Samsung Free (previously called Samsung Daily or Bixby Home) shows up when you swipe right from your main home screen on many Galaxy devices. It offers news, podcasts, and sometimes free TV, but if you’re like many users, you might find it more clutter than convenience—and want it gone.
The thing is, Samsung Free is baked into the system, so you can’t fully uninstall it. But disabling it is simple and just as effective for removing it from your home screen and stopping it from running in the background.
Why Disable Samsung Free?
Disabling Samsung Free can:
- Cut down clutter: Remove that extra home screen panel you probably don’t use.
- Smooth your home screen flow: Avoid accidental swipes into Samsung Free.
- Free up a bit of resources: It’s minor but can help reduce background activity.
- Simplify your setup: Many just prefer a cleaner, minimalist home screen.
How to Disable Samsung Free (Step-by-Step)
- Go to your home screen: Start at your main screen with your apps and widgets.
- Long-press an empty spot: Tap and hold on a blank area (not on an app or widget) to enter home screen edit mode. Your screen will zoom out slightly.
- Swipe right to Samsung Free: Swipe to the leftmost home screen panel—this is usually Samsung Free.
- Toggle Samsung Free off: At the top right, tap the toggle switch to disable it. The panel will grey out or disappear.
- Exit editing mode: Tap anywhere on the screen or press back/swipe up to leave edit mode.
- Confirm it’s gone: Try swiping right from your main home screen—the Samsung Free panel should no longer appear.
What if You See Google Discover Instead?
Some newer or updated Galaxy phones use Google Discover on the leftmost panel instead of Samsung Free. The disabling process is basically the same:
- Long-press a blank home screen area.
- Swipe right to the leftmost panel.
- You’ll see a toggle for “Media page” or an option to choose between Google Discover and Samsung Free.
- Toggle the media page off or select “None” if available to remove it.
How to Re-enable Samsung Free
Changed your mind? No problem:
- Long-press a blank space on your home screen.
- Swipe right to the leftmost panel.
- Toggle Samsung Free back ON at the top right.
- Exit edit mode.
Minimizing Samsung Free’s Impact Beyond the Home Screen
Even when disabled, Samsung Free still lives on your phone. To reduce its background activity or customize it:
- Manage content channels:
- Open Samsung Free from the app drawer (may be hidden after disabling).
- Tap the three-line menu icon > Settings > Manage channels.
- Turn off content categories you don’t want.
- Restrict background battery use:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Samsung Free > Battery.
- Select Restricted or enable Optimize battery usage.
- Clear cache or reset data:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Samsung Free > Storage.
- Tap Clear cache (safe, no data lost).
- Optionally, tap Clear data to reset the app completely (your preferences will be lost).
Disabling Samsung Free is a quick way to declutter your home screen and regain control of your Samsung Galaxy experience.
