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Samsung adds option to disable Bixby button on Galaxy smartphones

The update stops short of giving users complete control of the button, but it's a start.
Written by Jason Cipriani, Contributing Writer

Video: Samsung's Bixby voice assistant will reach beyond Galaxy S8

You may not be able to get rid of Bixby, but you can at least disable the Bixby button after a recent update to the Bixby app.

It's unclear when Samsung enabled the new toggle, first spotted by Android news site Droid Life.

I can't tell you how many times I've tried to adjust the volume one of the recent Samsung Galaxy devices, only to have Bixby Home open. Its awkward placement, combined with limited usefulness, only exacerbates the frustration.

Currently, I have the option on a Galaxy Note 8 but not a Galaxy S8. The Note 8 is running Bixby Home version 2.0.03.3 and Bixby Voice version 1.0.10.8.

disasble-bixby-button.jpg
Jason Cipriani/ZDNet

To quickly identify if you have the update, open Bixby Home and look for a new toggle at the top of the feed. Slide it to the Off position and never worry about accidentally triggering Bixby again. Bixby Home is still available to the left of your home screen.

Next up, Samsung needs to let users get rid of Bixby altogether, or at the very least assign a different task to the button. One can dream, right?

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