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Samsung: Turn Bixby Launch on the Side Key On or Off

Long-pressing the power button used to switch off your Samsung phone, but on newer devices the same press launches Bixby instead. Samsung renamed the power button to a Side key and moved its behavior into a separate menu. If you keep triggering Bixby by accident while trying to turn the phone off, the Side key settings are where the conflict actually sits.

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Step 1 of 4: Tap on **Settings**

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Android 11 · One UI 3
Turn Bixby Launch on the Side Key On or Off – One UI 3: step 1 – Tap on Settings
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Samsung

Turn Bixby Launch on the Side Key On or Off auf Samsung

On older Samsung phones, a long press on the power button opened the shutdown menu. After Bixby was added to the system, Samsung reassigned that same long press to launch Bixby by default and renamed the button to Side key.

This is not a bug. It is a setting change buried in Advanced features, and it catches a lot of long-time Samsung users off guard because the muscle memory for turning off the phone no longer works the same way.

Where the setting lives

Go to SettingsAdvanced featuresSide key. There you get two options for the long press: Wake Bixby or Power off menu. Choosing Power off menu restores the classic behavior, so a long press brings up restart, power off, and emergency options again. Choosing Wake Bixby keeps the assistant on that gesture.

If you pick Wake Bixby, you still need a way to shut down the phone. On these devices that is done by pulling down the status bar and tapping the power icon, or by pressing the Side key and the volume down key together.

If Bixby keeps opening even after switching to Power off menu, check whether a second shortcut, like double-press, is still mapped to the assistant in the same Side key screen.

Frequently asked questions

Pull down the status bar and tap the power icon, or press the Side key together with the volume down key. Both work regardless of what the long press is currently assigned to.

Compatible devices

Tap your device — opens its hub with matching guides.

Android 11 · One UI 3

No compatible devices are listed for this version.