Bixby is Samsung's voice assistant, and you can disable it entirely or just turn off the button that launches it

Bixby is the voice assistant built into Samsung phones and tablets — similar to Siri on Apple devices or Google Assistant on other Android phones. It listens for voice commands and can control your device, search the web, or open apps. Many people find it launches accidentally when they press the side button, or they straightforward prefer a different assistant. You can turn off the Bixby button, disable the voice feature, or remove it from your home screen depending on how much you want to use it.

The steps differ slightly between Samsung models and Android versions, but the core options are the same across most Samsung devices made in the last five years. This guide covers the most common path: disabling the Bixby button so it stops responding to accidental presses, and turning off voice set up so Bixby doesn't listen for wake words.

Key Takeaways

  • The Bixby button is the physical side button on your Samsung phone — you can remap it to do nothing, launch a different app, or open the power menu instead.
  • Disabling the button is faster and more reliable than trying to turn off Bixby itself, which is built into Samsung's system software.
  • You can turn off voice set up separately so Bixby won't respond to "Hi Bixby" even if you accidentally press the button.
  • If you want to use Google Assistant or another voice assistant instead, disabling the Bixby button prevents conflicts between the two.

Disable the Bixby button through Settings

Open Settings on your Samsung device. Scroll down and tap Apps or Applications (the name varies by model). Look for Bixby or Bixby Voice in the list and tap it.

You will see an option called Bixby Key or Side Key. Tap it and choose Off, Disabled, or Don't use — the exact wording depends on your Android version. Some phones let you reassign the button to launch the camera, power menu, or another app instead. If you see those options and want the button to do something useful, pick one now. If you want it to do nothing at all, select the "off" option.

Exit Settings. The button will no longer launch Bixby. Test it by pressing the side button — nothing should happen, or your chosen app should open instead.

Turn off Bixby voice set up

Even with the button disabled, Bixby can still listen for the wake phrase "Hi Bixby" if voice set up is on. To stop this, open Settings and go to Apps again. Find Bixby or Bixby Voice and tap it.

Look for Voice Wake-Up, Voice set up, or Listen for Bixby. Toggle it Off. Some phones also have a Microphone Access setting under Permissions — you can toggle that off as well to prevent Bixby from using your microphone at all.

If you see a Home Screen or Lock Screen option, you can disable voice set up on just one of those screens instead of both. This is useful if you want to use voice commands when your phone is unlocked but not when it is locked.

Remove Bixby from your home screen

Bixby often appears as a dedicated page or widget on the leftmost home screen. To remove it, long-press on the Bixby page or widget and select Remove or Delete. This does not uninstall Bixby — it just hides it from view.

If Bixby appears as a full home screen page that you cannot swipe away, go to Settings, then Home Screen or Display, and look for Bixby Home or Bixby Page. Toggle it Off. The page will disappear from your home screen rotation.

What to do if the button still launches Bixby

On some older Samsung models, the Bixby button cannot be fully disabled through Settings. If you have disabled it but the button still launches Bixby, try this: open Settings, go to Apps, find Bixby, and tap Disable or Turn Off at the top of the app page. This will disable the app itself rather than just the button.

If that option is grayed out or unavailable, your phone may not allow you to disable Bixby completely because it is part of Samsung's system software. In that case, the button-disabling method above is your best option. You can also try a third-party app like Button Remapper or Bixby Button Remapper from the Google Play Store, which can intercept the button press and prevent Bixby from launching. These apps require permission to run in the background, so check the permissions before installing.

Using Google Assistant instead of Bixby

If you want to use Google Assistant as your main voice assistant, disable the Bixby button first so the two do not conflict. Then open Settings, go to Apps, find Google or Google Assistant, and look for Default Assistant or information App. Set it to Google Assistant.

Now when you long-press the home button or say "Hey Google," Google Assistant will respond instead of Bixby. You can keep both installed — disabling the Bixby button just prevents it from launching accidentally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling Bixby slow down my phone?

No. Disabling the button or turning off voice set up will not affect your phone's speed or battery life. Bixby uses very little resources when you are not actively using it, and turning off the button just prevents it from launching — it does not uninstall the app or free up storage space.

Can I re-enable Bixby later if I change my mind?

Yes. Go back to Settings, find the Bixby Key option, and toggle it back on or select a different action. You can also turn voice set up back on the same way. There is no penalty for switching back and forth.

What if I only want to disable the button but keep voice commands?

Disable the Bixby button through Settings as described above, but leave voice set up on. You will not be able to launch Bixby by pressing the side button, but you can still say "Hi Bixby" to use voice commands. This is useful if you like the voice feature but hate accidental button presses.

Does disabling Bixby affect Samsung Pay or other Samsung features?

No. Bixby is a separate app from Samsung Pay, Samsung Health, and other Samsung services. Disabling Bixby will not affect those features or your ability to use them.

Why does my phone have a Bixby button at all?

Samsung added a dedicated Bixby button to make voice commands easier to access without unlocking your phone. Many users found it launched accidentally when holding the phone, so Samsung later made it possible to disable or remap the button. Newer Samsung models sometimes let you skip the Bixby setup entirely during first-time setup.