Now Brief is a Samsung news feed you can delete from your home screen
Now Brief is a news and information widget that Samsung includes on many of its phones. It sits on your home screen or in a folder and shows headlines, weather, and other content pulled from the internet. You can remove it entirely, hide it, or turn off its notifications — the choice depends on whether you want it gone for good or just out of the way.
The steps differ slightly depending on your Samsung model and Android version, but the core methods work on most Samsung devices from the last several years. This guide covers the most common approaches.
Key Takeaways
- You can swipe and hold the Now Brief widget on your home screen, then tap the remove or trash icon to delete it entirely.
- If Now Brief is in a folder rather than loose on your home screen, open the folder first, then swipe and hold the widget to remove it.
- Turning off notifications in the app settings stops alerts without removing the widget from your screen.
- If you cannot find Now Brief on your home screen, it may be hidden in a folder or disabled in your app drawer — check both places.
- Removing the widget does not uninstall the underlying app, but it stops the widget from taking up space and sending you notifications.
Removing Now Brief from your home screen
The fastest way to delete Now Brief is to remove the widget directly from your home screen. Press and hold the Now Brief widget with your finger until a menu appears. Most Samsung phones show a trash icon or a remove option — tap it. The widget disappears when ready.
If you see a menu with options like "Remove widget" or "Delete", tap that instead. On some older Samsung models, you may see an X icon in the corner of the widget — tap that to remove it. The exact wording varies, but the action is the same: the widget leaves your home screen.
After you remove it, your home screen layout may shift slightly to fill the empty space. This is normal. If you change your mind later, you can add it back by long-pressing an empty area of your home screen, tapping "Widgets", finding "Now Brief" or "Samsung News", and dragging it back onto your screen.
Removing Now Brief if it is inside a folder
Some Samsung phones organize widgets into folders on the home screen. If you cannot see Now Brief loose on your home screen but suspect it is there, look for a folder labeled "Samsung", "News", or "Briefing". Tap the folder to open it.
Once the folder is open, press and hold the Now Brief widget until the remove menu appears. Tap the trash or remove icon. The widget is deleted from the folder. Close the folder by tapping outside it or pressing the back button.
If the folder is now empty, you can remove the folder itself the same way — press and hold it, then tap remove. This keeps your home screen cleaner.
Turning off Now Brief notifications without removing the widget
If you want to keep the Now Brief widget on your home screen but stop it from sending you notifications, you can disable alerts in your phone's settings. Open your phone's Settings app, then go to Apps or process Manager (the exact name depends on your Android version).
Scroll down and find Samsung News or Now Brief in the app list. Tap it, then look for Notifications. Toggle the notification switch to Off. You may also see options to turn off specific notification types — disable whichever ones bother you.
After you turn off notifications, the widget stays on your home screen and continues to show content, but your phone stops sending you alerts about new headlines or weather updates.
Finding Now Brief if it is hidden or disabled
If you do not see Now Brief on your home screen and cannot find it in folders, it may be hidden in your app drawer or already disabled. Open your App Drawer (usually a grid icon at the bottom of your home screen). Scroll through the list and look for Samsung News, Now Brief, or Briefing.
If you find it in the app drawer but it does not appear on your home screen, the widget may straightforward not be added yet. If you want to remove it from view entirely, you can disable the app: press and hold the app icon in the app drawer, tap App Info or Details, then tap Disable. This removes it from your app drawer and prevents it from running in the background.
On some Samsung phones, you can also hide apps without disabling them. Press and hold the app icon in the app drawer and look for a Hide option. This keeps the app installed but removes it from your app drawer view.
What happens when you remove Now Brief
Removing the widget from your home screen does not uninstall the underlying app. The Samsung News or Now Brief app remains on your phone and can still run in the background unless you disable it in settings. If you remove the widget but later want it back, you can add it again without downloading anything.
Disabling the app in settings is more thorough — it stops the app from running, receiving updates, and using your phone's storage and battery. However, on some Samsung phones you cannot fully uninstall Samsung News because it is part of the system software. Disabling it is the closest you can get to removing it entirely.
Removing the widget or disabling the app does not affect your other Samsung apps or your phone's core functions. It is a safe action with no hidden consequences.
Why Samsung includes Now Brief and what it collects
Samsung includes Now Brief (or Samsung News) on its phones because it generates data about what content you read and when you read it. This information helps Samsung understand user behavior and can be used for targeted advertising. The widget also drives traffic to Samsung's own services and partners.
When Now Brief is active, it collects information about which articles you view, how long you spend on each one, and your general interests based on the topics you read. It also tracks your location if you have location services enabled, which it uses to show you local news and weather. This data is tied to your Samsung account if you are signed in.
Removing the widget stops it from collecting this information about your reading habits. If you are concerned about what data Samsung collects, disabling the app entirely is the most thorough option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove Now Brief without removing other Samsung widgets?
Yes. Each widget is independent. Removing Now Brief does not affect your weather widget, calendar, or any other Samsung app. You can remove only Now Brief and keep everything else on your home screen exactly as it is.
Will removing Now Brief free up storage space on my phone?
Removing the widget itself frees up a small amount of home screen space, but it does not reduce your phone's storage. The underlying app remains installed. If you want to free up storage, you need to disable or uninstall the app in settings, though on many Samsung phones the app cannot be fully uninstalled because it is part of the system.
What if I accidentally delete Now Brief and want it back?
Open your app drawer, find Samsung News or Now Brief, and press and hold it. Select "Add to Home Screen" or "Add Widget". The widget reappears on your home screen. If you disabled the app, go to settings, find the app in your app list, and tap "Enable".
Does removing Now Brief affect my Samsung account or other services?
No. Removing the widget or disabling the app does not change your Samsung account, sign you out, or affect other Samsung services like Find My Mobile or Samsung Pay. It only stops the news and briefing widget from appearing and running.
Why does Now Brief keep reappearing after I remove it?
If the widget returns after you delete it, a Samsung system update may have re-added it, or you may have accidentally re-enabled it. Check your home screen settings to see if there is an option to prevent Samsung from automatically adding widgets. You can also disable the app entirely in settings to prevent it from reinstalling the widget.