The fastest way to shut down your Samsung device

To turn off most Samsung phones and tablets, press and hold the power button (usually on the right side) and the volume down button together for a few seconds. A menu will appear on your screen with options including "Power off." Tap that option and your device will shut down completely within a few seconds.

If you have an older Samsung model, you may only need to press and hold the power button alone—the power menu will still appear. The exact button location varies slightly by model, but Samsung consistently places the power button on the right edge of the device.

Your device is fully off once the screen goes black and stays black. You will not see any lights, animations, or notifications. To turn it back on, press the power button once and wait for the Samsung logo to appear.

Key Takeaways

  • Press and hold the power button and volume down button together to open the power menu on most Samsung devices.
  • Tap "Power off" from the menu that appears, and your device will shut down completely within seconds.
  • Older Samsung models may only require holding the power button without the volume button.
  • A fully powered-off device shows a completely black screen with no lights or activity.
  • You can restart your device anytime by pressing the power button once and waiting for the startup screen.

What to do if the power menu does not appear

If you hold both buttons and nothing happens, your device may be frozen or unresponsive. In this case, try a force restart: press power and volume down together, but hold them for 10 to 15 seconds instead of just a few. You may see a Samsung logo or a recovery screen appear—this is normal. Keep holding until the screen goes black, then release.

If your device is completely unresponsive and will not restart, the battery may be drained. Plug it into a charger for at least 15 minutes, then try the power button again. Some Samsung devices take a minute or two to respond after being completely dead.

Powering off without using buttons

You can also shut down your Samsung device through the settings menu if the buttons are not working properly. Open Settings, scroll down to General management, then tap Shut down. This method takes a few extra taps but works the same way as the button method.

On some Samsung tablets, this option may be labeled Power off instead of Shut down, and it may be located directly in the main Settings menu rather than under General management. If you cannot find it, search for "shut down" in the Settings search bar at the top.

The difference between powering off and restarting

Powering off means your device is completely shut down and uses no battery power. Restarting (also called rebooting) means your device shuts down and when ready turns back on. To restart instead of power off, look for a Restart option in the same power menu where you see "Power off."

Restart your device when it is running slowly, an app is frozen, or you want to clear temporary files from memory. Power it off completely when you will not be using it for a while, when you need to replace the battery, or when you are troubleshooting a serious problem.

Why your Samsung device might not turn off

If your device powers off but when ready turns back on, a scheduled power-on setting may be enabled. Check Settings > General management > Scheduled power on and off and make sure the toggle is turned off. Some Samsung devices have this feature set by default.

If your device keeps restarting on its own even after you disable scheduled power-on, a background app or recent update may be causing the problem. Try restarting in Safe Mode by holding the power button, tapping and holding "Power off" until a "Safe Mode" option appears, then tapping it. Safe Mode disables third-party apps temporarily so you can see if one of them is the cause.

Shutting down when your screen is broken or unresponsive

If your screen is cracked or will not respond to touch, you can still power off using the physical buttons. Press and hold power and volume down together for 10 to 15 seconds. Even if you cannot see the menu, the device will respond to the button combination and shut down.

If both the screen and the buttons are damaged, your only option is to let the battery drain completely, which may take several days depending on how much charge remains. Once the device is completely dead, it will not consume power.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will powering off my Samsung device erase anything?

No. Powering off straightforward stops all activity and uses no battery. All your photos, messages, apps, and settings remain stored on your device and will be exactly as you left them when you turn it back on.

How long does it take for a Samsung device to shut down?

Most Samsung phones and tablets power off within 3 to 5 seconds after you tap "Power off." If it takes longer than 10 seconds, the device may be processing something in the background, but it will complete the shutdown.

Can I power off my Samsung device while it is charging?

Yes, you can power off a Samsung device at any time, whether it is plugged in or not. Powering it off while charging will not damage the device or the battery.

What is the difference between power off and airplane mode?

Airplane mode keeps your device on but disables wireless connections like cellular and Wi-Fi. Power off shuts down the entire device. Use airplane mode when you want to keep your device available but stop it from connecting to networks. Use power off when you want the device completely inactive.

Why does my Samsung device turn back on after I power it off?

Check if you have scheduled power-on enabled in Settings > General management > Scheduled power on and off. You may also have an alarm set for early morning, which can wake the device. Disable both to prevent automatic startup.