Bixby is Samsung's voice assistant built into most Samsung phones

Bixby is a voice and text assistant made by Samsung that listens to commands and performs tasks on your phone. It works similarly to Google Assistant or Siri, but it is designed specifically for Samsung devices and integrates deeply with Samsung apps and settings. You can speak to Bixby, type to it, or use it to control your phone's camera, messages, calendar, and other built-in features.

Bixby comes pre-installed on most Samsung Galaxy phones from the past several years. On newer models, it is always available — you can set up it by pressing and holding the side button, saying "Hi Bixby," or opening the Bixby app directly. On older Samsung phones, Bixby may be less prominent or require a separate read.

The main difference between Bixby and Google Assistant is that Bixby is optimized for Samsung's own apps and hardware. It can control Samsung-specific features like Samsung Health, Samsung Pay, and Samsung SmartThings (which manages smart home devices). Google Assistant, by contrast, is more general-purpose and works across many brands of phones and devices.

Key Takeaways

  • Bixby is Samsung's built-in voice assistant that responds to spoken and typed commands on most Samsung Galaxy phones.
  • You can set up Bixby by pressing the side button, saying "Hi Bixby," or opening the Bixby app from your home screen.
  • Bixby works best with Samsung apps like Samsung Health, Samsung Pay, and SmartThings, but can also control basic phone functions like calls and messages.
  • You can turn Bixby off or disable the side button if you do not want to use it, and Google Assistant will still work on your phone.

How to set up Bixby on your Samsung phone

The easiest way to start using Bixby is to press and hold the side button (usually on the right edge of your phone) for about one second. A Bixby window will open at the bottom of your screen. You can then speak your command — for example, "Open Settings" or "Send a text to Mom." Release the button when you are done speaking.

If you prefer to use your voice without pressing a button, you can say "Hi Bixby" out loud. Your phone must be awake and listening for this to work. Some Samsung phones have Bixby Voice always listening in the background, though you can turn this off in Settings if it drains your battery or you do not want it active.

You can also open the Bixby app directly from your home screen or app drawer. The app icon usually looks like a colorful circle or the word "Bixby." Once open, you can type commands or tap the microphone icon to speak.

What Bixby can do on your phone

Bixby can perform a wide range of tasks. It can open apps, make calls, send text messages, set reminders, check the weather, control your music, and adjust phone settings like brightness or volume. You can ask it questions like "What is the weather today?" or "How many steps did I take?" and it will pull information from your phone's sensors and apps.

Bixby is particularly useful with Samsung's own apps. It can launch Samsung Health and show your fitness data, open Samsung Pay to make a payment, or control your smart home devices through SmartThings. It can also take photos with your camera app by voice command, which is helpful if your hands are full.

Bixby cannot do everything — it cannot browse the web as thoroughly as Google Assistant, and it works best when you give it specific, direct commands. Saying "Open my calendar" works better than asking it a vague question like "What should I do today?"

Disabling Bixby if you do not want to use it

If you do not use Bixby and do not want the side button to set up it, you can disable it. Go to Settings, then Apps, then find Bixby. Tap it and select "Disable" or "Turn off." This will prevent Bixby from launching when you press the side button.

You can also remap the side button to do something else instead. In Settings, look for "Side Key" or "Side Button" and choose a different function — many people set it to launch Google Assistant or the camera instead. This way, the button still does something useful without opening Bixby.

Disabling Bixby does not affect Google Assistant. Both assistants can coexist on your phone, and you can use whichever one you prefer. Google Assistant will still respond to "Hey Google" voice commands and will still be available in your app drawer.

Bixby versus Google Assistant on Samsung phones

Both Bixby and Google Assistant come on most Samsung phones, and you can use either one. Google Assistant is more widely used and works on phones from many manufacturers, so it has more third-party app support. Bixby is optimized for Samsung devices and integrates more smoothly with Samsung's own apps and services.

If you are already used to Google Assistant from another phone or from Google Home speakers, you may find it easier to stick with Google Assistant on your Samsung. If you use a lot of Samsung services like Samsung Health or SmartThings, Bixby may be more convenient because it understands those apps better.

You do not have to choose one or the other. Many Samsung users keep both enabled and use whichever assistant is more convenient for the task at hand. The side button usually launches Bixby by default, but you can change it to Google Assistant if you prefer.

Bixby on older Samsung phones

Older Samsung Galaxy phones (from around 2015 to 2018) may have a different version of Bixby or may require you to read it separately. On some older models, Bixby was less integrated into the system and worked more like a standalone app. If your phone is several years old, Bixby may not be as responsive or feature-rich as it is on newer models.

If your older Samsung phone does not have Bixby installed, you can read the Bixby app from the Google Play Store. However, it will not have the same deep integration with your phone's hardware and settings as it does on newer Samsung devices. For older phones, Google Assistant is often a better choice because it receives more frequent updates and works more reliably.

Privacy and data with Bixby

When you use Bixby, your voice commands are sent to Samsung's servers so the assistant can understand and process them. Samsung collects data about what you ask Bixby to do, though you can review and delete this history in the Bixby app settings. If you are concerned about privacy, you can turn off Bixby's always-listening feature so it only activates when you press the button or say "Hi Bixby" while the phone is already awake.

You can also limit what Bixby can access. In Settings, go to Apps and find Bixby, then tap Permissions. You can turn off access to your contacts, location, calendar, or other sensitive information if you do not want Bixby to use it. This gives you control over what data Bixby can see and use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off Bixby completely?

Yes. Go to Settings, then Apps, find Bixby, and tap Disable. You can also remap the side button to launch a different app instead. Disabling Bixby does not affect other assistants like Google Assistant.

What is the difference between Bixby Voice and Bixby Vision?

Bixby Voice is the assistant that responds to spoken commands. Bixby Vision is a separate feature that uses your camera to recognize objects, text, and images — for example, it can read text from a photo or identify a plant. Both are optional and can be turned off separately.

Why does my Samsung phone have both Bixby and Google Assistant?

Samsung includes both because they serve different purposes and users have different preferences. Google Assistant is more widely used and works across many devices, while Bixby is optimized for Samsung phones. You can use whichever one you prefer or use both.

Does Bixby work offline?

Bixby works best with an internet connection because it sends your voice to Samsung's servers to process. Some basic commands may work offline, but most features require a data or Wi-Fi connection.

Can I change what the side button does instead of opening Bixby?

Yes. Go to Settings, search for "Side Key" or "Side Button," and choose a different function like Google Assistant, the camera, or a custom app. This is one of the most common changes Samsung users make.