Samsung created Bixby, its voice assistant, to compete with Amazon Alexa, Apple's Siri and Google Assistant. Bixby is used on all Samsung devices and works the same as Alexa, Siri, etc.
However, although Samsung's intentions were right in trying to create a voice assistant that works on all devices, ultimately Samsung devices are Google devices and most people prefer to use Google Assistant or Alexa, so the chances of wanting to disable Bixby are high.
Samsung has put Bixby in all phones starting with the Galaxy S8, including mid-range models. Most of these phones have a dedicated Bixby button that sits near the volume buttons or has replaced the power button in some cases (one of the many reasons people might want to remove Bixby).
Disabling Bixby involves three main steps:
- You need to change the behavior of the button
- Disable voice activation
- And finally, remove the Bixby home screen that appears when you swipe left from your main home screen (on newer versions of Samsung software, this is now called Samsung Daily) .
Currently, you can disable Bixby entirely only on the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy S20, S21, S22 series.
How to Disable Bixby on the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy S20, S21, S22
- Go to Settings > Advanced Features
- Disable Bixby Routines
- Press the side key
- Disable double tap or change it to something other than "Open Bixby".
- Change long press to shutdown menu
- Go to Settings and tap the magnifying glass in the top right.
- Type Bixby and choose the entry that says App Info, Bixby Voice.
- Tap the Settings gear in the top right to access Bixby Voice settings
- Tap on Auto Listen and change it to Never.
- Tap on Voice wake up and turn off Wake up with greetings, Bixby.
- Disable the Use when phone is locked option
- Disable Bixby Dictation.
- Tap on the Bixby key and change it to double tap to open Bixby.
- Disable marketing notification
- Go to your home screen and hold to enter widget configuration mode.
- Swipe left and turn off Samsung Daily.
How to Disable Bixby on Galaxy S8/S9/S10 (with Android 9 or 10)
On older phones, you can't disable Bixby entirely, but you can change it so the button requires a double press.
- Go to Settings and tap the magnifying glass in the top right.
- Type Bixby and choose the entry that says "App Info, Bixby Voice."
- Tap the Settings gear in the top right to access Bixby Voice settings.
- Tap Auto Listen and change it to Never.
- Tap on Voice wake up and turn off Wake up with greetings, Bixby.
- Disable the Use when phone is locked option
- Disable Bixby Dictation.
- Tap on the Bixby key and change it to double tap to open Bixby.
- Turn off marketing notification
- Press and hold on your home screen
- Swipe left
- Disable Bixby Home (or Samsung Daily in newer software versions).
And that's all.