How to Disable the Bixby Side Button and Use It as a Power Button on Samsung Galaxy Phones.
Learn how to turn off the Bixby function on your Samsung Galaxy side button and make it work like a normal power button instead. I’ll show you exactly where to go in your settings to get this done in under a minute.
Bixby can be helpful for some people. But if you keep pressing the power button and accidentally wake up Bixby instead of turning off your phone, you are not alone. It gets annoying fast.
This guide works on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and most other Samsung Galaxy phones. The steps are very similar across models.
Why Change the Side Button
The side button on Samsung phones is the same as the power button. By default, when you press and hold it, Bixby tries to open. To get the normal power menu where you can restart or turn off your phone, you have to change one simple setting.
How to Remap the Side Button to the Power Menu
Here are the steps to disable Bixby and get your power menu back:
- Open the Settings app on your Samsung Galaxy phone
- Scroll down and tap on Advanced features
- Look for and tap on Side key (sometimes called Side button)
- You will see two sections: Press and hold, and Double press
- Under Press and hold, tap on the current option (it probably says “Wake Bixby”)
- Select Power off menu instead
That is it. Now when you press and hold the side button, you will see the normal power menu with options to turn off or restart your phone.
What to Do With the Double Press Option
While you are in the Side key settings, you can also customize what happens when you quickly press the side button two times in a row.
Under the Double press section, you have a few choices:
- Quick launch camera – This is the default option. Double pressing the side button opens your camera instantly.
- Open app – You can pick any app you use often. Double press and your favorite app opens right away.
- Open Bixby – If you still want Bixby sometimes, you can keep it here instead of on the press and hold.
I like keeping mine set to the camera. It is fast and useful.
A Quick Note About Different Samsung Models
These steps might look slightly different depending on your exact Samsung Galaxy model and which version of Android or OneUI you are running. The menu names are usually the same or very close. If you cannot find “Side key,” try searching for it inside the Settings app using the search bar at the top.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Before you change the setting: You press and hold the power button and Bixby tries to wake up. You have to tap the screen or press another button just to get to the power menu.
After you change the setting: You press and hold the power button and the power menu appears instantly. You can restart, turn off, or use emergency mode with one tap. Much cleaner.
Thanks for reading. Let me know if you have any questions about setting this up on your Samsung phone.
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