Changing Android gesture controls allows you to customize how you navigate your device, switching between full-screen gestures, 2-button navigation, or the traditional 3-button layout. The process varies slightly depending on your Android version (Android 9 Pie through Android 15) and manufacturer (Google Pixel, Samsung, OnePlus, etc.), but core steps remain consistent across most devices. You can access these settings through the System or Display menus in your device's Settings app, with additional customization options like gesture sensitivity, visual hints, and vibration feedback available on select models.

Key findings from the search results:

• Three navigation modes are universally available: Gesture Navigation (full-screen swipes), 2-button Navigation (mixed swipes/buttons), and 3-button Navigation (traditional Back/Home/Recents buttons) ^[3][4]
• Samsung devices offer a unique "3-area swipe" mode that divides the bottom screen into virtual button zones ^[4]
• Android 12+ hides advanced options (like legacy gestures) behind a "More options" or three-dot menu in Navigation settings ^[1][10]
• Accessibility features include TalkBack gesture customization and Jieshuo screen reader support for one-finger navigation ^[4][7]

Customizing Android Gesture Controls

Switching Between Navigation Modes

The most common adjustment involves toggling between gesture-based navigation and button-based systems. This process is nearly identical across Android 9 (Pie) through Android 15, though menu labels may differ slightly by manufacturer. On stock Android (Pixel, Motorola, etc.), start by opening the Settings app, then navigate to System > Gestures > System navigation ^[1][5]. Samsung users should go to Settings > Display > Navigation bar ^[9], while OnePlus devices may require accessing a hidden menu via the three-dot overflow icon in Navigation settings ^[10].

Once in the navigation menu, you’ll see three primary options:

• Gesture Navigation (Full-screen swipes): Uses edge swipes for Back, bottom swipes for Home/Recents, and corner swipes for Google Assistant ^[3]
• 2-button Navigation: Combines a pill-shaped Home button with a Back button, using swipes on the pill for Recents ^[3]
• 3-button Navigation: Traditional Back/Home/Recents buttons at the bottom of the screen ^[2]

For Android 15, the path is streamlined to Settings > System > Navigation Mode, where you can toggle between Gesture and 3-button layouts with a single tap ^[8]. Samsung Galaxy devices add a fourth option: "Swipe gestures" (divided into left/center/right zones for Back/Home/Recents), which can be enabled in Settings > Display > Navigation bar > Swipe gestures ^[4][6].

Advanced Customization and Accessibility

Beyond basic mode switching, Android offers deeper customization for gesture sensitivity, visual feedback, and accessibility tools. On Samsung devices, you can adjust:

• Gesture hint visibility: Toggle on-screen indicators that show swipe zones ^[4]
• Vibration feedback: Enable haptic responses when gestures are recognized ^[4]
• Screen division mode: Split the bottom edge into three touch zones (left for Back, center for Home, right for Recents) ^[4]

For Google Pixel and stock Android, advanced options are hidden behind the "More options" button in Navigation settings. Here, you can:

• Adjust gesture sensitivity to prevent accidental swipes ^[1]
• Enable "Legacy gestures" (older Android 9/10-style swipes) via the three-dot menu in Navigation settings ^[10]
• Customize back gesture exclusion zones to prevent conflicts with side menus in apps ^[4]

• TalkBack gestures: Reassign single-finger or multi-finger swipes to actions like "Next," "Previous," or "Select" ^[7]. For example, you can set a downward swipe to trigger the "Next" reading control.
• Jieshuo screen reader: Enables one-finger navigation gestures for users with visual impairments ^[4]
• Button/gesture size adjustments: Increase the touch target size for navigation elements in Accessibility > Interaction controls ^[1]

Note that multi-finger gestures (e.g., two-finger swipes) are only customizable on Android R (11+) and select devices ^[7]. Older Android versions (8.2 and below) support a more limited set of gesture assignments.