Understanding Bixby and Why You Might Want to Disable It
Bixby is Samsung's voice assistant that comes built into most Samsung smartphones and tablets. It works similarly to other voice assistants like Google Assistant or Siri, allowing you to control your phone using voice commands. Bixby can help you perform tasks such as sending text messages, making calls, setting reminders, searching the web, and controlling smart home devices. When you press and hold the side button on your Samsung phone, Bixby typically activates and listens for your voice command.
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Many Samsung phone users choose to disable Bixby for several reasons. Some find it launches unexpectedly when they're handling their phone, interrupting their current activity. Others prefer using Google Assistant instead, since it's already integrated into Android phones and many users find it more capable. Some people simply don't use voice commands at all and prefer a streamlined experience without the feature. Battery life is another consideration—having fewer background services running can help extend your phone's battery throughout the day. Additionally, some users value their privacy and prefer not to have a microphone-enabled assistant listening on their device.
The good news is that Samsung provides multiple ways to turn off Bixby, ranging from simple toggles in settings to more advanced methods. You don't need technical expertise to disable it. The method you choose depends on how thoroughly you want to disable Bixby and whether you want to completely remove it or just prevent it from launching accidentally. This guide covers the main approaches so you can pick the one that works best for your situation.
Practical Takeaway: Identify your main reason for disabling Bixby before choosing a method. If you want to prevent accidental launches, a simple toggle may work. If you want complete removal, you'll need more extensive steps.
The Quickest Method: Disabling Through Settings
The fastest way to turn off Bixby on most Samsung phones involves going into your phone's Settings app and finding the Bixby options. This method works on Samsung devices running Android 9 and later, including Galaxy S20, S21, S22, S23, and newer models, as well as many Samsung tablets. Start by opening the Settings app on your home screen or app drawer. The Settings icon typically looks like a gear or cog. Once Settings is open, scroll down and look for an option called "Apps" or "Applications." On some Samsung phones, this might be labeled as "Apps" in the main Settings menu.
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After you've opened the Apps section, you'll see a list of installed applications. Look for "Bixby" in this list—you may need to scroll to find it. Tap on Bixby to open its details page. On this page, you'll see several options. Look for a button that says "Disable" or sometimes "Uninstall." Tap this button. Your phone may ask you to confirm that you want to disable this app. A message might appear saying "This is a device administrator app" or asking if you want to disable updates—confirm these prompts by tapping "OK" or "Disable." Once complete, Bixby will no longer run on your phone.
If you don't see a "Disable" button but instead see "Uninstall Updates," this means Bixby came pre-installed on your device and can be disabled but not fully removed. This is normal—tapping "Uninstall Updates" will disable Bixby and return it to its original factory state. The method is essentially the same. You might also need to scroll within the app details page to see all available options if your screen is smaller.
Practical Takeaway: Check your phone's Android version (found in Settings > About Phone > Android Version) before using this method. This approach works on most modern Samsung phones, but older models may have different settings layouts.
Turning Off Bixby Button Presses and Voice Activation
If you want to keep Bixby on your phone but prevent it from launching when you accidentally press the side button, you can disable button activation instead. This approach gives you more control—Bixby remains installed and available if you ever want to use it, but it won't interrupt you. This is a middle-ground option that works well for people who occasionally use voice commands but don't want accidental activations.
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To do this, go to Settings and find "Apps." Look for "Bixby" and open it. On the Bixby app details page, look for "Permissions" or "Advanced." In some Samsung versions, you'll see an option called "Bixby Voice Settings" or similar. Open this section. You should find a toggle or switch for "Press and hold Side button" or "Bixby Button." Turn this toggle off by tapping it. This prevents Bixby from launching when you press and hold the side button. On some phones, you'll also find a separate option for "Voice Wake-up" or "Hi Bixby" detection—you can turn this off too if you want to prevent voice commands from working.
Another location to check is the main Settings menu under "Advanced features" or "Digital Wellbeing and Parental Controls." Some Samsung phones put Bixby settings in these locations. Look for anything labeled "Bixby," "Voice Assistant," or "Quick Commands." Additionally, you can remap the side button to open a different app or perform a different action. Go to Settings > Advanced features > Side key (or Side button) and choose what action the button should perform—many users set it to open their camera, turn on the flashlight, or launch their preferred app instead.
Practical Takeaway: This method is reversible—you can turn Bixby back on anytime by flipping the same toggles. Use this approach if you're unsure about permanently disabling it or if you think you might use voice commands occasionally.
Remapping the Side Button to Prevent Accidental Activation
Samsung phones have a customizable side button (also called the power button or side key) that Bixby typically uses. Instead of just disabling Bixby, you can reassign this button to do something else, making accidental Bixby launches impossible. This is particularly useful if you find yourself triggering Bixby when you're just trying to use your phone normally. Different Samsung phone models have slightly different names for this setting, but the process is similar across devices.
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Open Settings and look for "Advanced features" (some phones call this "Advanced settings"). Scroll down to find "Side key" or "Side button." Tap on it to see your options. You'll see several choices for what this button can do: Power control, Google Assistant, Bixby, application shortcuts, or perform no action at all. Select any option except Bixby. Many users choose to set it to "Power control," which makes the button function as a normal power button for turning the phone on and off. Others prefer "Google Assistant" since they may use voice commands through Google instead.
Another popular option is to assign the button to launch a specific app, like your camera, phone dialer, or messaging app. This makes the button more useful for your daily activities. Once you've selected your preferred option, press the back button or gesture to return to the previous menu. Your side button will now perform the new action instead of launching Bixby. If you change your mind, you can return to this same menu and reassign the button. This approach has the advantage of making your phone more personalized to how you actually use it, rather than just disabling features you don't want.
Practical Takeaway: Before remapping the button, think about what action would be most useful for you. Camera and voice assistant are the most common choices because they're quick to access. Test your new button assignment for a few days to make sure it improves your experience.
Disabling Bixby Voice Recognition and Wake Words
If Bixby is currently active on your phone and you want to stop it from responding to voice commands like "Hi Bixby," you can disable voice recognition without fully removing the app. This prevents Bixby from listening for its wake word or responding to voice input. Open Settings and navigate to "Apps." Find and open Bixby. Look for a section labeled "Bixby settings," "Voice settings," or "Bixby Voice." Inside this section, you should find an option called "Voice Wake-up," "Listening," "Always On," or "Hotword detection."