[How-To] [AOSP]Easily Enable Nav Bar

**gollum18** · 01-08-2013, 01:59 AM

Hi guys, if you've ever seen the nav bar on the nexus line of phones, or in custom aosp ROMs you know what I'm talking about. If not basically what this does is enable onscreen buttons to use in place of your capacitive buttons at the bottom of your phone.

By default they are the back, home, and task manager buttons.

Warning: Always have a backup handy should something go wrong.

Step one: Root your s3, its mandatory.

Step two: Download a root file explorer with a built in text editor.

Step three: Using your root file explorer (after you grant su perms), navigate to the /system directory.

Step four: Look for a text file named build.prop and open it for editing.

Step five: Scroll to the bottom of your build.prop and add these lines

#Softkeys Mod
qemu.hw.mainkeys=0

Then save and exit the file and reboot. You should now have an on screen nav bar.

Its as simple as that. There is already a thread as to how to disable the capacitive buttons functions as well as their backlights, so I won't mention how.

Just search for "how to disable capacitive buttons" or something similar to that and you'll be fine.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

**meyerweb** · 01-09-2013, 03:43 PM

I'm glad people who want it have the option, but I'm not sure why I'd want to give up screen real estate for this. On an Oracle experience device, these are context sensitive., right? Will that be true when enabled on an S3?

**Soundtrack to Chaos** · 01-09-2013, 09:31 PM

Also aokp and PacMan roms support nav buttons in their settings

And there is also a universal stock keys file floating around

Sent from my Google Nexus 7 running aokp 4.1.2, because there is no PacMan rom for the nexus

**Soundtrack to Chaos** · 01-10-2013, 05:07 PM

Heard cm10 is going to get the nav bar feature soon, bout time they caught up, lol

Sent from my Game Boy Advance....

Nah I'm just kidding, Sent from my SPH - L710 running Pac Man Rom 4.1.2, seeder and ktweaker kernel

**gollum18** · 01-10-2013, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by Soundtrack to Chaos

Also aokp and PacMan roms support nav buttons in their settings

And there is also a universal stock keys file floating around

Sent from my Google Nexus 7 running aokp 4.1.2, because there is no PacMan rom for the nexus

The universal stock key is for an outdated version of the stock rom sadly it is incompatible with the latest lj7 release, trust me I know.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

**gollum18** · 01-10-2013, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by meyerweb

I'm glad people who want it have the option, but I'm not sure why I'd want to give up screen real estate for this. On an Oracle experience device, these are context sensitive., right? Will that be true when enabled on an S3?

Hmm the keys run throughout every app, for me I would like an option where they automatically disable when you're watching movies/videos or playing games.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

**Soundtrack to Chaos** · 01-10-2013, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by gollum18

The universal stock key is for an outdated version of the stock rom sadly it is incompatible with the latest lj7 release, trust me I know.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

Really? I had mine working fine up till about November, when u switched to a rom in which I no longer needed it

Sent from my Google Nexus 7 running aokp 4.1.2, because there is no PacMan rom for the nexus

**Paterick** · 01-10-2013, 08:22 PM

I tried to enable the nav bar on the stock rooted jelly bean ROM and it didn't work. Does this only work on AOSP ROMS?

**gollum18** · 01-11-2013, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by Paterick

I tried to enable the nav bar on the stock rooted jelly bean ROM and it didn't work. Does this only work on AOSP ROMS?

That's what I thought. I was under the impression that it may work on stock but thanks for letting me know that it doesn't, I'll be updating the op.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

**bp240** · 01-18-2013, 11:11 AM

Just so you guys know, Paranoid Android (the P in the PACman rom) includes it under the settings as well. Its as simple as checking a box. You then have the option for custom colors, additional actions, etc. You can also disable or change functions of the hardware keys, as well as disable the key backlight.
Here are some screenshots to give you guys an idea:

**Soundtrack to Chaos** · 01-18-2013, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by bp240

Just so you guys know, Paranoid Android (the P in the PACman rom) includes it under the settings as well. Its as simple as checking a box. You then have the option for custom colors, additional actions, etc. You can also disable or change functions of the hardware keys, as well as disable the key backlight.
Here are some screenshots to give you guys an idea:

I used the Aokp nav bar when I was on that ROM

Sublime l anytime the system ui crashed or you rebooted the phone, the nav bar went back to the original white color

But now that I'm on Aokp, it doesn't do that anymore thank God

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums