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You can set a Galaxy phone’s Side button to do more than launch Camera or call an assistant. Go to Settings > Advanced features > Side button (called Side key on some devices), then choose actions for double press and long press. Depending on your device, a double press can jump straight to a feature inside an app, such as starting a recording or opening a camera mode.
The exact choices vary by model, software version, region and carrier, so treat the options below as possibilities to check on your Galaxy rather than a guaranteed list. Samsung’s UK guide and US support guide show examples and setup details.
How to change what the Galaxy Side button does
- Open Settings.
- Tap Advanced features, then Side button or Side key.
- Tap Double press and switch it on if necessary.
- Choose an available app or feature. If a gear icon appears beside an app, tap it to see whether you can select a specific in-app action.
- Return to the Side button settings, tap Long press, and choose an available assistant or the power-off menu.
- Try each shortcut, and check that you know how to reach the power menu if long press is assigned to an assistant.
Samsung notes that menus and available features can differ by device and software. Its support pages also describe other ways to reach power controls, including the Quick panel and pressing the Side button with Volume Down.
Useful double-press shortcuts to try
Samsung’s current examples go beyond opening an app. The choices that appear on your phone may differ, and some task-level actions depend on a gear menu being available for the selected app.
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| Shortcut | What it can do | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Flashlight | Turn on the flashlight with a double press. | Choose Flashlight if it appears in the feature list. |
| Magnifier | Open Magnifier directly. | Samsung lists it in its current US options; availability can vary. |
| Voice Recorder | Start recording without first navigating through the app. | Select Voice Recorder, then choose Start recording if its gear menu offers that action. |
| Samsung Notes | Start a voice note. | Look for a voice-note action in the app’s gear menu. |
| Camera | Open a chosen camera function, such as selfie mode. | Use the gear menu to see which camera actions are listed. |
| Samsung Capture | Open a capture tool such as AI select. | Check whether Samsung Capture and the relevant action appear on your device. |
| Modes and Routines | Start a routine, with Sleep as one Samsung-listed example. | Choose the routine shown in the gear menu, if available. |
| Samsung Wallet | Open Wallet quickly. | Samsung lists Wallet in its UK guide; it may not appear in every country or configuration. |
| Installed app | Launch an app you use often. | Some apps offer a gear menu with a direct action; others may only open the app. |
Choose what a long press should do
A long press can launch an assistant or show the power-off menu, depending on the selected setting and software. The choice matters because assigning an assistant changes the usual way to open power controls with the Side button.
Use Gemini or another available assistant
Samsung says that from One UI 7 onward, the default long-press action is Gemini. Its current UK overview describes Gemini, or Google Assistant where Gemini is unavailable. Available assistant choices depend on the phone and its configuration.
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Get Bixby back on the Side button
Open Settings > Advanced features > Side button > Long press, then select Bixby if it is offered. Samsung explains the One UI 7 default change in its One UI 7 support article.
Keep long press for the power menu
If you prefer the familiar press-and-hold route to power options, select the power-off menu instead of an assistant where that choice is available. If long press opens an assistant, Samsung documents the Quick panel and the Side button plus Volume Down as alternatives for power controls.
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Other Side button behavior and combinations
Samsung’s UK guide describes a single press as waking or locking the screen, a double press as opening the selected app or feature, and a long press as launching Gemini under its stated configuration. It also documents pressing Side button and Volume Down together: a short press takes a screenshot, while a long press brings up power-off or Emergency SOS. Button behavior and combinations can differ across devices.
Why your Galaxy may show different options
- Model and software: Samsung warns that supported features and screens vary by device model and software version.
- Region and carrier: The available actions can also differ by region or carrier, and a Wallet or assistant option should not be assumed to appear everywhere.
- Button type: Samsung’s US guide distinguishes newer Side button devices from older phones with a dedicated Bixby button, including the Note 9, S8 series, and S10 and earlier.
- One UI version: One UI 7 changes the documented default long-press action to Gemini; Samsung provides a setting to choose Bixby where available.
If a shortcut in this article is missing, check the Side button screen on your phone rather than assuming a setting is broken. Samsung’s guides cover customizing the button and model- and OS-dependent controls.
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