SAMSUNG GALAXY
How to turn off Edge panels on a Samsung Galaxy
In short
Open Settings, Display, Edge panels and switch it off at the top. The small handle at the side of the screen disappears. To keep it but move it out of the way, open Handle position and style instead.
It gets old fast when a panel of shortcuts slides out every time your thumb brushes the side of the screen. Edge panels are the shortcut panels you swipe in from the side of the screen. If you find them distracting, you can switch them off, or change the handle's position, size, colour and transparency.
4 of 5 steps show a real screenshot from our Galaxy S26.
Steps
- 1
Open Edge panels
Settings, Display, then scroll down to Edge panels.
- 2
Switch it off
The switch at the top turns Edge panels on and off. Ours was on.
- 3
Or choose fewer panels
Panels lets you pick which panels appear. Ours showed only Apps.
- 4
Or change the handle
Handle position and style sets where the handle sits and how big and see-through it is, so you touch it less by accident.
- 5
Landscape mode
Show in landscape mode keeps the Apps panel available when the phone is sideways; the page says other panels won't be available. It was on on ours.
If you do not see this option
- There is no Edge panels row Samsung says not every model or software version has the Edge panel. Source: Add or remove Edge panels on your Galaxy phone or tablet
- A panel you used has gone Samsung says that if a panel has gone, it's been switched off or moved somewhere else. Check it under Settings, Display, Edge panels, Panels. Source: Add or remove Edge panels on your Galaxy phone or tablet
If this does not work
- The handle is still in the way Samsung says Handle sets the handle's position, size, colour and transparency, so you can make it smaller or move it.
- A panel from Galaxy Store will not download Samsung says you may have to pay for some extra panels, and some phones can't download extra panels at all.
- The handle keeps moving when you swipe? Samsung says that with Lock handle position switched on, the handle cannot be moved. Turn on Lock handle position if you keep dragging the handle by accident.
- Swiping back opens the panel instead? Samsung says you can change the handle's size, or drag it up or down.
- Edit is missing on the Apps panel? Samsung notes that the Edit option may not appear until you have selected the panel. Tick the Apps panel under Panels first, then look for Edit again.
- Recent apps keep showing in the panel? Samsung's guide has a Show recent apps switch under the Apps panel's More options. Turn it off to stop showing recent apps.
Good to know
Prefer quick settings? how to edit the quick panel buttons on a Samsung Galaxy.
Samsung says the switch disables the Edge panel completely. To undo it, switch Edge panels back on in the same place. The feature has no real effect on battery whether on or off, so if your habit is to switch things off to save battery, this one is not worth it for that reason alone.
If the side edge is a problem because you touch the screen by mistake while holding the phone, the cause may be a case or your grip rather than the panel. For other ways to reach apps quickly, see make an app folder on a Samsung Galaxy.
About this guide
- Device
- Android
- Shown on
- Samsung Galaxy S26 (SM-S942N, Korean model), One UI 9.0, Android 17 (build CP2A.260605.016.S942NKSU5BZJB)
- App
- Settings
- Path
- Settings › Display › Edge panels
- Real screenshots
- 4 of 5 steps
- What we did
- Observed: looked at each screen, changed nothing
- Checked
- November 2026
- Sources
- 1 official, linked below
The screenshots are from a Samsung Galaxy S26 with One UI 9.0 and Android 17, in Dark mode. Samsung says not every model or software version has the Edge panel.
Sources
Links checked November 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.Did this guide work for you?
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