Disable Samsung Pay in Settings
The fastest way to turn off Samsung Pay is through your phone's Settings app. Open Settings, scroll down to find Apps or Applications, then search for Samsung Pay in the list. Tap it, then select Disable or Uninstall. If you see only Disable, that means Samsung Pay came pre-installed on your phone and you can turn it off but not remove it entirely. If you see Uninstall, you can remove it completely.
On some Samsung phones, Samsung Pay lives under Settings > Apps > Samsung Pay, while on others it may be listed as Samsung Wallet (Samsung rebranded the app in recent years). The name depends on your phone model and Android version. Either way, the disable or uninstall button is in the same place once you find the app.
After you disable it, Samsung Pay will no longer run in the background or send you notifications. The app icon will disappear from your home screen and app drawer. If you change your mind later, you can re-enable it by going back to Settings, finding the app, and tapping Enable.
Key Takeaways
- Open Settings, go to Apps, find Samsung Pay or Samsung Wallet, and tap Disable to turn it off without removing it.
- If Uninstall appears instead of Disable, you can remove Samsung Pay entirely from your phone.
- Disabling Samsung Pay stops background activity and notifications but keeps the option to turn it back on later.
- Samsung Pay may be listed under different names depending on your phone model and Android version.
- You can also remove Samsung Pay from your lock screen or home screen by long-pressing the widget and selecting Remove.
Remove Samsung Pay from Your Lock Screen
If Samsung Pay appears as a widget or shortcut on your lock screen, you can remove just that without disabling the whole app. Long-press the Samsung Pay icon or widget on your lock screen, then tap Remove or the trash icon. This hides the quick-access button but leaves the app installed and running.
This is useful if you want to keep Samsung Pay available but don't want it visible every time you unlock your phone. You can still open it manually from your app drawer if you need it later.
Turn Off Samsung Pay Notifications
If you want to keep Samsung Pay installed but stop it from sending you alerts, you can disable notifications without disabling the whole app. Open Settings, go to Apps > Samsung Pay, then tap Notifications. Toggle off Allow notifications or Show notifications. The exact wording depends on your Android version.
This approach leaves the app running but silences alerts about transactions, promotions, or updates. You will still be able to use Samsung Pay if you open it manually, but you won't see pop-ups or badge notifications on the app icon.
Remove Samsung Pay from Your Payment Methods
If you want to keep the app but prevent it from being your default payment method, you can remove it from your phone's payment settings. Open Settings, search for Default apps or Default payment app, and look for Samsung Pay in the list. Tap it and select a different payment method or None. This stops Samsung Pay from launching automatically when you tap your phone to a payment terminal.
You can also open Samsung Pay itself, go to Settings within the app, and toggle off NFC (Near Field Communication) or Enable Samsung Pay. This disables the payment function while leaving the app on your phone.
What Happens When You Disable Samsung Pay
Disabling Samsung Pay does not delete your payment card information or transaction history. Samsung keeps that data on their servers. If you re-enable the app later, your cards and history will still be there. However, while the app is disabled, you cannot use it to make contactless payments, and it will not appear in your app drawer or on your home screen.
Disabling Samsung Pay also frees up a small amount of storage space and stops the app from running background processes. If your phone feels slow or your battery drains quickly, turning off unused apps like Samsung Pay can help, though the effect is usually small unless you have many apps running at once.
Uninstall Samsung Pay Completely
If your phone allows it, you can uninstall Samsung Pay entirely instead of just disabling it. Go to Settings, find Samsung Pay in your Apps list, and tap Uninstall. If the button says Disable instead, Samsung Pay came pre-installed and your phone does not allow you to remove it — you can only turn it off.
If you uninstall Samsung Pay and later want to use it again, you can read it from the Google Play Store. Your payment cards and transaction history will be gone, so you will need to add your cards again. This is a more thorough removal than disabling, but it also means more work to set up again if you change your mind.
When to Call Samsung Support
If you cannot find Samsung Pay in your Apps list, or if the Disable button is grayed out and you cannot tap it, contact Samsung Support. Some carrier versions of Samsung phones lock certain apps so you cannot disable them without going through the carrier. Samsung Support can walk you through carrier-specific steps or, in some cases, help you unlock the ability to disable pre-installed apps.
If you disabled Samsung Pay and it keeps reappearing, or if you are having trouble with your payment methods after disabling it, Samsung Support can help troubleshoot. You can reach them through the Samsung Members app on your phone or through Samsung's website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling Samsung Pay delete my saved cards?
No. Your card information stays on Samsung's servers. If you re-enable the app, your cards will still be there. If you uninstall the app, the cards are deleted from your phone but Samsung keeps a backup, so you can add them again if you reinstall.
Can I disable Samsung Pay if it came pre-installed on my phone?
Yes. Pre-installed apps can almost always be disabled. If the Disable button is grayed out, restart your phone and try again. If it stays grayed out, contact Samsung Support — your carrier may have locked the app, but Samsung can usually help you unlock it.
What is the difference between disabling and uninstalling Samsung Pay?
Disabling turns the app off but leaves it on your phone, so you can turn it back on anytime. Uninstalling removes it completely. If your phone allows uninstall, you can always read it again from Google Play Store later.
Will turning off Samsung Pay affect my other payment methods?
No. Disabling Samsung Pay does not change your default payment method or affect other payment apps like Google Pay. If Samsung Pay was your default, your phone will use the next payment method in your list.
Does disabling Samsung Pay save battery or storage?
Slightly. Disabling any app frees up a small amount of storage and stops background processes, but the effect is usually small unless you have many unused apps running. If your battery drains quickly, disabling Samsung Pay may help a little, but checking which apps use the most battery in Settings is usually more useful.