Turn off lock screen news in three steps
Samsung phones show news cards on your lock screen by default through a feature called Briefing or Google Discover, depending on your phone model and Android version. You can remove these cards entirely by turning off the feature in your lock screen settings, or by swiping them away one at a time if you want to keep the lock screen but hide specific stories.
The fastest way is to go to Settings > Lock screen > Lock screen news (or Briefing) and toggle it off. On some Samsung models, the setting appears under Settings > Display > Lock screen. If you see Google Discover cards instead, you'll disable those through the Google app itself rather than Samsung settings.
Key Takeaways
- Samsung lock screen news comes from either Samsung Briefing or Google Discover, and each one has its own off switch in a different location.
- The Samsung Briefing toggle is usually in Settings > Lock screen > Lock screen news or Briefing, though the exact path varies by Android version.
- If you see Google Discover cards on your lock screen, turn them off in the Google app under Discover settings, not in Samsung settings.
- You can also swipe away individual news cards without disabling the entire feature, which keeps the lock screen but hides that story.
- After you turn off the setting, the news cards disappear when ready, but the lock screen itself remains unchanged.
Find and disable Samsung Briefing on your lock screen
Open Settings and scroll down to find Lock screen. Tap it. You should see an option called Lock screen news, Briefing, or News and interests—the exact name depends on your phone model and Android version. Tap that option and toggle it Off.
If you don't see a lock screen news option in that menu, try Settings > Display > Lock screen instead. Some Samsung models organize the setting there. Once you toggle it off, the news cards stop appearing when ready the next time you wake your phone.
If you still can't find the setting, your phone may be showing Google Discover cards instead of Samsung Briefing. Move to the next section to disable those.
Turn off Google Discover cards on your lock screen
If the news cards on your lock screen come from Google Discover rather than Samsung, you won't find an off switch in Samsung settings. Instead, open the Google app (the main Google search app, not Chrome). Tap your profile picture in the top right corner, then go to Settings > Discover.
Look for an option that says Show Discover, Discover on lock screen, or Discover cards. Toggle it off. You may also see a separate toggle for Lock screen under Discover settings—turn that off as well if it appears.
Google Discover cards sometimes appear even after you disable them if your phone is set to show Google Feed on your home screen. If news keeps appearing, go back to the Google app settings and make sure all Discover toggles are off.
Swipe away individual news cards without disabling the feature
If you want to keep the lock screen news feature but hide specific stories, you don't have to turn off the entire feature. On your lock screen, swipe left or right on any news card to dismiss it. That single card disappears, but other news cards continue to appear.
Swiping away cards is useful if you like some of the news but want to hide stories from certain sources or topics. However, if you find yourself dismissing most cards, turning off the feature entirely (as described above) is faster and cleaner.
Check your lock screen settings if news reappears
Sometimes news cards come back after you've turned them off, usually because a system update re-enabled the setting or because you have both Samsung Briefing and Google Discover turned on at the same time. If news reappears on your lock screen, go back to Settings > Lock screen and confirm the toggle is still off.
If you disabled Samsung Briefing but Google Discover cards are still showing, disable Google Discover through the Google app as well. You may need to turn off both to get a completely clean lock screen.
What happens to your lock screen after you remove news
Removing news from your lock screen does not change the lock screen itself—it only removes the news cards that appear above or below your clock and date. Your wallpaper, time display, notifications, and lock screen shortcuts all stay exactly as they were.
If you want to customize what else appears on your lock screen, you can still adjust those settings in Settings > Lock screen. You can change the wallpaper, turn notifications on or off, add shortcuts, or adjust the clock style without affecting the news removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I see news on my lock screen if I never turned it on?
Samsung and Google both enable lock screen news by default on most phones. You didn't turn it on—it comes pre-enabled from the factory. The same applies after major system updates, which sometimes reset lock screen settings to their defaults.
Can I turn off news but keep other lock screen features?
Yes. Disabling lock screen news only removes the news cards. Your notifications, clock, wallpaper, and any shortcuts you've added remain unchanged. You can customize each lock screen feature separately in Settings > Lock screen.
What if I want news back later?
Go back to Settings > Lock screen and toggle the news setting back on. If you disabled Google Discover, open the Google app, go to Settings > Discover, and toggle it back on. The news cards reappear when ready.
Do I need to restart my phone after turning off news?
No. The news cards disappear as soon as you toggle the setting off. You don't need to restart or close any apps. The next time you wake your lock screen, the cards will be gone.
Why does my lock screen still show news after I turned it off?
You may have disabled Samsung Briefing but Google Discover is still on, or vice versa. Check both settings: Settings > Lock screen for Samsung news, and the Google app > Settings > Discover for Google news. Turn off whichever one is still enabled.