The fastest way to turn off Samsung Pay
Open the Samsung Pay app on your phone. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and select Settings. At the top of the Settings screen, toggle off the switch next to Samsung Pay. The app will ask you to confirm — tap Turn off when the popup appears.
This disables Samsung Pay entirely. Your payment cards remain stored in the app, but the service stops working for contactless payments at terminals. If you want to use Samsung Pay again later, you can turn it back on the same way.
The process takes about 30 seconds and does not delete your card information or require you to contact Samsung support.
Key Takeaways
- Samsung Pay turns off through the Settings menu inside the app itself, not through your phone's main settings.
- Turning off Samsung Pay does not delete your stored cards — they remain in the app if you want to reactivate the service later.
- You can also disable Samsung Pay by removing all payment cards from the app, which prevents it from functioning even if the toggle is on.
- If Samsung Pay is not responding to the toggle, restarting your phone usually fixes the issue.
Removing payment cards instead of disabling the app
If you want to keep the Samsung Pay app installed but prevent it from working, you can remove all your payment cards. Open Samsung Pay and tap the menu icon. Select Cards, then tap and hold the card you want to remove. A trash icon will appear — tap it and confirm the deletion.
Repeat this for every card stored in the app. Without any cards on file, Samsung Pay cannot process payments, even if the service toggle remains on. This approach is useful if you plan to use Samsung Pay again soon and want to keep your card information stored.
What happens to your cards when you turn off Samsung Pay
Your payment card information stays encrypted in the Samsung Pay app. Turning off the service does not erase this data. When you reactivate Samsung Pay later, your cards will still be there and ready to use — you will not need to add them again.
Samsung stores card data on your phone's find processor, not on Samsung's servers. Disabling the app does not send any information anywhere or notify your bank. Your bank will straightforward stop seeing payment requests from your phone.
Turning off Samsung Pay through your phone's main settings
You can also disable Samsung Pay from your phone's main Settings app. Go to Apps or process Manager (the name varies by phone model). Search for Samsung Pay and tap it. Select Disable or Turn off.
This method disables the app system-wide, which is more thorough than using the in-app toggle. However, it can sometimes cause issues if Samsung Pay is linked to other Samsung services on your phone. If you experience problems after disabling it this way, restart your phone or re-enable the app.
Removing Samsung Pay from your lock screen or home screen
Even with Samsung Pay turned off, you may see a shortcut to it on your lock screen or home screen. To remove the lock screen shortcut, swipe up from the bottom of your lock screen to access the shortcuts menu. Long-press the Samsung Pay icon and select Remove.
To remove it from your home screen, long-press the Samsung Pay app icon and select Remove from Home Screen or drag it to the trash. These steps only remove the shortcut — they do not disable the app itself. If you want the app completely off, use the Settings method described earlier.
What to do if Samsung Pay will not turn off
If the toggle in Samsung Pay Settings does not respond, restart your phone first. Power it off completely, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on. Then open Samsung Pay again and try the toggle.
If the toggle still does not work, try clearing the app's cache. Go to your phone's main Settings, select Apps, find Samsung Pay, and tap Storage. Select Clear Cache. Do not select Clear Data, as that will erase your stored cards. After clearing the cache, restart your phone and try turning off Samsung Pay again.
If neither step works, uninstall any recent Samsung system updates through Settings > About Phone > Software Update and check for pending updates. A corrupted update can sometimes lock the toggle. If problems persist, contact Samsung support with your phone model and Android version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off Samsung Pay affect my bank account or credit cards?
No. Turning off Samsung Pay only stops the app from processing payments at contactless terminals. Your bank account and credit cards continue to work normally. You can still use your physical cards or other payment methods.
Can I turn Samsung Pay back on after turning it off?
Yes. Open the Samsung Pay app, go to Settings, and toggle the switch back on. Your stored cards will still be there. You do not need to add them again.
Will my bank know I turned off Samsung Pay?
No. Your bank does not receive a notification when you disable the app. They only see payment requests when you actually use Samsung Pay to make a purchase.
What is the difference between turning off Samsung Pay and disabling the app?
Turning off the toggle inside Samsung Pay keeps the app installed but stops it from working. Disabling the app through your phone's Settings removes it from your system entirely. Both prevent Samsung Pay from processing payments, but disabling is more complete.
If I remove my cards from Samsung Pay, can I add them back later?
Yes. You can add the same cards back to Samsung Pay at any time. You will need your card number, expiration date, and CVV. The process takes about two minutes per card.