The Bixby key on Samsung devices is a source of much internet consternation. The main area of concern is Samsung’s unwillingness to allow it to be remapped to another voice assistant service. To combat this you can download a 3rd party app that will simply redirect to your Assistant of choice.

Unfortunately Samsung has a history of blocking these and it looks like they’re at it again. We have been using the Bixbi Button Remapper – bxActions on the Play Store to get around the issue. As of this weekend the app no longer redirects the Bixby button and can not be sleeted as an action in the Bixby app.

The change must be the result of a background update to the Bixby app, so if yours in working and you want it to keep working I suggest turning off automatic updates.

Technically the app still works, but it just can’t be triggered by pressing the Bixby button. You can still program the Bixby button to “open Assistant” using the quick command feature, see the details how here.

As with all of these things, it’s a game of whack-a-mole, either another app is already working or the existing apps will be updated or another app will appear on the Play Store, it’s just frustrating that after spending nearly $2000 on a device you legally own it’s use is being restricted by the original manufacturer, that feels consumer choice hostile to me, and more that a little anti competitive.

Samsung, if you want people to use Bixby, just make it better (or even useful).

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Tejas

When it came time to update my S8 (because it won’t get Q) Samsung was not on my list because of the bixby button. I switched from iOS to Android for the customisation I can do and stopping me from using a button how I want (Alexa) was too much for me. I ended up buying a pixel 3A

Oldmike

I have no issues with the bixby button ,
I changed the settings too double press SO I don’t get any accidental activations ,
and on occasion I even use bixby , and for the commands that it works very well for , like internal device functions , it is pretty good.
Google commands still work by voice or home button or tapping on the mic just fine , so I don’t see the fuss .

Seannnnnnn

Who really cares.
I say ‘ okay Google ‘

I press and hold the home button.

I never press a side button even when I remapped once.

The button is only there because the home button was removed as at physical button.

There needs to be three buttons for ie.

Accessing clear cache.

Was power plus volume up plus home

With no home button you now press bixby

Sean

Who really cares.
I say ‘ okay Google ‘

I press hand hold the home button.

I never press a side button even when I remapped once.

The button is only there because the home button was removed as at physical button.

There needs to be three buttons for ie.

Accessing clear cache.

Was power plus volume up plus home

With no home button you now press bixby

Uccoffee

Didn’t Samsung officially allow the Bixby button to be remapped a while back or am I thinking of a different story?

Kind of yes, but it cannot call up google assistant, and also press and hold bixby voice cannot be replaced

Chris

What do you mean you can’t remap another assistant? You can choose either one or 2 clicks to remap to any app, and Google assistant is an app, so what exactly happens when you map it to Google Assistant in bixby button setup?

Secondly, I used bxactions on my Galaxy note 9, and the remapping still works fine, for all combinations, single press, double, long press. I haven’t run the app again lately, but the mappings I set up still work. Are you sure this isn’t happening only for you?

Bobby Alexander

What is the point of this article? Samsung officially allows you to remap the button to any app. It has been this way for sometime now.

Justin Wu

That is blatantly wrong. I have done exactly that. Single press of the Bixby button starts a routine which opens Google Assistant. Easy done.

Les

Yeah, Google supplies an Assistant app for both Android and iOS, so you can set your Samsung to launch that app.

But that’s not the same thing as allowing direct, fast communication to Google Assistant via the Bixby button.

ilobo

No such problem with bx actions on my S9+. I did notice they pushed an update out on Sunday via the play store, a few hours after samsung updated bixby.

Dean Rosolen

Didn’t Samsung officially allow the Bixby button to be remapped a while back or am I thinking of a different story?

Les

There’s one sure fire way to avoid that pesky Bixby button…

Don’t buy Samsung! Why put up with that behaviour from Samsung… trying to block you from removing Bixby? Samsung also blocks your Android operating system updates.

The alternative: Google Pixel 3 or 3a, and Nokia is also looking pretty good. No Bixby. Fast Android updates.