What Now Brief is and why you might want to disable it
Now Brief is a feature that appears on some Android devices — typically Samsung phones and tablets — that shows you news, weather, and app suggestions on your lock screen or home screen. It pulls information from Google News and other sources, and it updates throughout the day. If you find it cluttered, distracting, or straightforward do not want it there, you can turn it off in a few taps.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether Now Brief appears on your lock screen, your home screen, or both. Most people find it easiest to disable it from the settings menu rather than trying to hide it piece by piece. The process takes less than a minute once you know where to look.
Key Takeaways
- Now Brief is a news and weather widget that appears on Samsung and some other Android devices and can be disabled through your device settings.
- The fastest way to turn it off is to open Settings, find the app or lock screen settings, and toggle Now Brief off — the exact path depends on your device model and Android version.
- If you cannot find it in settings, you can long-press the widget on your home screen and select the remove or delete option.
- Disabling Now Brief does not uninstall any apps or affect your device's performance; it only hides the widget from view.
Disable Now Brief through your device settings
The most reliable way to turn off Now Brief is through your Settings app. Open Settings and look for an option called Lock Screen, Home Screen, or Home Screen Settings — the exact name varies by manufacturer and Android version. Once you find it, scroll down until you see an option for Now Brief, Google Discover, or News and Weather.
Tap that option and look for a toggle or switch next to it. If the toggle is on (usually shown in blue or green), tap it to turn it off. Your device will stop showing Now Brief when ready. If you do not see a toggle, you may see a checkbox instead — uncheck it to disable the feature. After you make the change, you can close Settings and return to your home screen.
If you cannot find the setting in Lock Screen or Home Screen options, try searching for "Now Brief" directly in your Settings app. Most Android devices have a search bar at the top of the Settings menu. Type "Now Brief" and tap the result if it appears — this will take you directly to the toggle you need.
Remove Now Brief from your home screen manually
If you prefer not to dig through settings, you can remove the Now Brief widget directly from your home screen. Long-press (hold your finger on) the Now Brief widget or card wherever it appears on your screen. A menu should pop up with options like Remove, Delete, or Uninstall.
Tap Remove or Delete. The widget will disappear from your home screen when ready. This method works well if Now Brief only appears in one spot and you want it gone right away. However, if it appears in multiple places — on your lock screen and your home screen, for example — you may need to remove it from each location separately.
Turn off Google Discover if Now Brief keeps reappearing
On some devices, Now Brief is connected to Google Discover, a similar feature that shows news and information. If you disable Now Brief but it keeps coming back, or if you see similar news cards appearing elsewhere, you may need to turn off Google Discover as well.
Open the Google app on your device and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Select Settings, then tap News and interests or Discover. Look for a toggle that says Show Discover or similar, and turn it off. This will prevent Google from pushing news and weather information to your device through multiple channels.
Check your lock screen settings separately
Now Brief sometimes appears on your lock screen as a separate feature from your home screen version. If you have disabled it on your home screen but still see it on your lock screen, you need to turn it off in a different place.
Open Settings and go to Lock Screen or Lock Screen Settings. Look for an option called Widgets, Lock Screen Widgets, or Notifications. Scroll through the list and find Now Brief or Google News. Tap it and select Remove, Disable, or Off. Some devices let you swipe left or right on the widget itself to remove it — try that first if the option appears.
What to do if you cannot find the setting
If you have searched your Settings app and cannot locate Now Brief or a similar option, it is possible your device does not have this feature, or it may be named something different on your particular model. Try searching for "Google News," "Discover," or "Weather" instead — Now Brief may be bundled under one of those names.
Another option is to check your device manufacturer's support website. Samsung, Google Pixel, and other manufacturers sometimes publish guides specific to their devices. Search for your device model and "disable Now Brief" to find instructions tailored to your phone or tablet. If you still cannot find it, the widget may already be disabled, or it may not be available on your version of Android.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling Now Brief slow down my phone or use less battery?
Disabling Now Brief will have a minimal effect on battery life or performance. The widget uses some resources to update throughout the day, so turning it off may save a small amount of battery, but the difference is usually not noticeable. The main benefit is removing clutter from your screen.
Can I turn Now Brief back on if I change my mind?
Yes. If you disable it through Settings, you can re-enable it by going back to the same menu and toggling it on. If you removed it manually from your home screen, you can add it back by long-pressing an empty area of your home screen, selecting Widgets, and finding Now Brief in the list.
Is Now Brief the same as Google Discover?
They are related but not identical. Now Brief is Samsung's name for a news widget that often pulls from Google sources. Google Discover is Google's own news and information feature. You may need to disable both if they are both appearing on your device.
Why does Now Brief keep coming back after I disable it?
This usually happens if you removed the widget manually but did not disable it in Settings. The system may re-add it during updates or when you restart your device. Disable it through Settings instead to make the change permanent.
Does removing Now Brief delete any of my data or apps?
No. Disabling or removing Now Brief only hides the widget — it does not uninstall any apps, delete your data, or affect any other features on your device. You can safely turn it off without worry.