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On a newer Samsung Galaxy phone, the Side button is a multi-action control: a short press usually wakes or locks the screen, a hold can open Bixby or the power menu, and a double press can launch the camera or another shortcut. The Volume buttons mainly change sound level. Pressing Side and Volume down together adds two important shortcuts: a screenshot and, on many models, the power menu.
Exact behavior depends on your Galaxy model, software version, and Side button settings. Use Settings > Advanced features > Side button to see which actions your phone supports and to change the hold or double-press command.
The quick comparison: which button or gesture should you use?
Samsung’s current Galaxy layouts make the Side button more configurable than the Volume buttons. The table below describes the behavior documented for many newer Galaxy phones. “Common” does not mean universal: Samsung warns that available actions and menu labels vary by model and software version.
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| Gesture or control | Common result | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Side button, short press | Turns the display on or off and locks the phone | Exact behavior depends on the phone’s current state and model. |
| Side button, long press | Opens Bixby or another configured assistant, or opens the power menu | The long-press command can be changed on supported phones. |
| Side button, double press | Opens Camera or another selected app or shortcut | Supported choices differ by device and software. |
| Volume up or down | Raises or lowers sound level | Accessibility settings can assign additional shortcuts involving Side and Volume controls. |
| Side/Power + Volume down, brief simultaneous press | Captures a screenshot | Samsung’s newer-device guidance says to release promptly; holding too long can open the power menu. |
| Side + Volume down, held while the phone is on | Opens the power menu on many newer Galaxy models | If your model behaves differently, use the Side button setting or Quick settings power icon. |
The practical distinction is simple: use the Volume buttons for sound, and learn the Side button’s configurable gestures for screen locking, assistants, apps, screenshots, and power controls.
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What does the Side button do?
Short press: wake, lock, or turn off the display
A quick tap of the Side button normally wakes the screen when the phone is idle. Tapping it again turns the display off and locks the device. This is the everyday replacement for the dedicated Power button found on older Galaxy models. A short press is different from holding the button: keep the press brief unless you specifically want a long-press command.
Long press: assistant or power menu
On a supported newer Galaxy phone, holding the Side button can open Bixby or another digital assistant. Samsung also allows the hold action to be changed to the power menu. The setting is not identical on every Galaxy generation, so check the local menu instead of assuming that a long press will always shut the phone down.
Double press: camera or a chosen shortcut
A rapid double press can launch Camera and, on supported devices, other destinations. Samsung lists examples such as Flashlight, Magnifier, Voice Recorder, Samsung Notes, Samsung Capture, Modes and Routines, and installed apps. The list shown on your phone is the authoritative one; some models expose fewer choices, and an option may move or disappear after a software update.
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Samsung places the controls in the Side button settings on supported Galaxy phones. Use this path:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Advanced features.
- Tap Side button.
- Review the options for Double press and Press and hold.
- Select the action you want, then leave Settings. Test each gesture once from the Home screen.
Some phones show a Bixby-related label instead of Side button, particularly when the hardware includes a dedicated Bixby key. Other models may show different wording or omit one of the options. Samsung’s support instructions identify the menu path but also caution that choices vary by model and operating-system version.
Choosing a double-press action
Camera is useful when you need to capture something quickly, because it avoids unlocking the phone and finding the app. Flashlight and Magnifier suit people who use those tools repeatedly. Voice Recorder, Samsung Notes, Samsung Capture, Modes and Routines, or a selected app are better when your work depends on one of those destinations. If a double press seems to do nothing, return to the Side button page and verify that the gesture is enabled and that the selected app is still installed.
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Choosing a long-press action
Choose the assistant if you routinely issue voice commands, or choose the power menu if you want the hardware shortcut to expose shutdown and restart controls. Changing this setting does not remove the Side + Volume down route to the power menu on models that support it; it changes what a hold of the Side button alone does.
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Volume up and Volume down primarily adjust sound level. Pressing either button changes the active audio level shown by the on-screen slider. The buttons are not a general-purpose app launcher, and their ordinary function is separate from the configurable Side button gestures.
Why the sound may change differently in different situations
Galaxy phones can expose more than one sound category, so the slider or label shown after pressing a Volume button depends on what the phone is doing and on its sound settings. If the result is not what you expected, look at the volume panel rather than repeatedly pressing the key. The hardware buttons themselves remain the sound controls; accessibility shortcuts are an additional layer.
Accessibility shortcuts that use Side and Volume controls
Samsung documents accessibility shortcuts that combine the Side and Volume controls. These are distinct from normal volume adjustment and can be enabled in the Accessibility settings. Because the exact shortcut and activation sequence can vary, read the instructions displayed on your model before enabling one. A shortcut assigned there can take precedence over an ordinary gesture, which explains why two phones with similar hardware may react differently.
How to take a screenshot on a Samsung Galaxy
On many current Galaxy phones, press the Side/Power button and Volume down at the same time, then release both promptly when the screen reacts.
- Display the content you want to capture.
- Place one finger on the Side (or Power) button and another on Volume down.
- Press both briefly and simultaneously.
- Release as soon as the screen flashes or the screenshot controls appear.
- Use the preview controls if you need to edit, share, or perform an additional capture action.
Samsung UK’s screenshot guidance, updated 5 June 2026, specifically says this should be a brief push rather than a hold because a long hold can open the power menu on newer devices. If the first attempt opens power controls, dismiss that menu and repeat with a shorter press.
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If the screenshot combination does not work
- Check that you are pressing Side and Volume down together, not Volume up.
- Shorten the press; holding both buttons can be interpreted as a power-menu command.
- Try again from a normal app or the Home screen to rule out an app-specific restriction.
- Check your model’s Samsung support instructions, because older layouts and software can use different controls.
- For a hardware-free method, enable Samsung’s Assistant menu and use its screenshot command.
How to turn off a Galaxy phone
Using Side and Volume down
On many newer Galaxy models, pressing and holding Side + Volume down opens the power menu while the phone is on.
- Press and hold Side and Volume down together.
- Wait for the power menu to appear.
- Tap Power off.
- Confirm the shutdown when prompted.
This is not the same gesture as a screenshot: a screenshot uses a brief simultaneous press, while the power-menu route uses a hold until the menu appears.
Using the Side button alone
If you changed Settings > Advanced features > Side button > Press and hold to the power menu, press and hold Side until the menu appears, then tap Power off and confirm. If the hold currently opens Bixby or another assistant, it will not open the power menu until you change that setting.
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Samsung also provides a separate software route. Open the Quick settings panel and tap the power icon when it is available, then choose Power off and confirm. This method is useful when a case makes the buttons difficult to press or when an accessibility shortcut has changed hardware behavior.
What if your phone shows a different menu?
Do not keep holding buttons at random. Dismiss the current screen and check the Side button settings and the model-specific Samsung instructions. A different menu usually indicates a different button assignment, a legacy layout, or software variation rather than a failed button.
Side button versus the older Power and Bixby keys
Samsung has used more than one physical layout. Many newer phones combine power and Bixby-related functions in a single Side button. Older devices can have separate Power, Bixby, and Volume keys.
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What the Galaxy S9+ manual documents
The official Galaxy S9+ user manual labels separate hard keys. Its Power key turns the screen on or off and locks the device, while holding the dedicated Bixby key launches Bixby Voice. Volume keys remain the sound controls. That arrangement is legacy guidance for the S9+ generation; it should not be presented as the behavior of every current Galaxy phone.
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- Look at the right and left edges of the phone and count the physical keys.
- Open Settings and search for “Side button,” “Bixby key,” or “Advanced features.”
- Use the exact model name shown in Settings > About phone when checking Samsung’s instructions.
If your phone has a distinct Bixby key, pressing or holding that key can follow its own rules. If it has one combined Side button, use the Side button settings to see which hold and double-press actions are available.
Using the Assistant menu instead of hardware buttons
Samsung’s Mobile Assistant menu provides an on-screen control panel for people who have difficulty pressing physical keys or who want an alternative method. Samsung describes controls for volume, screenshots, the power menu, and Bixby access.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Open the interaction or dexterity-related controls and select Assistant menu (the exact subcategory can vary).
- Turn the menu on and customize the displayed shortcuts.
- Use the floating Assistant menu button to select volume, screenshot, power, or other available actions.
The Assistant menu does not change what a physical Side-button gesture means; it supplies an alternate on-screen route. If you cannot find the same labels, use the Settings search field for “Assistant menu.”
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A short Side press opens something unexpected
Confirm that you are tapping rather than holding. A short press is intended for screen wake or lock, while a slightly longer press can trigger the configured assistant or power menu. Remove a thick case temporarily if it makes the press duration hard to control.
A long press opens Bixby when you want power controls
Go to Settings > Advanced features > Side button and change Press and hold to the power menu, if that option is offered. Alternatively, hold Side + Volume down or use the Quick settings power icon.
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A double press launches the wrong app
Open the same Side button page and inspect Double press. Select the intended destination from the choices your phone provides. If an app was uninstalled or disabled, choose a new action.
The screenshot keeps opening the power menu
You are probably holding Side + Volume down too long. Use a brief, simultaneous press and release. Samsung’s 5 June 2026 UK guidance calls out this exact distinction for newer devices.
Volume keys trigger an accessibility action
Review accessibility shortcut settings. Samsung allows some accessibility commands to use Side and Volume controls, so an enabled shortcut can explain behavior that differs from ordinary sound adjustment. Disable or change the shortcut only if you no longer need it.
A decision guide for everyday use
| What you want to do | First method to try | Backup method |
|---|---|---|
| Wake or lock the display | Short press Side | Use the on-screen Assistant menu if enabled. |
| Change sound level | Press Volume up or down | Use Assistant menu volume controls. |
| Open the camera quickly | Double press Side if Camera is assigned | Open Camera from the app screen or lock screen. |
| Capture the current screen | Brief Side + Volume down press | Use Assistant menu Screenshot. |
| Open power controls | Hold Side + Volume down on supported newer models | Use the Side-button power-menu assignment or Quick settings power icon. |
| Issue a voice command | Hold Side if an assistant is assigned | Use the Assistant menu’s Bixby control where available. |
What can vary by Galaxy model or software?
Samsung’s documentation repeatedly qualifies these instructions. The physical layout may be a combined Side button or separate Power and Bixby keys. The long-press action may be Bixby, another assistant, or the power menu. Double-press destinations can include different apps and tools. Accessibility shortcuts can also be configured differently. Even when two phones look similar, their software versions may expose different labels or options.
For that reason, treat the gestures in this article as a map of common behavior, not a guarantee for every Galaxy phone or tablet. If a step fails, identify the exact model, open the relevant settings page, and follow the options displayed there. Samsung’s support pages and the Galaxy S9+ manual document instructions for particular device categories and dates; they do not establish one universal layout.
Quick Recap
Key takeaways
- The Side button is the configurable control: short press for screen wake or lock, hold for an assistant or power menu, and double press for Camera or another selected shortcut.
- Volume up and down primarily change sound, although accessibility shortcuts can assign additional commands involving Side and Volume keys.
- Use a brief Side + Volume down press for screenshots on many newer devices; hold the same combination for the power menu.
- Change Side-button behavior at Settings > Advanced features > Side button when your model supports that menu.
- Older Galaxy phones such as the S9+ can have separate Power and Bixby keys, so do not apply newer combined-button instructions blindly.
- Assistant menu offers on-screen controls for volume, screenshots, power options, and Bixby access when hardware keys are difficult to use.
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