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On a supported Galaxy phone, open Settings > Advanced features > Side button > Long press, then choose Power off menu. Pressing and holding the Side button will then open the power controls instead of Bixby. Samsung cautions that the names and available choices can differ by model and software version; the documented path is in its Galaxy Bixby remapping guide.
Change the long-press action to Power off menu
The setting you need is the Side button’s Long press action. It is separate from the button’s other behavior, so changing this option targets the press-and-hold gesture that is launching the assistant.
- Open Settings on your Galaxy phone.
- Tap Advanced features.
- Tap Side button. On some older models, the same control may be called Side key.
- Under Long press, select Power off menu.
- Press and hold the Side button once to verify that the power menu appears rather than Bixby.
Samsung describes the result plainly: when the button is pressed and held after this change, the Power off menu appears. The setting is built into the phone, so no accessory, replacement button, app, or paid service is required.
Why Bixby may be opening even when you did not choose it
On Galaxy phones that combine the power control and assistant control in one physical Side button, a long press is assigned to an assistant by default or by the current configuration. The assistant can be Bixby, Gemini, or another option shown by your software version. The fix is not to disable the button; it is to change the action assigned to its long press.
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A short press and a long press are handled as different actions in the Side button settings. This article concerns only the long-press assignment. Selecting Power off menu leaves the phone’s Side button available for its normal power-related controls while removing the assistant launch from the press-and-hold gesture.
One UI 7: the default may be Gemini, not Bixby
Samsung Australia’s One UI 7 guidance says the default long-press action changed to Gemini. If your phone opens Gemini, the same setting still solves the problem: go to Settings > Advanced features > Side button > Long press and select Power off menu. The procedure is therefore useful even when the assistant you see is not Bixby.
If you want an assistant to open again later, return to the same Long press menu and choose the assistant option shown on your phone. Samsung’s One UI 7 instructions identify Bixby as an available choice when the software presents it; selecting Bixby restores Bixby to the long press. The exact choices depend on the model and installed software.
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For the One UI 7 terminology and current button options, see Samsung Australia’s support page, updated August 18, 2026: How do I Customise the Side Button on my Galaxy Smartphone or Tab?
Find the right instructions for your Galaxy model
Samsung does not use one identical button design or menu on every Galaxy device. Before troubleshooting, identify which physical button your phone has and which software generation it is using.
| Phone or software situation | Where to look | Choose for a power menu | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy phone with a combined Side button | Settings > Advanced features > Side button | Long press > Power off menu | A press and hold opens power controls instead of the configured assistant. |
| One UI 7 phone whose long press opens Gemini | Settings > Advanced features > Side button | Long press > Power off menu | The default assistant assignment is replaced by the power-menu action. |
| Phone with a dedicated older Bixby button | Use the controls provided for that dedicated Bixby button | Not necessarily available in the combined Side button menu | Holding the separate Bixby button activates Bixby Voice, and its options depend on the exact model and button layout. |
The first two rows use the current Side button workflow. Older devices with a separate Bixby button are different: Samsung’s older guidance explains that holding that dedicated button activates Bixby Voice. Its instructions are not a universal replacement for the newer combined-button path. Samsung’s older-device context is documented at How to customize the Side Key on Galaxy phone, updated April 14, 2021.
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When the menu labels do not match
Samsung warns that screenshots, menu names, and available choices can vary by model and software version. A missing Side button entry, a label such as Side key, or a different assistant name does not automatically mean the setting is unavailable.
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- Open the entry and look specifically for a section named Long press, not a general button or gesture setting.
- Read every option in that section. The power-related choice may be labelled Power off menu.
- If the phone has a physically separate Bixby button, stop using the combined Side button instructions and follow the controls for that older button design.
- If the phone opens Gemini rather than Bixby, remain in the Side button settings; the same Long press control applies.
Do not assume that another Galaxy model’s screenshot represents your phone. Samsung’s support material explicitly limits the layout to the model and software version shown on the device.
Open the power menu without changing the Side button
If you need to shut down or restart the phone before changing the assignment, Samsung identifies two other routes when the Side button is assigned to an assistant:
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- Open the Quick panel and use its power control.
- Press Side button + Volume Down together to bring up the power menu.
These alternatives are useful when a long press immediately launches Bixby or Gemini and you do not yet know where the setting is. They also provide a way to reach power controls while you decide whether the long press should remain assigned to an assistant.
What to do if Bixby still opens
The wrong option was selected
Reopen Settings > Advanced features > Side button > Long press and check the selected item. Choosing Bixby or an assistant intentionally keeps the assistant launch enabled. Choose Power off menu instead, then test with a deliberate press and hold.
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You changed a different button setting
The relevant control is named Long press. A setting for another gesture or for a short press will not change what happens when you hold the button. Return to the Side button page and verify the value shown beside Long press.
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Your phone uses a dedicated Bixby button
On older Galaxy devices, the Bixby control can be a separate physical button. Holding that button activates Bixby Voice, and the combined Side button menu may not govern it. Confirm the button layout before trying to apply the newer path. Samsung’s older Side Key instructions describe this distinction and note that the available options depend on the exact device.
The menu is named differently
Use the model’s own wording. Samsung’s current materials use Side button, while older material may say Side key. The objective remains the same: find the button’s Long press assignment and set it to Power off menu.
The phone opens Gemini instead
That behavior is consistent with Samsung’s One UI 7 guidance, which identifies Gemini as the default long-press action. It is not evidence that the setting failed. Select Power off menu in the same Long press screen to remove the assistant launch.
Can you remove Bixby completely?
Samsung’s US support guide says Bixby cannot be deleted entirely through the options it describes. The supported change is to remap the Side button so that a long press shows the Power off menu. This stops the accidental button launch without claiming that every Bixby component has been removed from the phone.
If your goal is simply to prevent Bixby from appearing when you press and hold the button, changing the Long press action is the relevant fix. If your goal is to eliminate all Bixby features, the Side button setting alone does not establish that result.
Choosing between an assistant and the power menu
| Long-press choice | What happens when you hold the combined Side button | Use this when |
|---|---|---|
| Power off menu | The phone displays power controls. | You want to stop Bixby or Gemini from opening and need a predictable shutdown or restart route. |
| Bixby | Bixby opens on supported software. | You deliberately want Bixby available from the button. |
| Gemini | Gemini opens where One UI 7 and the device provide that assignment. | You prefer the current assistant action and accept that the long press will not directly show the power menu. |
These choices describe the action assigned to the long press; they do not prove that every phone offers all three labels. Samsung’s model and version warning applies to this comparison.
Quick Recap
A complete check after changing the setting
- Confirm that you are using the combined Side button, not a separate older Bixby button.
- Open Settings, then Advanced features.
- Open Side button or Side key.
- Review the Long press row.
- Select Power off menu.
- Press and hold the Side button and wait for the power controls to appear.
- If an assistant still launches, return to the same screen and verify that the selected value did not revert to Bixby or Gemini.
- If the setting is not present, use the model-specific instructions and button-design distinction described above rather than copying a different Galaxy phone’s menu.
Key points to remember
- The direct fix is Settings > Advanced features > Side button > Long press > Power off menu.
- One UI 7 guidance identifies Gemini as the default long-press assistant, although the action remains configurable.
- Samsung’s screenshots and menu choices can vary by model and software version.
- Older Galaxy phones with a dedicated Bixby button may not follow the combined Side button workflow.
- The Quick panel and Side button + Volume Down provide alternate ways to reach power controls.
- Samsung’s US guide does not describe a way to delete Bixby entirely; remapping the button is the documented way to stop its launch from a long press.
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