How to Disable Bixby on a Samsung Device

Virtual assistants have become very common, with most smartphone manufacturers providing some version of this helper. For Samsung users, the answer to Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri comes in the form of Bixby. As the world’s largest smartphone producer, it was only a matter of time before Samsung introduced their own voice assistant.

Like other smartphone assistants, Bixby can be used for many services. That includes making phone calls, setting timers, asking about the weather, and more.

However, users may not always want to have Bixby activated. This article will take you on a step-by-step guide on how to disable Bixby on your Samsung successfully.

How to Disable the Bixby Button

Samsung provides its users with a special button that can summon Bixby at any point. The Bixby button is on the side key underneath the volume function. It’s also used as the main power source button.

This feature can quickly become annoying for some as Bixby can often be summoned accidentally if the button is pressed. Also, users may wish to use the side button solely to switch power on and off. Fortunately, disabling this feature is a relatively straightforward process that only requires a few steps:

1. Hold down the side key.
   
2. When the option for “Side Key Settings” appears, tap it.
   
3. Beneath where it says, “Press and Hold,” select “Power Off Menu.”
   
4. To disable Bixby, ensure that the toggle next to “Open Bixby” is switched off.
   

How to Disable Bixby Voice

If you often find Bixby speaking to you from inside your bag, then it may be time to disable the feature altogether. Doing so only takes a handful of steps.

1. Press and hold down the Bixby button located on the side of your phone.
2. When the Bixby menu appears, tap “Side Key Settings.”
3. Next to where it says “Bixby Voice Switch,” change the toggle so that it is switched off.

How to Disable Bixby on an S21

As seen with other versions of Samsung Galaxy smartphones, Bixby is accessed on an S21 by pressing down the Bixby/power button located beneath the volume keys on the side. Here’s how to disable Bixby on your S21.

1. From your “Home” page, swipe down to access the notifications menu.
   
2. Tap the “Power” icon on the top right of the screen.
   
3. Select “Side Key Settings.”
   
4. Beneath where it says, “Press and Hold,” you’ll notice two options: “Wake Bixby” and “Power Off Menu.”
   
5. Select the “Power Off Menu” to disable Bixby.
   

How to Disable Bixby on an S20

If you’re using a Samsung Galaxy S20, you’ll find the Bixby button located beneath the volume function. This button is also used to turn your power off and on. Bixby is usually accessed by pressing down on this function. However, this feature can be adjusted in the Bixby settings.

1. Hold down the side key associated with Bixby until the Bixby home page appears.
2. Select “Side Key Settings.”
3. Under “Press and Hold,” turn the toggle on for “Power Off Menu.”
4. Altogether disable Bixby by ensuring that the toggle is switched off next to where it says, “Open Bixby.”

How to Disable Bixby on an S10?

Due to software updates, those using older Samsung Galaxy smartphones such as the S10 will find that they can no longer disable the Bixby key. However, it is possible to alter your settings to make it more difficult to trigger Bixby accidentally. To do this, you’ll need to gain access to a particular setting associated with Bixby.

1. Press and hold down the Bixby side key to access the Bixby home page.
   
2. Select the three dots that appear on your screen.
   
3. Next, you’ll need to press “Settings.”
   
4. Scroll until you see “Bixby Key” on your screen.
   
5. You’ll now be presented with a list of options. Choose “Double Press to Open Bixby.”
   
6. Once you’ve completed this step, you can access Bixby only by double-tapping the Bixby button.

How to Disable Bixby on an S51?

Like most newer Samsung Galaxy smartphones, the settings on an S51 can be altered to disable Bixby fully. This can be particularly useful if you find yourself often activating the feature without meaning to.

Updating the settings on your S51 smartphone is relatively straightforward:

1. On the side of your phone, press and hold down the Bixby side key to access the Bixby home page.
2. Tap on the three vertical dots that appear, then select “Settings.”
3. Scroll down and choose “Bixby Key.”
4. From the list of options that appear, tap “Double Press to Open Bixby.”
5. Once this is complete, you will now only be able to access Bixby by double-tapping the Bixby button, making it less likely to accidentally access.

How to Disable Bixby on an S8

When using older versions of Samsung Galaxy, users are no longer able to disable Bixby altogether. Instead, they can change their settings to make it more difficult to access by implementing a double-tap feature.

1. Hold down the side key located beneath the volume function to access the Bixby home page.
2. Hit the three vertical dots that will appear on your screen.
3. Select “Settings.”
4. From the options available, select “Bixby Key.”
5. Next, you will need to tap “Double Press to Open Bixby.”
6. You will now only have full access to Bixby by double-tapping the Bixby button instead of a single tap.

Additional FAQs

Is It Possible to Restrict Bixby Instead of Fully Disabling?

While it’s possible to disable Bixby entirely, it may be simpler to assign the function permission to access only certain apps so that you can take advantage of the features on offer.

 Here’s how:

1. Head to the Bixby home page by holding down the side key (or double-tapping if you’ve already changed the feature).

2. Tap on the three vertical dots on the right-hand side of the screen.

3. Hit “Settings,” then select “Bixby Key.”

4. Choose the “Single Press” option from the available functions by tapping the toggle.

5. Select “Open App” to choose a single app from the list of installed apps on your phone. You can also tap “Run a Quick Command” to run a quick Bixby command when pressed.

What Is Bixby Vision?

Bixby Vision is a service found on newer Samsung Galaxy models and is accessible through the Camera app. The feature lets users translate text on an image, gives additional image information, and helps you find similar images. To access this feature:

1. Open the Camera app.

2. Tap on “More.”

3. Select “Bixby Vision” to activate.

Bye-Bye Bixby

A virtual assistant can be helpful in many situations, such as playing music in the car without needing to physically touch your phone. However, the feature may not be to everybody’s liking when it comes to everyday use.

Perhaps you find yourself accidentally activating Bixby and find the feature annoying. Or maybe you just prefer doing things on your smartphone manually. Whatever your reason, knowing how to disable the Bixby feature is extremely handy.

Do you use Bixby? What makes you want to disable this feature? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.