How To Enable Back and Home Buttons on Your Motorola Phone for Full Functionality

Are you looking to enable the Back and Home buttons on your Motorola phone? This guide will walk you through the simple steps to activate the traditional 3-button navigation system on devices running Android 10 or later, including popular models like the Moto G, Edge, and Razr series. By following these instructions, you’ll have easy access to essential navigation buttons, which can boost your overall user experience.

Step 1: Access the Settings Menu

To begin, open the Settings app on your Motorola device:

Swipe up from the home screen to open the apps tray.
Tap on the gear icon labeled Settings.

Step 2: Navigate to System Settings

Once inside Settings, look for the system or navigation options:

Scroll down and tap on System. If you can’t see it, use the search bar at the top — just type “System navigation” or similar keywords.
Then, select Gestures or System Navigation. On some models, it might be nested under Display or Buttons.

Step 3: Enable 3-Button Navigation

This is where the magic happens. If you find yourself on gesture navigation, switch it to the classic 3-button layout:

In the System Navigation menu, tap on 3-button navigation. Doing this pulls up the traditional back, home, and recent apps buttons at the bottom—exactly what most people are used to.
If gesture navigation or single-button navigation is active, you’ll want to disable those first. Head to the Moto app, and look for Moto Actions. Here, toggle off options like One Button Nav or anything similar that might be overriding the traditional buttons.

Extra Tips & Common Issues

Here are some quick tips to avoid headaches:

If the System Navigation option isn’t popping up immediately, try searching for it or reboot your device just to be safe. Sometimes Android and Moto’s UI can be a bit finicky.
Switching between navigation styles might not take effect instantly — if the buttons don’t show up, try a quick restart. Sometimes, the system just needs a nudge.
And on some setups, you might need to toggle the switch a couple of times or clear cache from the Settings > Apps > All Apps > Settings — not sure why it works, but it’s part of the weird Android charm.

Once you’ve set it up, the back and home buttons should be visible at the bottom. Feels more familiar, especially if you’re switching from an older device or just had enough with gesture controls. Exploring other options in the Moto app can give more fine-tuning, but this gets you the basics of classic navigation back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I revert to Gesture Navigation after enabling the 3-button navigation?

For sure. Just go back into System > Gestures and pick the gesture option again. Easy peasy.

What if the buttons are still hiding after I turn them on?

Double-check if some other navigation setting is conflicting — maybe someone enabled gesture navigation elsewhere. Restarting the device after toggling options often helps. Because of course, Android has to make it harder than necessary sometimes.

Are there advantages to using 3-button navigation instead of gestures?

Many folks like the straightforward buttons — just tap instead of swiping. Especially if you’re used to older Android versions. Quicker access, less accidental swipes, and it’s more consistent for some apps.

Summary

Open Settings, look for System or navigation options
Switch from gesture to 3-button navigation
Restart if buttons don’t appear right away
Use the search bar if menu paths are confusing

Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone.