Skip to content 
The 18 Best Bixby Features To Try On Your Samsung Phone
Apple has Siri, Google has Google Assistant and Amazon has Alexa. Samsung’s voice assistant is called Bixby and in this guide, we’ll detail some of Bixby’s best features…
Bixby is a voice assistant for Samsung mobile devices. It also integrated into several of Samsung’s devices, such as its fridges and smart TVs.
You can do pretty much cool stuff with Bixby, just like you do with Google Assistant or Apple’s Siri. You can even ask it to convert a picture to text or store your contacts.
And inside the latest update to Bixby, Samsung has added A LOAD more features and AI-powered abilities.
Or, if you want, you can remove Bixby from your Samsung phone. But before you do that, I would definitely read ALL of the Bixby features listed below.
You might be pleasantly surprised by what Bixby can actually do…
18 Best Bixby Features
1. Bixby voice command
You can use Bixby to perform a variety of functions with its voice commands. You will be surprised at how efficient the Bixby command works. It can execute complex commands. Take, for instance; you can ask Bixby to ‘Play videos on my TV.’, ‘Open Instagram and upload two of my latest pictures,’ ‘Open gallery and find images from London,’ etc.
2. Bixby quick commands
Using Bixby doesn’t have to come with the pains of memorizing long voice commands. If you rely more on Bixby’s voice commands to get things done, you can shorten them for faster input. E.g., instead of using the voice command ‘take a screenshot,’ you can set Bixby to recognize the quick voice command ‘screenshot.’
Here’s how to set up quick commands for Bixby:
- Press Bixby’s dedicated button or swipe across your device from left to right to enter Bixby settings.
- From Bixby’s menu, choose the ‘Quick Commands’ option.
- Select ‘Make Your own Quick Command.’
- Tap on ‘Bixby Command’ and select the command you wish to replace.
- Tap the microphone icon, record your quick command.
3. Use Bixby to translate
You saw Chinese inscriptions, and you wonder what it means? Don’t wander too far; let Bixby read and translate the Chinese inscription to English or other languages.
To do this, follow these steps:
- Turn on your device’s camera.
- Tap on Bixby’s vision icon (an eye icon).
- Focus the camera on inscriptions.
- Tap ‘Text’ and crop the word or inscription you want to translate.
- Tap on ‘Translate,’
- Swipe your finger across the word you wish to translate, and boom! Bixby will read out the meaning of the inscription.
This is my best Bixby feature because I don’t need a translator to translate foreign texts.
4. Convert images to text
Do you want to get a work typed out? Easy! Ask Bixby to extract the text for you.
- Turn on your device’s camera.
- Tap on Bixby’s vision icon (an eye icon).
- Focus the camera on the image text you wish to extract.
- Tap on ‘Text’ and select ‘Extract.’
- Bixby will then convert the text to an editable format. You can save, edit, or share the copied text.
This is extremely useful in an office or school environment where you can convert notes to text formats.
5. Find photos
Surfing through thousands of images in your photos gallery can be a herculean task. Use the voice command ‘Hi, Bixby, open gallery and find photos of babies.’ Afterward, Bixby will open your photos gallery, search, filter your images, and present you with only babies’ photos.
6. Post your photos on social media
Bixby can help you open your social media accounts and make a post on your behalf. Use the voice command, ‘Hi Bixby, post my most recent image on Facebook.’ Afterward, Bixby will open your Facebook account and create a post for you. Add a caption to the image and post it to Facebook.
7. Find your location
Don’t you know where you’re? Bixby can help you determine your location.
To use this Bixby feature, do this:
- Turn on your ‘Location’ in the settings. You can say ‘Hi Bixby, turn on Location.’
- Turn on your device’s camera
- Tap on Bixby’s vision icon (an eye icon)
- Select ‘AR’ from the option
- Move your device around
- Bixby will look up information about your location and display it on the screen.
8. Send your location
You need a friend to send you directions or come pick you up at your location? Use the voice command ‘Hi Bixby, text Bob my location.’ Your friend will get a text of your location and meet you or send you the directions you need.
9. Bixby routine
Bixby routine puts your phone in various modes based on set triggers. Bixby uses triggers like location, time, charging status, or connectivity mode to automate predetermined actions that form part of your daily routines.
For instance, you can set your messages to read aloud when you connect your device to your car’s Bluetooth, turn on ‘Do Not Disturb mode, and change the video profile when you launch a game on your device.
To use Bixby routine, apply these steps:
- Go to your device’s settings.
- Select ‘Advanced features’ in the settings menu
- Toggle on’ Bixby Routines’ in the Advanced feature page and select ‘Recommended,’
- Select the routines you wish to add from the displayed option
- Adjust the routine to fit your requirements with the ‘if’ and ‘then’ options.
- Tap on ‘Save routine’ and exit the settings menu
- The new routine will display in ‘My routines’
10. Control smart home appliances
Basically, Bixby integrates well with IoT enabled devices. Hence you can control your lightbulbs, thermostats, dryers, etc. from your smartphone. All you have to do is install the SmartThings app on your device and let Bixby take control of your home.
With Bixby and SmartThings, you can power on/off your appliances, check battery levels for sensors, increase or decrease room temperatures, etc.
Additionally, common voice commands you can use are ‘set room temperature to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, ‘Turn on PowerCool for the fridge,’ ‘Turn on the TV,’ etc.
11. Use Bixby for navigation
Here is another one that should make our list of the best Bixby features. It is handy, especially when you’re holding baggage in one hand. You can use Bixby to navigate on your device when using an app or a web browser. You can ask Bixby to ‘Scroll up,’ ‘go back,’ ‘show home buttons,’ ‘Swipe left,’ etc.
12. Access your device’s Settings with Bixby
You find it hard to power off your Bluetooth or Wi-Fi? Bixby got you covered.
You can use Bixby voice command to change common device settings, e.g.
- ‘Turn on data limit,’
- ‘Show me Notification settings,’
- ‘Disconnect from Wi-Fi network in settings,’
- ‘Make my phone visible to other devices in Settings,’
- ‘Change the sound mode to silent,’ etc.
13. Ask Bixby to install an app
It is incredible to know that I can use Bixby to install an app on my galaxy s8 device. Ask Bixby to install any app of your choice by saying, ‘Open Google Playstore and install (BBC iPlayer) app.’
14. Read your Gmail messages
Bixby has several Gmail commands. For a start, you can ask Bixby to ‘Open my Gmail’ to access your Gmail account.
15. Use Bixby to take a picture or a selfie or change camera settings
You don’t need a Bluetooth button or a selfie stick to take a good selfie with your phone. Ask Bixby to ‘take a selfie,’ ‘take a picture,’ or even ‘apply an effect.’ You can also ‘change camera mode to night mode,’ ‘set timer to 10 seconds for the rear camera,’ etc.
16. Read or clear notifications
Bixby can read your notifications out loud, amazing, isn’t it? Use the voice command ‘read notifications,’ ‘read the latest notification,’ or even ask Bixby to ‘Show me all notifications.’
17. Music control
This feature works only for supported apps. You can use Bixby voice command to ‘Play music,’ ‘Stop the music,’ ‘Play the next song.’ Alternatively, you can ask Bixby, ‘what music is playing?’ ‘show new releases,’ etc.
18. Manage apps
Bixby can open apps on your device. Therefore, with voice commands, you can ask Bixby to ‘Open Spotify,’ ‘Close Gmail,’ ‘Open BBC iPlayer in split-screen,’ ‘Switch windows,’ ‘Open the message as a pop-up,’ etc.
Bottom Line
There you go! 18 best Bixby features!
Bixby can perform a lot more functions and commands than you can imagine. I have highlighted above some of the best Bixby features that can come in handy for tech-savvy people.
You will also enjoy using Google Assistant side-by-side with Bixby; remember to activate Google with the voice prompt ‘OK Google’ each time you feel like making a switch to Google Assistant.