SAMSUNG GALAXY
How to change what the side button does on a Samsung Galaxy
In short
Open Settings, Advanced features, Side button. Under Double press, choose what it opens, for example Camera. Under Long press, choose the digital assistant, Bixby or the Power off menu. Choosing Power off menu makes a long press show the power off menu again.
You hold the side button to switch the phone off, and instead an assistant pops up, keen to help with something you never asked for. On recent Galaxy phones, holding the side button wakes an assistant instead of showing the power menu. The good news is that both presses can be changed.
5 of 5 steps show a real screenshot from our Galaxy A57 5G (One UI 8.5) and Galaxy S26 (One UI 9.0).
Steps
- 1
Open Advanced features
Open Settings and tap Advanced features.
- 2
Tap Side button
It is in the third group, above Voice wake-up.
- 3
Choose the double press
Tap Double press. Switch it on and pick what it opens. Ours was switched on and set to Camera (Open Camera).
On our Galaxy S26 the list also offered Quick launch Samsung Wallet, Flashlight, Magnifier, Samsung Notes, Samsung capture, Modes and Routines and Apps. A gear next to some choices sets what exactly opens.
- 4
Choose the long press
Tap Long press. Ours was set to Digital assistant (Google). Choose Power off menu to get the familiar switch-off and restart buttons back.
Ours listed Digital assistant, Bixby and Power off menu.
- 5
Forgot how to switch off?
How to power off your phone, on the same page, explains the other ways to switch off.
If you do not see this option
- Your phone has a separate Bixby key Samsung says models such as the Galaxy Note9, Galaxy S8 series and Galaxy S10, and earlier models, have a Bixby key on the left side. Pressing and holding it always starts Bixby Voice. Source: Set up the Side button or Bixby key on your Galaxy phone
- You have a Galaxy Z Flip Samsung says to keep the phone open when you use these shortcuts, because they may work differently when it is closed. Source: Set up the Side button or Bixby key on your Galaxy phone
If this does not work
- You need to switch off right now Samsung says you can also swipe down with two fingers, tap the Power icon in the quick settings panel, then Power off.
- The double press opens the wrong app Samsung lists Camera, Flashlight, Magnifier, Voice Recorder, Samsung Notes, Samsung Capture, Modes and Routines, and Apps for Double press. Open it again and pick another.
- Pressing it five times calls for help? On One UI 5.0 and later, Samsung says quickly pressing the side button five times starts Emergency SOS. Samsung UK says that after the June 2023 update the automatic dialling cannot be turned off. If it happens by accident, for example in a pocket, see Samsung Emergency SOS calling by accident.
- A long press still opens the assistant? The assistant is persistent, but it does not get to win this one. Check that Power off menu is selected under Long press. Pressing the Side and Volume down buttons together also brings up the power off menu.
Good to know
Samsung lists Digital assistant, Bixby and Power off menu as the Long press options.
The change takes effect at once and needs no restart. To undo it, go back to Side button and set Long press to Digital assistant or Bixby again. Samsung also lets the side and volume buttons turn on accessibility shortcuts like TalkBack, High contrast fonts or Universal switch.
About this guide
- Device
- Android
- Shown on
- Samsung Galaxy A57 5G (SM-A576B), One UI 8.5, Android 16, Samsung Galaxy S26 (SM-S942N, Korean model), One UI 9.0, Android 17 (build CP2A.260605.016.S942NKSU5BZJB)
- App
- Settings
- Path
- Settings › Advanced features
- Real screenshots
- 5 of 5 steps
- What we did
- Observed: looked at each screen, changed nothing
- Checked
- November 2026
- Sources
- 3 official, linked below
The screenshots are from a Samsung Galaxy S26 with One UI 9.0 and Android 17, in Dark mode, apart from steps 1 and 2, from our Galaxy A57 with One UI 8.5. Samsung says which screens and settings you get can depend on your network, software version and model.
Sources
Links checked November 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.Did this guide work for you?
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