since I didn't want to install an app to do this, rebooted and it works!

Now with the navigation bar gone I use which gives soft keys on the side which hide as and when required.

Thought this would be useful to someone like me who thinks the nav bar is a waste of space!

Thank you so much for this post. Like you I feel the navigation bar take up a lot of space for what for me is essentially just 2 functions - 'Back' and 'Home'.

I used option 1 to disable the Nav Bar, but instead of Button Saviour I use GMD Gesture and created custom gestures to swipe up from the bottom of the screen for Home (bottom middle), Back (bottom left) and Recent Apps (bottom right) buttons. In doing this you are just replacing the soft keys that you press with a swipe up from the same position, so the phone functions in much the same way but now I enjoy a bigger screen on my Nexus 4.

[thepktrckt]

I was able to hide the bar after rooting my phone and I love that it's gone, now just debating on which app to use for the home and back functions.

I edited the build.prop in /system and it worked right after reboot, it was a little scary to be in there editing at first but thankfully all went well.
For my edit I made sure there was a space between = on both sides. If it's not working for you Abu that might be the issue.

[AbuYazeedUK]

I was able to hide the bar after rooting my phone and I love that it's gone, now just debating on which app to use for the home and back functions.

I edited the build.prop in /system and it worked right after reboot, it was a little scary to be in there editing at first but thankfully all went well.
For my edit I made sure there was a space between = on both sides. If it's not working for you Abu that might be the issue.

That could be the reason or that I have a custom ROM (AOKP) I think this mod is for stock ROM either way I've disabled my navbar through AOKP settings and I'm using LMT launcher (pie) for the nav buttons. Thanks for the heads up though.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

[rydog66]

Thaaaaannnnnkkkk you so very much!!!! Worked like a charm. I chose to modify the build.prop, seemed to make more sense to do that rather than grab an app for that sole purpose. Thanks again!!

[mountainloafers]

So, I followed the instructions laid out here using option one and installed the gesture control app. The issue I am having now is that my wallpaper changed and I can not change it back... Any ideas?

Nevermind, found the answer in the help screen. Just had to dowload simple image app and static image wp is back.

Thank you so much for this mod! Loving the larger screen now.

[mountainloafers]

I've added that line in build.prop done a reboot but my nav bar is still there. Does GMD let you disable nav bar only? I want to keep my status bar

Ive noticed that my status/notification bar are gone. Also in TiBu the menu option has also vanished... Is there a command that will bring them back and keep the navigation bar away?

[AbuYazeedUK]

Ive noticed that my status/notification bar are gone. Also in TiBu the menu option has also vanished... Is there a command that will bring them back and keep the navigation bar away?

If you edited the build.prop i don't think that should've affected your notification bar, what are you using for back, home and recents now? i've downloaded LMT launcher

[AbuYazeedUK]

Here's how mine is setup






Sent from my Nexus 4 sitting on a Unicorn

[mountainloafers]

Got the notification bar back after uninstalling GMD, deleting the line, and rebooting. Started from scratch and added the line back then installed the pie like you have and it works. Love the pie and the extra screen space. Thanks

[AbuYazeedUK]

Got the notification bar back after uninstalling GMD, deleting the line, and rebooting. Started from scratch and added the line back then installed the pie like you have and it works. Love the pie and the extra screen space. Thanks

Nice, glad you got that sorted.

Sent from my Nexus 4 sitting on a Unicorn

[mclark2112]

Thank you so much for this post. Like you I feel the navigation bar take up a lot of space for what for me is essentially just 2 functions - 'Back' and 'Home'.

I used option 1 to disable the Nav Bar, but instead of Button Saviour I use GMD Gesture and created custom gestures to swipe up from the bottom of the screen for Home (bottom middle), Back (bottom left) and Recent Apps (bottom right) buttons. In doing this you are just replacing the soft keys that you press with a swipe up from the same position, so the phone functions in much the same way but now I enjoy a bigger screen on my Nexus 4.

I did the same exact thing. But how do we get to Google Now? That was a swipe up from the bottom... Can't find a reference to it GM Gesture control.

[mountainloafers]

Just tap on the search bar at the top of your home screen.

[AFM1204]

I did the same exact thing. But how do we get to Google Now? That was a swipe up from the bottom... Can't find a reference to it GM Gesture control.

You can use GMD to set up a custom gesture. Go to the Custom Gestures menu, hit the +, and work your way through it. After setting up the location for the gesture, number of fingers, etc., press Select, Application, Google.

Sent from the bathroom using Android Central Forums

[Tronstar]

I went the GMD Gesture Control route to hide the nav/status bar. I'm using custom gestures in place of the soft keys and liking it so far except I miss having my staus bar readily available. I made a gesture to quick access it but it then sets it to unhide. Bit of a pain. I think I will try OPs option 1 and go to a transparent staus bar.