You’re holding a piece of glass and metal that costs nearly a thousand dollars, and for some reason, it’s just... stuck. Maybe the screen is frozen on a weird app, or maybe you’re just trying to enjoy a movie without the constant vibration of group chat notifications. Whatever it is, figuring out how to shutdown a Samsung phone has become weirdly complicated over the last few years.
It used to be simple. You held the power button, the phone turned off, and that was that. Now? If you hold that button on a Galaxy S24 or an A54, you’ll probably just summon Bixby, Samsung’s digital assistant that most of us accidentally trigger way more often than we actually mean to.
It's frustrating. I get it.
The shift happened around the release of the Galaxy S20 series. Samsung decided the "Power" button wasn't just for power anymore—it became the "Side Key." This isn't just a naming gimmick; it changed the fundamental way we interact with the hardware. If you're staring at your phone and wondering why it won't just die already, you aren't alone.
The Quickest Ways to Power Down
Let’s get into the actual mechanics of this. Most people naturally go for the physical buttons, which is logical. Since the traditional long-press now triggers Bixby, you have to use a combo. Press and hold the Side Key and the Volume Down button simultaneously. Don’t just tap them. If you just tap them, you’ll end up taking a screenshot of your home screen. You have to hold them for about two to three seconds. A menu will pop up with three big icons: Power Off, Restart, and Emergency Mode. Tap "Power Off," then tap it again to confirm.
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It feels like a secret handshake.
But what if your buttons are broken? Or what if you’re wearing gloves?
Samsung built a software toggle into the Quick Settings panel. Swipe down from the top of your screen once to see your notifications. Swipe down a second time to see the full grid of icons—WiFi, Bluetooth, Flashlight, all that stuff. Right next to the Settings gear icon at the top right, you’ll see a little power icon.
Tap that icon. It brings up the exact same power menu as the button combo. Honestly, this is the way I do it most of the time now because it’s less of a finger-gymnastics routine than trying to squeeze both sides of the phone at once.
Customizing the Side Key (Because Bixby is Annoying)
Most people I talk to hate that the side button doesn't turn the phone off by default. The good news is that Samsung actually lets you change this back to the "old way."
Go into your Settings. Scroll down to Advanced features. Tap on Side Key. Under the "Press and hold" section, you’ll see two options: "Wake Bixby" and "Power off menu."
Switch it to the power off menu.
Suddenly, your phone acts like a phone again. You hold the button, and the power options appear. No Bixby. No confusion. It’s one of the first things I recommend doing whenever someone gets a new Samsung device.
What Happens When the Screen Freezes?
Sometimes, the software is just dead. The screen won't respond to your touch, and tapping the software power icon is impossible. This is the "black screen of death" or the "frozen app" scenario that makes people panic.
You can't pull the battery out anymore. Those days ended with the Galaxy S5 back in 2014.
To force a shutdown—what engineers call a "Hard Reboot"—you need to perform a specific hardware override. Hold the Side Key and the Volume Down button for more than seven seconds. Keep holding them even after the power menu would normally appear. Eventually, the screen will go black, and you’ll feel a slight vibration. The Samsung logo will pop up, and the phone will restart.
This works because it's a hardware-level command. It cuts the power flow momentarily regardless of what the software thinks it’s doing. It’s a lifesaver when an app like Instagram or a high-intensity game like Genshin Impact decides to lock up the entire processor.
Why Does My Phone Keep Restarting Instead?
I've seen this happen a lot: you try to shut it down, but it just boots right back up.
Usually, this is because of a feature called "Auto Restart." Samsung buried this in the settings to help keep phones running smoothly. It’s located under Battery and device care -> Auto optimization. If this is toggled on, your phone might be scheduled to reboot at 3:00 AM or whenever it thinks you aren't using it.
Another culprit? Your charging cable. Some Samsung phones are programmed to boot up automatically the moment they sense a power source. If you’re trying to keep the phone off while it’s plugged into a wall outlet or a PC, it might keep waking itself up. Try unplugging the cable, shutting it down, and then plugging it back in. You should see a charging percentage icon on a black screen rather than the phone fully turning on.
Understanding the "Side Key" Philosophy
Tech analysts at firms like Counterpoint Research have noted that moving away from a dedicated power button is part of a broader trend toward "multi-functional hardware." Apple did it with Siri; Google did it with the Pixel and Google Assistant.
Samsung wants you to use Bixby for Routines—like setting a "Good Night" scene that dims your smart lights and sets your alarm. By making the Side Key the Bixby trigger, they’re nudging you into their ecosystem.
But for the average person just trying to figure out how to shutdown a Samsung phone, it feels like a barrier.
There’s also the "Emergency SOS" factor. Samsung has integrated a feature where pressing the side button five times rapidly calls emergency services. This is a great safety feature, but it’s another reason why the button behaves differently than it did five years ago. It’s a busy piece of hardware.
Does Turning It Off Actually Save Battery?
Short answer: Yes, but not as much as you’d think.
Modern lithium-ion batteries are managed by complex chips. When you shut down a phone, it goes through a "power down" sequence that actually consumes a tiny burst of energy. Then, when you turn it back on, the boot-up process—loading the kernel, starting system services, scanning the media library—uses a significant amount of juice.
If you’re only turning it off for 20 minutes, you’re better off using Airplane Mode.
However, if you're putting the phone in a drawer for a week, definitely shut it down. If a battery hits 0% and stays there for a long time, it can suffer permanent capacity loss. Most experts recommend shutting the phone down at around 50% charge if you plan on leaving it off for an extended period.
The Role of Bixby and Voice Commands
Surprisingly, you can actually use your voice to turn off the phone. If you haven't disabled Bixby, you can say, "Hey Bixby, turn off my phone."
A prompt will appear asking if you're sure. Say "Yes," and it’ll shut down.
It feels a bit like talking to a ghost, but if your hands are messy while you're cooking or if the touchscreen is physically damaged in a way that prevents you from tapping the confirmation button, this is a legitimate workaround.
I’ve used this when a screen was partially shattered and the "Confirm Power Off" button happened to be right under a dead spot on the digitizer. Voice commands saved me from having to wait for the battery to drain naturally.
Specific Models and Variations
While the S-series (S21, S22, S23, S24) all follow the "Side Key + Volume Down" rule, some older "M" or "A" series phones might still have the old-school dedicated power button.
If you’re using a Galaxy S10 or older, just hold the power button. That’s it.
If you’re using a Galaxy Z Fold or Z Flip, the power button is also the fingerprint sensor. It’s thinner and recessed. The logic remains the same—Side Key and Volume Down—but the physical feedback is different. You have to be more precise with your finger placement on those foldable devices.
Actionable Steps for Your Samsung Device
To make your life easier going forward, here is exactly what you should do right now:
- Test the Combo: Hold the Side Key and Volume Down right now. See how long it takes for the menu to appear. Usually, it's about two seconds.
- Remap the Button: If you hate the Bixby trigger, go to Settings > Advanced Features > Side Key and change "Press and hold" to "Power off menu."
- Find the Software Button: Swipe down twice from the top of your screen. Locate the power icon next to the Settings gear. This is your backup if your buttons ever fail.
- Memorize the Force Restart: Remember that holding those same two buttons for 7-10 seconds will fix a frozen phone 99% of the time.
By understanding these three distinct layers—the button combo, the software toggle, and the hardware override—you’ll never be stuck with a phone that won't turn off. It’s about taking control of the hardware rather than letting the default settings dictate how you use your device.
The transition from a simple power button to a multi-functional "Side Key" might be annoying, but once you've remapped the settings or memorized the new shortcuts, it becomes second nature. Most of the "bugs" people report about Samsung phones not turning off are actually just these new features working as intended. Knowing the difference is the key to a frustration-free experience.
Keep your phone updated, keep your Side Key settings configured to your preference, and remember that the software power button in the notification shade is often the path of least resistance.