diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/NavbarButtonsViewController.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/NavbarButtonsViewController.java
index a4ecd8b..6ae8c9d 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/NavbarButtonsViewController.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/NavbarButtonsViewController.java
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 import static com.android.systemui.shared.system.QuickStepContract.SYSUI_STATE_OVERVIEW_DISABLED;
 import static com.android.systemui.shared.system.QuickStepContract.SYSUI_STATE_QUICK_SETTINGS_EXPANDED;
 import static com.android.systemui.shared.system.QuickStepContract.SYSUI_STATE_SCREEN_PINNING;
+import static com.android.systemui.shared.system.ViewTreeObserverWrapper.InsetsInfo.TOUCHABLE_INSETS_REGION;
 
 import android.animation.ArgbEvaluator;
 import android.animation.ObjectAnimator;
@@ -53,9 +54,11 @@
 import android.view.Gravity;
 import android.view.MotionEvent;
 import android.view.View;
+import android.view.View.OnAttachStateChangeListener;
 import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
 import android.view.View.OnHoverListener;
 import android.view.ViewGroup;
+import android.view.WindowManager;
 import android.widget.FrameLayout;
 import android.widget.ImageView;
 
@@ -65,10 +68,13 @@
 import com.android.launcher3.anim.AlphaUpdateListener;
 import com.android.launcher3.taskbar.TaskbarNavButtonController.TaskbarButton;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.MultiValueAlpha;
+import com.android.launcher3.util.TouchController;
+import com.android.launcher3.views.BaseDragLayer;
 import com.android.quickstep.AnimatedFloat;
 import com.android.systemui.shared.rotation.FloatingRotationButton;
 import com.android.systemui.shared.rotation.RotationButton;
 import com.android.systemui.shared.rotation.RotationButtonController;
+import com.android.systemui.shared.system.ViewTreeObserverWrapper;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.function.IntPredicate;
@@ -95,6 +101,8 @@
 
     private static final int MASK_IME_SWITCHER_VISIBLE = FLAG_SWITCHER_SUPPORTED | FLAG_IME_VISIBLE;
 
+    private static final String NAV_BUTTONS_SEPARATE_WINDOW_TITLE = "Taskbar Nav Buttons";
+
     private final ArrayList<StatePropertyHolder> mPropertyHolders = new ArrayList<>();
     private final ArrayList<ImageView> mAllButtons = new ArrayList<>();
     private int mState;
@@ -130,6 +138,12 @@
     private View mBackButton;
     private FloatingRotationButton mFloatingRotationButton;
 
+    // Variables for moving nav buttons to a separate window above IME
+    private boolean mAreNavButtonsInSeparateWindow = false;
+    private BaseDragLayer<TaskbarActivityContext> mSeparateWindowParent; // Initialized in init.
+    private final ViewTreeObserverWrapper.OnComputeInsetsListener mSeparateWindowInsetsComputer =
+            this::onComputeInsetsForSeparateWindow;
+
     public NavbarButtonsViewController(TaskbarActivityContext context, FrameLayout navButtonsView) {
         mContext = context;
         mNavButtonsView = navButtonsView;
@@ -258,6 +272,21 @@
                     R.id.notifications_button);
         }
 
+        // Initialize things needed to move nav buttons to separate window.
+        mSeparateWindowParent = new BaseDragLayer<TaskbarActivityContext>(mContext, null, 0) {
+            @Override
+            public void recreateControllers() {
+                mControllers = new TouchController[0];
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            protected boolean canFindActiveController() {
+                // We don't have any controllers, but we don't want any floating views such as
+                // folder to intercept, either. This ensures nav buttons can always be pressed.
+                return false;
+            }
+        };
+        mSeparateWindowParent.recreateControllers();
     }
 
     private void initButtons(ViewGroup navContainer, ViewGroup endContainer,
@@ -393,7 +422,7 @@
     /**
      * Adds the bounds corresponding to all visible buttons to provided region
      */
-    public void addVisibleButtonsRegion(TaskbarDragLayer parent, Region outRegion) {
+    public void addVisibleButtonsRegion(BaseDragLayer<?> parent, Region outRegion) {
         int count = mAllButtons.size();
         for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
             View button = mAllButtons.get(i);
@@ -498,6 +527,59 @@
         if (mFloatingRotationButton != null) {
             mFloatingRotationButton.hide();
         }
+
+        moveNavButtonsBackToTaskbarWindow();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Moves mNavButtonsView from TaskbarDragLayer to a placeholder BaseDragLayer on a new window.
+     */
+    public void moveNavButtonsToNewWindow() {
+        if (mAreNavButtonsInSeparateWindow) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        mSeparateWindowParent.addOnAttachStateChangeListener(new OnAttachStateChangeListener() {
+            @Override
+            public void onViewAttachedToWindow(View view) {
+                ViewTreeObserverWrapper.addOnComputeInsetsListener(
+                        mSeparateWindowParent.getViewTreeObserver(), mSeparateWindowInsetsComputer);
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public void onViewDetachedFromWindow(View view) {
+                mSeparateWindowParent.removeOnAttachStateChangeListener(this);
+                ViewTreeObserverWrapper.removeOnComputeInsetsListener(
+                        mSeparateWindowInsetsComputer);
+            }
+        });
+
+        mAreNavButtonsInSeparateWindow = true;
+        mContext.getDragLayer().removeView(mNavButtonsView);
+        mSeparateWindowParent.addView(mNavButtonsView);
+        WindowManager.LayoutParams windowLayoutParams = mContext.createDefaultWindowLayoutParams();
+        windowLayoutParams.setTitle(NAV_BUTTONS_SEPARATE_WINDOW_TITLE);
+        mContext.addWindowView(mSeparateWindowParent, windowLayoutParams);
+
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Moves mNavButtonsView from its temporary window and reattaches it to TaskbarDragLayer.
+     */
+    public void moveNavButtonsBackToTaskbarWindow() {
+        if (!mAreNavButtonsInSeparateWindow) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        mAreNavButtonsInSeparateWindow = false;
+        mContext.removeWindowView(mSeparateWindowParent);
+        mSeparateWindowParent.removeView(mNavButtonsView);
+        mContext.getDragLayer().addView(mNavButtonsView);
+    }
+
+    private void onComputeInsetsForSeparateWindow(ViewTreeObserverWrapper.InsetsInfo insetsInfo) {
+        addVisibleButtonsRegion(mSeparateWindowParent, insetsInfo.touchableRegion);
+        insetsInfo.setTouchableInsets(TOUCHABLE_INSETS_REGION);
     }
 
     private class RotationButtonListener implements RotationButton.RotationButtonUpdatesCallback {
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarActivityContext.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarActivityContext.java
index bef6258..e48b26b 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarActivityContext.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarActivityContext.java
@@ -187,22 +187,7 @@
 
     public void init(TaskbarSharedState sharedState) {
         mLastRequestedNonFullscreenHeight = getDefaultTaskbarWindowHeight();
-        mWindowLayoutParams = new WindowManager.LayoutParams(
-                MATCH_PARENT,
-                mLastRequestedNonFullscreenHeight,
-                TYPE_NAVIGATION_BAR_PANEL,
-                WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_FOCUSABLE
-                        | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_SLIPPERY,
-                PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);
-        mWindowLayoutParams.setTitle(WINDOW_TITLE);
-        mWindowLayoutParams.packageName = getPackageName();
-        mWindowLayoutParams.gravity = Gravity.BOTTOM;
-        mWindowLayoutParams.setFitInsetsTypes(0);
-        mWindowLayoutParams.receiveInsetsIgnoringZOrder = true;
-        mWindowLayoutParams.softInputMode = WindowManager.LayoutParams.SOFT_INPUT_ADJUST_NOTHING;
-        mWindowLayoutParams.layoutInDisplayCutoutMode = LAYOUT_IN_DISPLAY_CUTOUT_MODE_ALWAYS;
-        mWindowLayoutParams.privateFlags =
-                WindowManager.LayoutParams.PRIVATE_FLAG_NO_MOVE_ANIMATION;
+        mWindowLayoutParams = createDefaultWindowLayoutParams();
 
         WindowManagerWrapper wmWrapper = WindowManagerWrapper.getInstance();
         wmWrapper.setProvidesInsetsTypes(
@@ -223,6 +208,27 @@
         mWindowManager.addView(mDragLayer, mWindowLayoutParams);
     }
 
+    /** Creates LayoutParams for adding a view directly to WindowManager as a new window */
+    public WindowManager.LayoutParams createDefaultWindowLayoutParams() {
+        WindowManager.LayoutParams windowLayoutParams = new WindowManager.LayoutParams(
+                MATCH_PARENT,
+                mLastRequestedNonFullscreenHeight,
+                TYPE_NAVIGATION_BAR_PANEL,
+                WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_FOCUSABLE
+                        | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_SLIPPERY,
+                PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);
+        windowLayoutParams.setTitle(WINDOW_TITLE);
+        windowLayoutParams.packageName = getPackageName();
+        windowLayoutParams.gravity = Gravity.BOTTOM;
+        windowLayoutParams.setFitInsetsTypes(0);
+        windowLayoutParams.receiveInsetsIgnoringZOrder = true;
+        windowLayoutParams.softInputMode = WindowManager.LayoutParams.SOFT_INPUT_ADJUST_NOTHING;
+        windowLayoutParams.layoutInDisplayCutoutMode = LAYOUT_IN_DISPLAY_CUTOUT_MODE_ALWAYS;
+        windowLayoutParams.privateFlags =
+                WindowManager.LayoutParams.PRIVATE_FLAG_NO_MOVE_ANIMATION;
+        return windowLayoutParams;
+    }
+
     public void onConfigurationChanged(@Config int configChanges) {
         mControllers.onConfigurationChanged(configChanges);
     }
@@ -497,17 +503,29 @@
 
     /**
      * Either adds or removes {@link WindowManager.LayoutParams#FLAG_NOT_FOCUSABLE} on the taskbar
-     * window.
+     * window. If we're now focusable, also move nav buttons to a separate window above IME.
      */
     public void setTaskbarWindowFocusableForIme(boolean focusable) {
         if (focusable) {
             mWindowLayoutParams.flags &= ~FLAG_NOT_FOCUSABLE;
+            mControllers.navbarButtonsViewController.moveNavButtonsToNewWindow();
         } else {
             mWindowLayoutParams.flags |= FLAG_NOT_FOCUSABLE;
+            mControllers.navbarButtonsViewController.moveNavButtonsBackToTaskbarWindow();
         }
         mWindowManager.updateViewLayout(mDragLayer, mWindowLayoutParams);
     }
 
+    /** Adds the given view to WindowManager with the provided LayoutParams (creates new window). */
+    public void addWindowView(View view, WindowManager.LayoutParams windowLayoutParams) {
+        mWindowManager.addView(view, windowLayoutParams);
+    }
+
+    /** Removes the given view from WindowManager. See {@link #addWindowView}. */
+    public void removeWindowView(View view) {
+        mWindowManager.removeViewImmediate(view);
+    }
+
     protected void onTaskbarIconClicked(View view) {
         Object tag = view.getTag();
         if (tag instanceof Task) {
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarDragLayer.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarDragLayer.java
index b42a60c..df004ef 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarDragLayer.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/launcher3/taskbar/TaskbarDragLayer.java
@@ -15,17 +15,22 @@
  */
 package com.android.launcher3.taskbar;
 
+import static android.view.KeyEvent.ACTION_UP;
+import static android.view.KeyEvent.KEYCODE_BACK;
+
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.graphics.Canvas;
 import android.graphics.Paint;
 import android.graphics.Path;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
+import android.view.KeyEvent;
 import android.view.MotionEvent;
 import android.view.View;
 
 import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
 import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
 
+import com.android.launcher3.AbstractFloatingView;
 import com.android.launcher3.R;
 import com.android.launcher3.testing.TestLogging;
 import com.android.launcher3.testing.TestProtocol;
@@ -187,4 +192,17 @@
         TestLogging.recordMotionEvent(TestProtocol.SEQUENCE_MAIN, "Touch event", ev);
         return super.dispatchTouchEvent(ev);
     }
+
+    /** Called while Taskbar window is focusable, e.g. when pressing back while a folder is open */
+    @Override
+    public boolean dispatchKeyEvent(KeyEvent event) {
+        if (event.getAction() == ACTION_UP && event.getKeyCode() == KEYCODE_BACK) {
+            AbstractFloatingView topView = AbstractFloatingView.getTopOpenView(mActivity);
+            if (topView != null && topView.onBackPressed()) {
+                // Handled by the floating view.
+                return true;
+            }
+        }
+        return super.dispatchKeyEvent(event);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/Utilities.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/Utilities.java
index ac194d2..5bcc2ad 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/Utilities.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/Utilities.java
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@
             offsetPoints(coord, v.getLeft(), v.getTop());
             scale *= v.getScaleX();
 
-            v = (View) v.getParent();
+            v = v.getParent() instanceof View ? (View) v.getParent() : null;
         }
         return scale;
     }