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You can change what the Galaxy side key does, switch between navigation buttons and gestures, reorder the navigation buttons, and redesign the Quick settings panel entirely through built-in settings. First check Settings > About phone or About tablet > Software information so you know which One UI instructions apply.

Samsung cautions that “Available screens and settings may vary by wireless service provider, software version and device model.” The labels and actions below are therefore verified examples, not a promise that every Galaxy phone, tablet, carrier, or region exposes the same controls.

Check your One UI version before changing anything

The software version determines where Quick settings opens and which navigation gestures are available. On your Galaxy phone or tablet:

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  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap About phone or About tablet.
  3. Tap Software information.
  4. Note the One UI version, Android version, and build number.

Keep that screen in mind while following this guide. One UI 7 uses a different Quick settings layout from One UI 6.1.1 and earlier, and navigation behavior also differs between One UI 6.0 and One UI 6.1 or later.

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How to change what the Galaxy side key does

On newer Galaxy software, Samsung calls the physical control the Side button. Some older menus and support material call it the Side Key. The current settings path documented by Samsung is:

Settings > Advanced features > Side button

The page normally separates the two press types. Your device may show fewer choices than the examples below.

Set a double press action

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Advanced features.
  3. Tap Side button.
  4. Tap Double press.
  5. Choose the app or action you want, then leave Settings.

Depending on the model, double press can launch an app or a supported in-app function. Samsung examples include Camera, Samsung Wallet, Flashlight, Magnifier, Voice Recorder, Samsung Notes, Samsung Capture, and Modes and Routines. Some entries display a gear icon; tap that icon to choose a particular function inside the app. An app or action shown in Samsung’s example list may be absent on your device because availability depends on model, region, software, and carrier.

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Double press is useful for an action you need quickly without changing your Home screen. If the Side button page lists only a smaller set of actions, there is no supported setting to add arbitrary functions to that menu.

Set a long press action

  1. From Settings > Advanced features > Side button, tap Long press.
  2. Select an assistant or another action offered on your device.
  3. Return to the Home screen and hold the Side button to test the result.

Samsung’s Ireland guide, updated 19 August 2025, says the default long-press assistant is Gemini, or Google Assistant where Gemini is unavailable. That default is not universal: a Samsung Philippines guide updated 14 April 2021 describes Bixby as the long-press choice and also lists a power-off menu. Your current menu is the authority for your phone or tablet.

If you assign an assistant to a long press, holding the Side button no longer opens the power menu. Samsung identifies the Quick panel and Side button + Volume Down as alternatives for reaching power controls. The exact controls can still vary by software and model.

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What older “Side Key” instructions mean

Older Galaxy devices may show Settings > Advanced features > Side key rather than Side button. The 2021 Samsung instructions list these examples:

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Press Older example choices How to interpret this today
Double press Quick launch camera, Open Bixby, or Open app Use only the choices displayed by the device’s own Side key page.
Long press Wake up Bixby or Power off-menu Current One UI versions may show an assistant such as Gemini instead.

Do not change a current phone based solely on an old screenshot. Menu names and defaults can change after a One UI update, and regional support pages can document different generations of Galaxy hardware.

How to switch the navigation bar between buttons and gestures

Navigation controls are under:

Settings > Display > Navigation bar

Samsung’s navigation guides document two main modes: Buttons and Swipe gestures. Select the mode first, then adjust the options that appear below it.

Use navigation buttons and change their order

  1. Open Settings and tap Display.
  2. Tap Navigation bar.
  3. Select Buttons.
  4. Tap More options or Button arrangement, depending on the software version.
  5. Choose the order you prefer.

The available arrangements place Back, Home, and Recents in different positions. Changing the order can also change where gesture interactions begin on some layouts, so test the lower edge and sides after saving the new order.

If you cannot find Button arrangement, make sure Buttons is selected first. A device using Swipe gestures will show gesture-related controls instead of the button-order menu.

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Switch to Swipe gestures

  1. Open Settings > Display > Navigation bar.
  2. Select Swipe gestures.
  3. Read the gesture illustration and try each edge before leaving the page.
  4. Adjust any sensitivity or gesture-related options that your device provides.

Samsung’s US documentation distinguishes the behavior by One UI generation:

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One UI generation Back Home Recent apps Other notes
One UI 6.0 Swipe from the designated bottom Back zone. Swipe from the designated bottom Home zone. Swipe from the designated bottom Recents zone. The three bottom zones are separate. Device options may include sensitivity and gesture hints.
One UI 6.1 and later Swipe inward from either side edge. Swipe up from the bottom edge. Swipe up from the bottom and hold. Samsung says gesture hints are unavailable on One UI 6.1 or later. Sensitivity and S Pen gesture blocking may vary by device.

The transition can feel different even when the setting is simply called Swipe gestures. On One UI 6.1 or later, start Back from the left or right edge rather than one of the old bottom zones. If a case makes edge swipes difficult, test with the case removed before changing sensitivity.

Check gesture sensitivity and S Pen options

Some Galaxy models expose a gesture-sensitivity control under Navigation bar. Others provide an option to block navigation gestures while an S Pen is being used. These controls are device-specific; if they are not listed, the phone or tablet does not offer them through that menu.

When an S Pen option is present, decide whether accidental edge swipes or deliberate navigation is the bigger problem. Blocking gestures can prevent unintended navigation while writing, but it also means you must use the buttons, another edge, or the S Pen workflow offered by that model.

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Move the navigation bar on a Galaxy Z Fold or Galaxy Tab

Samsung documents a Button position setting for the main screen on Galaxy Z Fold phones and Galaxy Tabs. Where available, it can place the navigation controls on the left, right, or center. If the Taskbar is enabled, Samsung US says only left and right are available.

Samsung’s regional guidance describes the behavior differently when the navigation bar is enabled or disabled. Do not assume that a Fold or Tab will expose the same position choices as another large-screen Galaxy. Open the Navigation bar page on the device and use the positions actually shown there.

How to customize Quick settings on One UI 7

One UI 7 separates the starting areas for notifications and Quick settings:

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  • Swipe down from the upper-right corner for Quick settings.
  • Swipe down from the upper-left corner for notifications.

A swipe that begins near the middle may open whichever panel is associated with that area on your device, so start deliberately near the appropriate corner.

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Combine notifications and Quick settings into one panel

  1. Swipe down from the upper-right to open Quick settings.
  2. Tap Edit, shown with a pencil icon.
  3. Tap Panel settings.
  4. Tap Notification and quick settings view.
  5. Select Together.

Samsung notes that an intermediate settings screen may not appear on some devices. If you do not see one of those labels, use the options that are present under Edit and Panel settings; the exact screen depends on the model and software build.

With Together selected, notifications and Quick settings share a panel again. To return to separate panels, follow the same path and choose the separate view offered by your device.

Reorder or add Quick settings buttons

  1. Swipe down from the upper-right and tap Edit.
  2. Tap Edit again if your device shows a second editing screen.
  3. Touch and hold a control, then drag it to the position you want.
  4. Swipe across the available-button area to find additional controls.
  5. Tap Done.

Touch and hold a control in the panel to open detailed settings when that control supports them. For example, a control may expose a more specific mode or device list rather than only turning a feature on or off. Controls without a detailed screen will simply remain switches.

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How to customize Quick settings on One UI 6.1.1 or earlier

On earlier software, the panel normally opens in stages:

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  • Swipe down once from the top for notifications.
  • Swipe down a second time to expand Quick settings.
  • Alternatively, swipe down with two fingers to open the expanded Quick settings panel directly.

Edit and reorder the buttons

  1. Open the expanded Quick settings panel.
  2. Tap More options, represented by three dots.
  3. Tap Edit buttons.
  4. Touch and hold a button, then drag it into the position you want.
  5. Move unwanted controls out of the active area or add available controls as the editor allows.
  6. Tap Done.

This older editor does not use the One UI 7 Panel settings path. If a tutorial tells you to open the upper-right corner or look for Notification and quick settings view but your phone is on One UI 6.1.1 or earlier, use More options > Edit buttons instead.

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Which setup should you choose?

Your goal Best setting to try What to verify afterward
Open one app instantly Side button > Double press > choose the app. Double press from the screen you normally use and confirm the intended app opens.
Launch a supported function inside an app Double press, then choose the app’s gear icon and select its listed action. The gear icon and function must be offered on that device.
Use an assistant by holding the Side button Side button > Long press > choose the listed assistant. Holding the button may stop opening the power menu; use Quick panel or Side + Volume Down for power controls.
Keep familiar on-screen controls Navigation bar > Buttons. Choose Button arrangement or More options to place Back, Home, and Recents where you expect them.
Maximize screen space with edge controls Navigation bar > Swipe gestures. Use the gesture pattern for your One UI generation, not a guide written for a different version.
See notifications and toggles together On One UI 7, Edit > Panel settings > Notification and quick settings view > Together. The intermediate screen may be absent, and the label may differ by model.
Edit controls on older software Expanded Quick settings > More options > Edit buttons. Tap Done to save the arrangement.

Troubleshooting when a setting is missing

The Side button page is not there

Search Settings for Side button and then try Side key. Older software uses the latter label. If neither appears under Advanced features, the model or carrier software may not expose programmable Side button controls.

The power menu no longer opens when you hold the button

Check Settings > Advanced features > Side button > Long press. If an assistant is assigned, holding the button is performing that assistant action. Open power controls from the Quick panel or press Side button + Volume Down, as described in Samsung’s current support guidance.

Quick settings opens from the “wrong” side

First check the One UI version. One UI 7 intentionally uses the upper-right for Quick settings and upper-left for notifications. One UI 6.1.1 and earlier use a downward swipe for notifications followed by another swipe for the expanded panel, or a two-finger swipe.

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The navigation gestures do not match an online tutorial

Compare the tutorial’s One UI version with the version shown in Software information. One UI 6.0 uses separate bottom zones; One UI 6.1 and later use side swipes for Back and a bottom swipe for Home. Also check whether your device is a Fold or Tab, has Taskbar enabled, or offers an S Pen gesture-blocking option.

A control or app is missing from an editor

Samsung exposes only supported actions for that model, software build, region, and carrier. A control listed in another Galaxy guide cannot be added manually when it is absent from your own editor. Install available software updates if appropriate, then recheck the menu; do not assume an update will add every feature documented for another model.

Do you need to buy anything?

No. The changes described here use the Galaxy phone or tablet’s built-in software, touchscreen, physical buttons, and, where applicable, the device’s existing S Pen or Taskbar settings. A case, repair tool, printed manual, or other physical item is not required to customize the Side button, Navigation bar, or Quick settings.

The practical rule for Galaxy customization

Use the version shown in Settings > About phone/About tablet > Software information as your starting point, then follow the labels visible on that device. Current One UI 7 Quick settings controls begin from the upper-right; earlier versions use a staged or two-finger pull-down. Navigation buttons and gestures are both under Display > Navigation bar, while Side button assignments are under Advanced features. When a menu, default assistant, gesture, or button position differs from this guide, the device’s own options take precedence because Samsung varies them by model, carrier, region, and software version.

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