What Bixby is and why you might want to disable it

Bixby is Samsung's voice assistant built into most Samsung phones and tablets. It works similarly to Google Assistant or Siri — you can speak commands to it, ask it questions, or have it control your device. Unlike those assistants, Bixby is harder to avoid because Samsung puts a dedicated button on the side of many phones specifically for launching it.

Many people disable Bixby because they prefer using Google Assistant instead, find the dedicated button launches it accidentally, or straightforward do not want another voice assistant running on their device. The good news is that you can turn it off entirely or just disable the button, depending on what bothers you most.

Key Takeaways

  • You can disable the Bixby button without disabling Bixby itself, which prevents accidental launches but keeps the app available if you want it later.
  • Turning off Bixby completely requires going into Settings, finding the Bixby app, and choosing to disable it — the exact path depends on your Samsung model and Android version.
  • If you disable Bixby and later want it back, you can re-enable it through the same Settings menu.
  • Disabling Bixby does not affect Google Assistant or other Samsung features; you can use Google Assistant as your primary voice helper instead.

Disable the Bixby button without turning off Bixby

The Bixby button is the physical button on the side of your phone. If you want to keep Bixby but stop the button from launching it, this is the fastest route. Open Settings, then go to Apps or Applications (the exact name varies by model). Find Bixby in the list and tap it.

Look for an option called Bixby Button or Side Key Settings. Tap it and choose Off or Disabled. On some Samsung models, you will see a toggle that says Press and hold to open Bixby — turn that toggle off. Now the button will no longer launch Bixby when you press it, though the app itself remains on your phone.

If you cannot find this option in the Bixby app settings, try going to Settings > Advanced Features > Bixby Button and toggle it off there. The location shifts between Samsung models, but one of these two paths will work.

Completely disable Bixby through Settings

If you want to turn off Bixby entirely, open Settings and go to Apps or Applications. Scroll down and find Bixby in the list. Tap it, then look for a button that says Disable or Turn Off. Tap that button and confirm when the phone asks if you are sure.

On some Samsung phones, you may see Uninstall Updates instead of Disable. If that is the only option, tap it first, then look for Disable to appear. Once you disable Bixby, it will no longer run in the background and the button will stop working entirely.

If you cannot find Bixby in your Apps list, it may already be disabled on your device, or Samsung may have named it differently on your model. Try searching for "Bixby" in Settings using the search bar at the top of the Settings app.

Disable Bixby through the Bixby app itself

Another way to turn off Bixby is to open the Bixby app directly from your home screen or app drawer. Once inside, tap the menu icon (usually three horizontal lines or three dots) in the corner. Look for Settings or a gear icon.

Scroll down until you find an option like Bixby Voice, Bixby Routines, or General. Inside that section, look for a toggle or switch that says Use Bixby Voice or Bixby Enabled. Turn it off. This disables Bixby's voice features without fully uninstalling the app, which is useful if you want to keep it but do not want it listening or responding.

This method does not always fully disable Bixby — it may only turn off the voice part. If you want complete removal, use the Settings method described above instead.

What to do if Bixby keeps coming back

Some Samsung phones re-enable Bixby after a software update. If you disabled it and it suddenly works again, Samsung likely pushed an update that turned it back on. Go through the disable steps again — the process is the same each time.

If the Bixby button keeps launching Bixby even after you disabled it, try restarting your phone. Hold the power button until you see the power menu, then tap Restart. After the phone turns back on, test the button again. If it still launches Bixby, go back to Settings and make sure the button setting is actually set to Off — sometimes the change does not save on the first try.

Using Google Assistant instead of Bixby

Once you disable Bixby, you can use Google Assistant as your primary voice helper. Google Assistant comes pre-installed on most Samsung phones. To launch it, hold down the home button (the circle at the bottom center of your screen) or say "Hey Google" if you have voice set up turned on.

You can also remap the Bixby button to launch Google Assistant instead of Bixby. Go to Settings > Advanced Features > Bixby Button and look for an option to reassign it. On some models, you can choose to open Google Assistant when you press the button. This gives you a dedicated voice assistant button without Bixby.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling Bixby slow down my phone or save battery?

Disabling Bixby may save a small amount of battery since it will no longer run background processes, but the difference is usually not noticeable on modern Samsung phones. The main reason to disable it is to stop accidental button presses and reduce clutter, not for performance gains.

Can I re-enable Bixby after I disable it?

Yes. Go back to Settings > Apps, find Bixby, and tap Enable instead of Disable. You can turn it on and off as many times as you want without losing anything.

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 any other part of your phone.

What if I do not see a Disable button in Settings?

Some Samsung phones do not allow you to fully disable Bixby through Settings. In that case, you can disable the Bixby button instead, which prevents it from launching. You can also disable Bixby Voice through the Bixby app itself, which stops it from listening for voice commands even if the app remains installed.

Can I delete Bixby completely instead of just disabling it?

On most Samsung phones, Bixby is a system app that cannot be uninstalled — you can only disable it. If you disable it, it will not appear in your app drawer or run in the background, which is functionally the same as deleting it for most users.