Originally written by Amit Kumar, updated by Dibyajyoti Kabi. First published March 5, 2019. Updated October 24, 2026.
To disable Bixby on a Samsung Galaxy phone, open Settings > Advanced features > Side button, and under Press and hold pick Power off menu. Holding the Side button then shows the power menu instead of Bixby. To stop Bixby completely, you can also turn off voice wake-up and disable the Bixby app.
When this post first went up, Galaxy phones had a separate Bixby button and the steps were different for Android Oreo and Pie. Samsung has since merged the Bixby and Power buttons into one Side button, so I’ve rewritten the guide for current One UI phones and kept a short section for older ones.
Key points
- On One UI phones, the Side button long press can open Bixby or the Power off menu.
- Pressing Side and Volume Down together also opens the Power off menu.
- Double press on the Side button can open the camera or any app you pick.
- Leave Bixby removes your Bixby data from your Samsung account.
- Older phones like the Galaxy S8, S9 and Note 9 have a separate Bixby key with fewer options.
How do I stop the Side button from opening Bixby?
Change the Side button’s long press to the Power off menu. Samsung lists the steps on its support page for remapping or turning off Bixby. It works on any Galaxy phone with a combined Side button, like the Galaxy S20 and newer, Note 10 and newer, and the A series.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Advanced features.
- Tap Side button.
- Under Press and hold, tap Power off menu.
Now when you hold the Side button, you get the Power off and Restart options instead of Bixby.
How do I change what the Side button does?
The same Side button screen lets you set a double press too. You can open the camera quickly, launch any app, or turn double press off. Samsung explains each option on its page about customizing the Side button.
| Side button action | Options |
|---|---|
| Double press | Quick launch camera, Open app, or off |
| Press and hold | Wake Bixby, Digital assistant, or Power off menu |
| Side and Volume Down | Power off menu |
Picking Digital assistant on newer phones opens Gemini or whichever assistant app you’ve set as default.
How do I turn off Bixby voice wake-up?
Open the Bixby settings and turn off Voice wake-up. Bixby then stops listening for “Hi, Bixby”, so it won’t pop up when someone nearby says something that sounds like it. On most One UI versions, you’ll find the Bixby settings under Settings > Advanced features > Bixby.
- Open Settings > Advanced features > Bixby.
- Turn off Voice wake-up.
- If you don’t use Bixby at all, tap Leave Bixby to remove your Bixby data from your Samsung account.
How do I disable the Bixby app?
Clear its data, then disable it in Settings > Apps. Samsung’s support page lists these steps too. Bixby won’t launch after this, even if something still points to it.
- Open Settings > Apps.
- Tap Bixby, or Bixby Voice on some phones.
- Tap Storage, then Clear cache and Clear data.
- Go back and tap Disable, then confirm.
If the Disable button is grayed out, your phone doesn’t allow it. You can still remap the Side button and turn off voice wake-up. My guide on removing Samsung bloatware without root covers other ways to turn off apps you don’t use.
How do I remove the Bixby panel from the home screen?
Touch and hold an empty spot on the home screen, swipe right to the leftmost page and turn off the switch at the top. Samsung has renamed this panel a few times (Bixby Home, Samsung Daily, Samsung Free), but it turns off the same way.
What about older Galaxy phones with a Bixby key?
The Galaxy S8, S9, Note 8 and Note 9 have a separate Bixby key on the left side. On these, you can set the key so a single press does nothing and a double press opens Bixby, which stops most accidental presses. Open Bixby, go to its settings and look for the Bixby key option. The S10 series added the option to open an app with the key instead.
Holding the Bixby key still opens Bixby Voice on these phones, and you can’t change that without third-party apps. You can find older guides with the Bixby Assistant search, and the Android Oreo and Android Pie archives on TheDroidGuru.
Frequently asked questions
Can I uninstall Bixby completely?
No. Bixby is a system app, so you can only disable it. Remapping the Side button and turning off voice wake-up stops it from showing up.
Will turning off Bixby break Routines or other features?
Remapping the Side button doesn’t touch Modes and Routines, since they’re a separate part of One UI. Disabling the Bixby app is a bigger step, so if a camera or Bixby Vision feature stops working after that, turn the app back on in Settings > Apps.
Can I use Google Assistant or Gemini on the Side button?
Yes, on newer phones. Set the default assistant app under Settings > Apps > Choose default apps > Digital assistant app, then pick Digital assistant for the Side button long press.
Related guides
- Will your Samsung phone get Android 16 and One UI 8?
- How to safely remove Samsung bloatware without root
- Samsung improves Good Lock’s Routines+ in the 1.0.68 update
- How to use custom fonts on Samsung Galaxy phones
- How to stop One UI 7 battery drain
That’s it. One change in Advanced features is usually enough to keep Bixby out of your way.
If the menu looks different on your Galaxy, leave a comment with your model number and One UI version, and I’ll tell you where the option is.
