If holding the Side button opens an app instead of the power menu, press and hold Side + Volume Down together until the power menu appears. Tap Power off, then tap it again to confirm, or tap Restart. To make a long press show this menu in the future, go to Settings → Advanced features → Side button → Long press → Power off menu. Some Galaxy models call the control Side key, and exact labels vary by model and software version.
Turn the phone off or restart it right now
The Side button is programmable on many newer Galaxy phones, so its long-press action may launch an assistant or another app rather than opening shutdown controls. The button itself is not necessarily defective. Samsung documents the following button combination for bringing up the power menu on many current Galaxy devices: hold Side and Volume Down together for a few seconds.
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- Place one finger on the Side button and another on Volume Down. Their physical positions differ between Galaxy models, especially foldable phones.
- Press and hold both buttons at the same time until the power menu appears.
- Tap Power off.
- Tap Power off a second time when the confirmation prompt appears. The phone will shut down.
- For a reboot instead of a shutdown, tap Restart in the same menu.
These steps are described in Samsung’s power-on and power-off instructions. The menu is a normal software shutdown, not a forced restart, so use it whenever the touchscreen and Android interface are responding.
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Use the on-screen power icon instead of the Side button
If the phone is working but the button combination is awkward, you can open the power controls from Quick Settings. Samsung’s instructions use slightly different gestures depending on the software version and device layout.
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- Swipe down from the top of the display to open the Quick panel. On many newer Galaxy phones, a two-finger swipe opens the full Quick Settings panel; other versions expose the panel by swiping from the top-right area.
- Tap the power icon.
- Choose Power off and confirm, or choose Restart.
This route does not depend on what a long press of the Side button does. Samsung describes the Quick panel power icon in its Galaxy boot-loop and restart troubleshooting and in its general power instructions. If you do not see the icon immediately, expand the panel fully or swipe across the Quick Settings pages; the arrangement can change when tiles are edited.
Use Bixby only if it is already set up
Samsung also documents a voice route for requesting a shutdown through Bixby. This is an alternative control, not a requirement for turning off the phone. It depends on Bixby voice being configured and available on your device, so it is not the best emergency workaround if the Side button has been remapped and Bixby has never been set up. The physical-button combination and the Quick panel power icon work without changing voice settings.
Make a long press open the power menu permanently
Changing the long-press assignment is the best fix when you regularly want the Side button to behave like a traditional power button. It changes only the long-press action. A separate double-press shortcut, such as opening the camera on supported phones, is controlled independently.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Advanced features.
- Tap Side button. Some device instructions label this page Side key.
- Under Long press, select Power off menu.
After this change, holding the Side button by itself should display the power menu, where you can choose power off or restart. Samsung gives this exact path in its article on remapping the Side button and Bixby. If your Settings app uses Side key rather than Side button, open that equivalent menu; do not select the double-press option when you intend to change the hold gesture.
What to do when the phone is frozen
A frozen phone needs a different procedure. If the screen does not respond, the power menu never appears, or Android is stuck during startup, hold Side + Volume Down together for more than seven seconds. This is a forced restart, sometimes described as a simulated battery pull. It is not the same as tapping Power off in the normal menu, and it may take longer than expected before the display changes.
- Press and keep holding Side and Volume Down simultaneously.
- Continue for longer than seven seconds, even if nothing happens immediately.
- Release the buttons when the phone vibrates, the Samsung logo appears, or the device begins rebooting.
- Allow the restart to finish before pressing additional buttons.
Samsung specifies the greater-than-seven-second action in its troubleshooting guidance and in the manuals for the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy S23 series. A separate Samsung troubleshooting page notes that the simulated battery-pull reboot can take up to 60 seconds. Do not interpret a delayed response as proof that the phone has failed; keep the buttons held for the documented interval and then allow time for the reboot sequence.
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Normal shutdown, restart and forced restart: choose the right action
| Situation | Documented route | What the action does |
|---|---|---|
| The phone responds and you need the menu once | Hold Side + Volume Down, then select Power off or Restart | Opens the ordinary power menu without changing settings |
| The phone responds and you prefer an on-screen control | Quick Settings or Quick panel → power icon | Opens the ordinary power menu without relying on the Side button’s long-press assignment |
| You want Side-button long press to show the menu every time | Settings → Advanced features → Side button/Side key → Long press → Power off menu | Remaps the persistent long-press behavior on supported models |
| The phone is frozen or the menu will not appear | Hold Side + Volume Down for more than seven seconds | Forces a restart; it does not provide a confirmation screen |
| The documented actions still do not work | Use Samsung troubleshooting and request service if the problem remains | Escalates an unresolved shutdown or boot problem; it does not by itself establish that the button is broken |
Why the Side button opens an app
On many newer Galaxy devices, Samsung combines the former power and Bixby functions into one customizable Side button. The Long press setting can launch an assistant or another assigned function, while a Double press setting can launch a shortcut. Those gestures are separate, so changing the double-press shortcut will not restore the shutdown menu when the problem occurs during a hold.
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The app that opens, the name of the settings page, and the available choices depend on the Galaxy model, region and installed software. Samsung’s current support material covers multiple device families rather than one universal interface. For that reason, use the labels shown on your own phone and do not assume that a menu named Side button will appear identically on every Galaxy.
If the setting is missing or the menu looks different
Search Settings for the control
Open Settings and use its search field for Side button or Side key. If the result opens a different page, look for a section named Long press. The relevant choice is Power off menu, not a shortcut listed under double press. A managed work phone or a model with a different software build may expose fewer remapping choices.
Use the button combination as a one-time workaround
Even when the remapping entry is unavailable, try Side + Volume Down to open the power menu. Samsung’s general instructions say the buttons’ location and behavior are device-dependent. The Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy S23-series manuals document the same broad approach, but they are specific device-family manuals and should not be treated as proof that every older Galaxy uses identical wording.
Check whether the phone is actually frozen
If the display updates, accepts swipes, or shows notifications, use the normal power menu or Quick Settings route. If taps and swipes do nothing, skip repeated attempts to open the menu and use the more-than-seven-second forced-restart procedure. A forced restart is intended for an unresponsive device; it should not be your routine shutdown method when Android is operating normally.
When the power icon or menu still does not appear
First determine whether the phone is responding. A notification arriving, an animation moving, or a swipe opening the panel indicates that Android is still operating; use the Quick panel or the Side-and-Volume-Down menu rather than repeatedly holding Side alone. If the panel opens only partially, swipe down again or use the two-finger gesture to reach the expanded Quick Settings view. The power tile may be on another page if tiles have been rearranged.
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If the physical combination does nothing, press both buttons together rather than one after the other and keep them held for the full interval. Button placement differs on foldables and other models, so confirm that you are pressing the actual Volume Down control, not Volume Up. A case can also make simultaneous presses difficult; if it can be removed safely, try again without it. These checks do not change the documented procedure, but they help distinguish a missed button press from an unresponsive operating system.
Battery and charging caveat
A phone with a fully depleted battery may show no menu or logo because it cannot power the display. Samsung discusses charging in the separate situation where a Galaxy will not turn on. Connect it to a suitable charger, give it time to respond, and then try the normal power-menu steps. Charging is not required for a responsive phone whose only issue is that a long press launches an app.
Recovery when a restart does not finish
After a forced restart, wait for the phone to complete its boot process. A Galaxy may remain on a logo or black screen while it restarts. Samsung’s boot-loop guidance specifically discusses devices running One UI 8.0 or earlier in the displayed section; that scope belongs to that support page and should not be read as a guarantee about every One UI release.
- Keep the phone connected to a suitable charger if the battery may be depleted, then allow time for the screen to respond.
- Try the normal Quick panel power icon after Android loads, rather than repeatedly forcing restarts.
- If the device repeatedly returns to a boot loop or never reaches the lock screen, follow Samsung’s troubleshooting steps for that symptom.
- If it still cannot be turned off after the documented procedures, contact Samsung Support or request service. Samsung’s shutdown troubleshooting page treats service as the next step when software troubleshooting does not resolve the problem.
Service escalation is a practical next step, not a diagnosis. The fact that the Side button launches an app does not by itself prove physical button damage; that behavior is commonly explained by the long-press assignment.
Model and software-version limits
Samsung’s support pages use phrases such as “many newer Galaxy devices,” because controls vary across generations. The Side button may be on a different edge or share a different layout on a foldable phone. A menu item can also be renamed when Samsung changes One UI. The documented instructions are strongest for the current support pages and for the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy S23-series manuals linked above.
When following a guide written for another model, match the function rather than the exact screen design: find the Side button or Side key settings, locate Long press, and choose Power off menu if that option is offered. If the option is absent, the Side + Volume Down combination and Quick Settings power icon remain the documented alternatives on supported devices.
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Common mistakes and their fixes
Holding only the Side button
Holding Side alone repeats the assigned app or assistant action. Press both Side and Volume Down to call the power menu, or change Long press to Power off menu in Settings.
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The forced-restart instruction requires more than seven seconds. A brief press may do nothing, especially when the system is unresponsive. Hold continuously, then allow up to the time Samsung gives for a simulated battery-pull reboot.
Confusing restart with power off
Restart turns the phone off and starts it again automatically. Power off leaves it shut down until you press the Side button to start it. In the normal menu, Power off may require a second confirmation tap; Restart does not mean the same thing as a complete shutdown.
Changing the wrong gesture
Double press and Long press are separate assignments. If an app opens after you hold the button, edit Long press. Changing a camera or other double-press shortcut will not alter the hold behavior.
Where Samsung’s instructions apply
For the standard menu procedure, see Samsung’s Power your Galaxy phone or tablet on or off page. For remapping, see How to remap or turn off Bixby on your Galaxy phone. For an unresponsive or boot-looping device, consult Samsung Galaxy device will not start or is in a boot loop and Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet will not turn off.
Device-specific manuals provide additional confirmation for the documented button timing: the Galaxy Z Fold6 user guide and Galaxy S23-series user guide. Because menus can change with updates and regional builds, check the labels displayed on your phone before following a model-specific illustration.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn off a Samsung Galaxy if holding the power button opens an app?
Hold Side + Volume Down together until the power menu appears. Tap Power off, then tap it again to confirm. You can also open Quick Settings, tap the power icon, and choose Power off.
How do I make the Side button show the power menu again?
Open Settings → Advanced features → Side button (or Side key), then under Long press choose Power off menu. This changes the hold action; it does not change a separate double-press shortcut.
What is the difference between a normal restart and a forced restart?
A normal restart starts from the on-screen power menu and lets you choose Restart. A forced restart is for a frozen phone: hold Side and Volume Down for more than seven seconds. It does not show a confirmation screen and may take up to 60 seconds to reboot.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWhy can’t I find Side button in Settings?
Labels vary by model and software version. Search Settings for Side button or Side key, then look for Long press. Some devices or managed phones may offer fewer remapping choices.
Will changing the double-press shortcut stop the app from opening?
No. Double press and Long press are separate gestures. If the app appears when you hold the button, change the Long press setting to Power off menu.
What if Side + Volume Down still does nothing?
Hold both buttons continuously for more than seven seconds if the phone is frozen, then allow time for the reboot. If the phone may be out of power, charge it first. If it still cannot turn off after Samsung’s troubleshooting steps, contact Samsung Support or request service.
The Bottom Line
For a working Galaxy, use Side + Volume Down or the Quick Settings power icon. To restore the traditional hold behavior, set Long press to Power off menu under Settings → Advanced features → Side button/Side key. For a frozen phone, hold both buttons for more than seven seconds and allow time for the forced restart.
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