The side button on Samsung's Galaxy phones has performed different functions over the years, but you can really make it do whatever you want.

You might be surprised at all the things it can do. The side button beneath your Samsung phone's volume button is actually a multifunctional and customizable side button. By default, a short press turns the screen on and off, a long press activates Samsung's Bixby assistant, a double press opens the camera, and long-pressing the side button plus volume-down button opens the power menu.

The good news is that Samsung lets you remap nearly every action tied to the side button. Go to Settings > Advanced features > Side button to remap the button. A double press can be set to open Camera, Flashlight, Magnifier, Voice Recorder, Samsung Notes, Modes and Routines, Samsung Capture or a chosen app. The long-press option is limited to assistant apps like Bixby, Google Gemini, and other AI assistants. For devices with a separate physical Bixby button, open Settings > Advanced features > Bixby Key.

Using Modes and Routines is one of the best ways to take advantage of your side button. For example, set the side button to turn on Driving Mode, triggering hands-free calling, opening maps, reading messages aloud and auto-replying to texts. You can also assign Voice Recorder to begin recording with a simple side-button double press.