Double-press the side key
DocumentedInput: Side keyRequires: One UI 2.0 or later, including One UI Core (One UI 1.5 on Galaxy Note10); not on Android Go models
Set it up
- Settings
- Advanced features
- Side button (or Side key)
- Double press
- Apps (or Open app)
- Quick signal: side key
Single press always wakes or locks the screen. Natively, Long press only offers a digital assistant (Gemini by default from One UI 7), Bixby or the power-off menu, so it cannot open our app. Labels changed over time: One UI 6 and earlier say Side key and Open app (pick the app with the gear icon); One UI 7 and later say Side button and Apps. When the phone is locked, Open app asks for an unlock before the app opens (SamMobile, One UI 1.5; Samsung does not document this for later versions), so test whether our entry can show over the lock screen. Emergency SOS also listens to the side key: 5 quick presses on One UI 5.0 and later (Send SOS messages used 3 or 4 presses on older versions), so repeated double presses must be spaced out. On Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung says to keep the phone open when using side-key shortcuts. Samsung notes the options vary by model, region, carrier and software version.
Sources
- https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00084203/
- https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/mobile-devices/how-to-customise-the-side-button-with-new-features-on-your-galaxy-phone-and-tablet/
- https://www.samsung.com/latin_en/support/mobile-devices/how-to-customize-the-side-button-with-new-features-on-your-galaxy-phone-and-tablet/
- https://www.samsung.com/ph/support/mobile-devices/how-to-customize-the-side-key/
- https://www.samsung.com/au/support/mobile-devices/customising-side-key/
- https://www.consumercellular.com/api/Assets/documents/Manuals/Samsung_Galaxy_A12_Manual.pdf
- https://www.cox.com/content/dam/cox/residential/support/Mobile/Print_Media/SamsungA14UserManual.pdf
- https://cdn.iceshop.nl/objects/mmo_125113688_1761650696_0581_125.pdf
- https://www.samsung.com/latin_en/support/mobile-devices/how-to-turn-off-emergency-sos-function/
- https://www.sammobile.com/tips/customize-galaxy-note-10-galaxy-fold-side-key/