Learn How To Disable Bixby On Samsung Devices

Understanding Bixby and Why Users Want to Disable It

Bixby is Samsung's virtual voice assistant, similar to Google Assistant or Apple's Siri. It launched on Samsung Galaxy devices starting in 2017 and has been included on many Samsung phones, tablets, and smart TVs since then. The assistant responds to voice commands and can perform tasks like setting reminders, making calls, sending messages, and controlling smart home devices when connected properly.

Many Samsung device owners want to turn off Bixby for several practical reasons. Some users find that the Bixby button—a physical button on the side of many Samsung phones—gets pressed accidentally during normal use, triggering the assistant unexpectedly. Others prefer using Google Assistant instead, which comes standard on Android devices. Some people simply don't use voice assistants and want to reduce background processes running on their device to preserve battery life and storage space. Additionally, some users report that Bixby occasionally conflicts with other applications or performs actions they didn't intend.

Disabling Bixby doesn't delete it from your device permanently; you're simply turning off its functions and removing easy access to it. This means you can re-enable it later if you change your mind. The process varies slightly depending on your Samsung device model and which version of Android it runs, but the basic steps remain consistent across most Samsung phones and tablets.

Practical takeaway: Understanding that Bixby can be disabled without permanent deletion gives you flexibility. You can turn it off to reduce accidental activations and battery drain while keeping the option to reactivate it whenever you choose.

Disabling the Bixby Button on Your Samsung Phone

The Bixby button is a dedicated physical button located on the side of many Samsung Galaxy phones. On most models, it's positioned below the volume buttons on the left side of the device. When pressed, this button instantly launches Bixby or activates voice listening mode. For users who accidentally press it frequently, disabling the button's function is often the first step in managing Bixby.

To disable the Bixby button, open your device's Settings application. Navigate to Apps, then select Bixby. Look for an option labeled "Bixby button" or "Side key settings." Some devices categorize this under "Advanced settings" within the Bixby menu. Once you find these settings, you'll typically see options to reassign what the button does. Many devices allow you to change the button's function to launch a different application, open the camera, or perform no action at all. Select the option that suits your preferences—many users choose "Do nothing" to prevent accidental launches.

On some Samsung models, particularly older Galaxy phones, you may find the Bixby button settings under Settings > Advanced features > Bixby key. The exact location depends on your device's software version. If you can't find these options in the standard locations, consult your specific phone model's documentation, as Samsung occasionally relocates settings between software updates.

It's worth noting that some Samsung devices released after 2019 removed the dedicated Bixby button entirely, instead using a long-press of the power button to access voice assistants. If your phone doesn't have a physical Bixby button, you can skip this step and move on to disabling the Bixby app itself.

Practical takeaway: Reassigning or disabling the physical Bixby button eliminates accidental activations and gives you control over that hardware button's function, whether you want to launch another app or disable it completely.

Turning Off Bixby Voice Wake-Up Features

Beyond the physical button, Bixby can also be activated by voice commands. Many Samsung devices include a "Wake-up" feature that listens for the phrase "Hi Bixby" or "Bixby" even when your screen is locked or the app isn't actively running. This feature continuously monitors your device's microphone, which can drain battery life and raise privacy concerns for some users. Disabling voice wake-up is a straightforward process that significantly reduces Bixby's presence on your device.

To disable voice wake-up, open Settings and navigate to Apps > Bixby > Bixby settings or Bixby voice. Look for options related to "Wake-up," "Voice wake-up," or "Always listening." On most Samsung devices, you'll find a toggle switch labeled something like "Wake up with 'Hi Bixby'" or "Voice recognition." Switch this toggle to the OFF position. Some devices may ask if you want to save this preference; confirm by tapping OK or Save.

After disabling voice wake-up, you'll notice that saying "Hi Bixby" when the screen is locked no longer activates the assistant. The only way to launch Bixby after this change will be through the app drawer or, if you haven't disabled it, the physical side button. This adjustment alone can meaningfully reduce battery consumption, as your device will no longer constantly process audio input searching for the wake phrase.

Some users report that after disabling voice wake-up, Bixby occasionally re-enables this feature after a software update. If you notice voice wake-up is active again after updating your device's software, simply return to Settings and disable it once more. This appears to be an unintended side effect of how Samsung implements updates rather than an intentional re-enablement.

Practical takeaway: Turning off voice wake-up prevents Bixby from constantly listening for activation phrases, reducing battery drain and addressing privacy concerns while still allowing manual access to the app if needed.

Disabling Bixby Home and Removing the Bixby Page

Many Samsung devices include Bixby Home, a dedicated screen or widget section that displays Bixby-related content, suggestions, and quick shortcuts. On some devices, this appears as a leftmost home screen that you access by swiping right from your main home screen. Bixby Home shows cards with information Bixby thinks you might find useful, weather updates, app suggestions, and reminders. While designed to be helpful, many users find it intrusive or unnecessary and prefer to remove it entirely.

If your device displays a Bixby Home page to the left of your standard home screens, you can remove it by long-pressing on the home screen, then selecting "Home screen settings." Look for an option to disable or hide Bixby Home. The exact wording varies by device, but you're typically looking for a toggle or switch labeled "Bixby Home," "Bixby page," or "Leftmost panel." Turn this option off. After doing so, swiping right from your home screen will no longer display Bixby content.

If Bixby content appears as widgets on your regular home screens rather than a dedicated page, you can remove these widgets individually. Long-press any Bixby widget on your home screen and select the option to remove or delete it. This doesn't uninstall Bixby from your device; it simply removes the visual elements from your home screen.

Some Samsung devices allow you to customize which apps appear in suggestions and recommendations. If you want to prevent Bixby from suggesting certain apps or content, you can adjust these preferences within Bixby settings by locating "Suggestions" or "Recommendations" and disabling them. This stops Bixby from tracking your app usage and displaying unsolicited recommendations.

Practical takeaway: Removing Bixby Home pages and widgets from your home screens reduces visual clutter and stops unwanted recommendations from appearing, giving you a cleaner device experience that reflects your actual preferences.

Disabling Bixby App Permissions and Restricting Its Functions

Even after disabling the Bixby button and voice wake-up, the Bixby app still has access to various device functions and personal data. The app requests permissions to use your microphone, contacts, calendar, location, and other information. Restricting these permissions prevents Bixby from functioning even if someone or something activates it accidentally. This is one of the most comprehensive methods of controlling Bixby's behavior on your device.

To manage Bixby's permissions, open Settings and navigate to Apps > Bixby > Permissions. You'll see a list of permissions the app has requested, such as Microphone, Contacts, Calendar, Location, and Camera. For each permission, you can select it