XIAOMI REDMI
How to use Circle to Search on a Xiaomi phone (HyperOS 3)
In short
Touch and hold the line at the bottom of the screen. The setting is in Settings, Home screen, System navigation: set Press and hold full screen indicator to Circle to Search, or None to turn it off. Searching Settings for circle to search didn't find it on ours.
5 of 5 steps show a real screenshot from our Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G. Each step was checked against the maker's own instructions, linked at the end.
Steps
- 1
Open Home screen settings
Open Settings and tap Home screen. It is in the group with Lock screen, Notifications & status bar and Display & brightness.
- 2
Tap System navigation
Scroll down to Other and tap System navigation. Ours said Gestures.
- 3
Tap Press and hold full screen indicator
Gestures was selected on ours. Under Shortcuts, Press and hold full screen indicator said Circle to Search. Tap it.
- 4
Pick Circle to Search
A small list opens: Circle to Search or None. Pick Circle to Search; None turns it off. Ours stayed on Circle to Search.
- 5
Touch and hold the bottom bar
On any screen, touch and hold the line at the bottom. Ours opened with a Google bar at the top and a card: Holding the bottom bar now lets you search what's on your screen. This product uses the selected part of your screen to search. We closed it with Back.
If you do not see this option
- Settings search finds nothing? On ours, searching Settings for circle to search found only System update, and circle found nothing. Searching for gesture did lead to System navigation.
- Using Buttons instead of Gestures? Xiaomi's guide gives this choice for full screen gestures. With Buttons, the page has Press and hold rows for the Menu, Home and Back buttons instead. Source: Generic User Guide for HyperOS 3.0
If this does not work
- It opens when you rest your thumb? Set Press and hold full screen indicator to None.
- Holding the line does nothing? Check the row says Circle to Search, not None. Hide full screen indicator, on the same page, was off on ours, so the line showed.
- Doesn't work in one app? Google says it may not work in some apps, such as banking, medical and other confidential apps.
- Holding the line opens nothing at all? Google lists two requirements: Google set as the default digital assistant app, with Use screen and app data turned on, and the Google app updated to the latest version. Check both, then try again.
Good to know
Change between gestures and buttons: switch between gestures and buttons on a Xiaomi phone. More shortcuts: use gesture shortcuts.
On a Samsung phone you hold the Home button or the handle: use Circle to Search on a Samsung Galaxy.
Once open, you can circle, highlight, scribble on or tap text and images; Google says results appear in the lower half of the screen and you can drag the selection borders to change what you searched. To close it, Google says to swipe down, use the back gesture or tap X at the top left. Google adds that search history for Circle to Search is controlled by Web & App Activity in your Google Account.
About this guide
- Device
- Android
- Shown on
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G (25080RABDG), HyperOS 3.0.308.0, Android 16
- App
- Settings
- Path
- Settings › Home screen › System navigation › Press and hold full screen indicator
- Real screenshots
- 5 of 5 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 2 official, linked below
Sources
Links checked October 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.Spotted a mistake? Menus change with updates, and we want every step to match your screen. Email us about this page or use the contact form. We read every report, and fixes are listed on What changed.
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