How to switch between buttons and swipe gestures on a Samsung Galaxy phone
By Saadat Rafiq · 2 min read · 5 steps · Updated 5 October 2026
Open Settings, Display, Navigation bar and choose Buttons or Swipe gestures. With Buttons you get Recents, Home and Back at the bottom; with Swipe gestures, you swipe from the sides to go back and up from the bottom to go home. More options changes the button order.
- Device
- Android
- Shown on
- Samsung Galaxy A57 5G (SM-A576B), One UI 8.5, Android 16
- App
- Settings
- Path
- Settings › Display
- Real screenshots
- 3 of 5 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 1 official, linked below
Galaxy phones can be navigated with three buttons at the bottom of the screen or with swipes. Neither is better; pick the one your thumb prefers.
The screenshots are from a Samsung Galaxy A57 5G with One UI 8.5 and Android 16. Other Galaxy phones on One UI 8 use the same menus; on older One UI versions a few names and positions differ.
Step by step
Open Display
Open Settings and tap Display.
Open Navigation bar
Scroll down the Display page and tap Navigation bar.
Choose Buttons or Swipe gestures
Tap Buttons for the three buttons, or Swipe gestures to remove them and use swipes instead. The change applies straight away.
Change the button order
With Buttons selected, tap More options to swap the order of the Back and Recents buttons.
Use the gestures
With Swipe gestures on One UI 6.1 and later: swipe in from either side to go back, swipe up from the bottom to go home, and swipe up and hold to see recent apps.
Good to know
Circle to Search, on the same page, works with both: touch and hold the Home button or the navigation handle.
In short: Settings, Display, Navigation bar: Buttons or Swipe gestures. More options for the button order.
Links checked on 4 October 2026. Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.