Disable Samsung Pay in Settings
The fastest way to turn off Samsung Pay is through your phone's Settings app. Open Settings, then tap Apps or Applications (the exact name varies by phone model). Search for or scroll to Samsung Pay, tap it, then select Disable or Turn off. The button location depends on your Android version—on newer phones it appears near the top; on older ones it may be at the bottom of the app details screen.
If you see Uninstall instead of Disable, your phone came with Samsung Pay pre-installed and you cannot fully remove it, but disabling it stops the app from running and removes it from your home screen. The app will no longer send notifications or drain battery in the background.
After disabling, your phone may ask whether you want to disable updates as well. Choosing Yes prevents Samsung from automatically updating the app, which is useful if you do not plan to use it again soon.
Key Takeaways
- Open Settings, find Samsung Pay in your Apps list, and tap Disable to turn it off completely.
- If Disable is grayed out or missing, your phone may require you to remove Samsung Pay as a default payment method first.
- Disabling Samsung Pay stops background activity and notifications without deleting your saved payment information.
- You can turn Samsung Pay back on at any time by returning to Settings and tapping Enable.
- Some phones allow you to uninstall Samsung Pay entirely if it was installed separately; pre-installed versions can only be disabled.
Remove Samsung Pay as Your Default Payment Method
If the Disable button is grayed out or will not respond, Samsung Pay may be set as your default payment app. You must remove it from that role first. Go to Settings > Apps > Default apps (or Default applications), then look for Contactless payments, NFC payments, or Payment app.
Tap whichever option appears, and you will see a list of payment apps installed on your phone. Select a different app—Google Pay is the most common alternative—or choose None if you do not use contactless payments. Once you have changed the default, return to the Samsung Pay app details screen and the Disable button should now be active.
Stop Samsung Pay Notifications
If you want to keep Samsung Pay installed but silence its alerts, you can disable notifications without disabling the entire app. Open Settings > Apps > Samsung Pay, then tap Notifications. Toggle off Allow notifications or Show notifications.
This approach leaves the app on your phone and running, but you will no longer see pop-ups, banners, or badge icons. The app will still use a small amount of battery and storage, so if you want to fully stop it from running, disabling the app itself is the better choice.
Uninstall Samsung Pay If It Was Separately Installed
Some phones allow you to uninstall Samsung Pay entirely if you downloaded it from the Google Play Store rather than having it come pre-loaded. Open the Google Play Store app, tap your profile icon in the top right, select Manage my apps and games, then find Samsung Pay in the list.
Tap Samsung Pay, then select Uninstall. Confirm the action when prompted. Uninstalling removes the app completely, including all stored payment information, so you will need to set up a different payment method if you want to use contactless payments in the future.
If Uninstall is not available—only Disable appears—then Samsung Pay came pre-installed on your phone and cannot be fully removed, only disabled.
Turn Samsung Pay Back On
If you change your mind and want to use Samsung Pay again, the process is straightforward. Go to Settings > Apps > Samsung Pay and tap Enable. The app will reappear on your home screen and in your app drawer.
If you uninstalled Samsung Pay from the Google Play Store, you will need to reinstall it. Open the Google Play Store, search for Samsung Pay, and tap Install. After installation completes, you can add your payment methods back in and set it as your default payment app if you wish.
What Happens When You Disable Samsung Pay
Disabling Samsung Pay does not delete your saved credit cards, debit cards, or other payment information—that data remains on your phone in case you want to turn the app back on later. However, you will not be able to make contactless payments using your phone until you enable Samsung Pay again or switch to a different payment app like Google Pay.
Your phone will stop checking for Samsung Pay updates, and the app will not run in the background or send you notifications. If you have set Samsung Pay as your default payment method, disabling it may cause your phone to ask you to choose a different default the next time you try to make a contactless payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling Samsung Pay delete my saved cards?
No. Your payment information stays on your phone when you disable the app. If you turn Samsung Pay back on later, your cards will still be there. Only uninstalling the app from the Google Play Store removes your saved payment data.
Can I use Google Pay instead of Samsung Pay?
Yes. Google Pay works on most Samsung phones and can be set as your default contactless payment app. read it from the Google Play Store, add your payment methods, then go to Settings > Default apps > Contactless payments and select Google Pay.
Why is the Disable button grayed out?
Samsung Pay is likely set as your default payment app. Open Settings > Default apps > Contactless payments and change it to a different app or None. Then return to the Samsung Pay app details screen and the Disable button should become active.
Does disabling Samsung Pay save battery?
Yes, slightly. Disabling the app stops it from running background processes and checking for updates, which reduces battery drain over time. The savings are usually small unless you have many apps disabled.
Can I disable Samsung Pay on a work phone?
It depends on your company's mobile device management policy. Some work phones have restrictions that prevent disabling certain apps. Contact your IT department or mobile device administrator if you cannot disable Samsung Pay on a work device.