How to use Bixby quick commands on Galaxy S9, S9+, S8, S8+, Note 8, and Note 9 with the Android Pie update?

Bixby quick commands allow you to use your own phrases to execute a set of commands (tasks) defined by you. No other voice assistant systems have this feature yet.

You can execute Bixby quick commands using voice, or just tap an icon on the home screen without using your voice.

This Galaxy S9 Android Pie update explains everything you need to know about Bixby quick commands and shows you how to create, modify and use Bixby quick commands on Galaxy S9 and S9+.

The Bixby quick commands feature are also available on all Galaxy phones with Android Pie update. So, this guide also applies to Galaxy S8, S8+, Note 8, Note 9, and S10 (all 4 S10 models).

What are Bixby quick commands on Galaxy S9, S9+, S8, S8+, Note 8, and Note 9 with the Android Pie update?

In a nutshell, a Bixby quick command lets you encapsulate multiple commands in one simple phrase you choose. Once created, you can use the simple phrase (which becomes one of your Bixby quick commands) to execute all commands encapsulated in sequence (as you defined).

You can also make a long command shorter with a Bixby quick command.

In fact, this is NOT a new feature in Android Pie update.  The feature is available before the Android Pie update. But it was buried deep in My Bixby. So, many Bixby users are not aware of the feature.

In the Android Pie update for Galaxy phones, in addition to allowing you to remap the Bixby button, Samsung made the Bixby quick commands feature more prominent and improved it significantly.

For example, after the February update, you can even add any of the Bixby quick commands to the Home screen and use it without using your voice. You can use it just like using an app.

Another improvement of the Bixby quick commands feature in the Android Pie update is that some examples were added.  You can add them to your Bixby quick commands directly, or modify them as a template to create your own quick commands.

How to create, modify, and manage your Bixby quick commands on Galaxy S9, S9+, S8, S8+, Note 8, and Note 9 with the Android Pie update?

Bixby quick commands are tied to your Samsung account. By default, there are no quick commands in your account.

So, you have to create your quick commands before you can use them.

There are two ways to create your Bixby quick commands:

1. From the recommended quick commands.
2. From scratch.

#1. from the recommended quick commands

To access Bixby quick commands, tap the menu key (3 vertical dots) in Bixby Voice page as shown in the screenshot below.

Please note, you can access Bixby Voice page by single or double pressing the Bixby button depending on how you remap the Bixby button.

In the Bixby Voice menu, tap Quick commands as shown above.

By default, in the quick commands page, you should be in the recommended category as shown below.

Here some pre-defined examples of Bixby quick commands are grouped into:

• Productivity. Recommended commands include “I'm driving”, “I'm going out”, “Live translate”, and “On my way”.
• Daily Routine. “Good morning” and “Good Night” are included.
• Lifestyle. “Let's go run” and “Movie time” are included.
• Place. “I'm home” and “Work” are included.

Please note recommended quick commands are just examples. They are NOT activated, and you cannot use them before you add them to ” My commands”.

For example, you can check the Productivity group as shown below.

The 4 example quick commands are listed.

If you want to add any of them to  My commands,  you can tap the + icon as shown above.

Of course, normally, you need to check what actions are included in each quick command before adding them. You can also modify or customize them before adding them.

For example, tap “I'm driving” as shown above to see the details of this command.

As shown in the screenshot below, you can find that the I'm driving command will finish 3 tasks unless you customize it:

1. Turn on Bluetooth.
2. Turn off WiFi.
3. Play Commute playlist.

For example, you may want to play another playlist, instead of the Commute playlist, or you want to remove the task of turning off WiFi. You can tap Edit as shown below.

If you want to add other tasks, you can tap “Add a command“.

 

After tapping Edit, as shown above, you can now:

• Edit individual command/task included in the quick command.
• Remove individual command/task included.
• Re-arrange the sequence of the commands/tasks included.

After finishing the customization, tap the Done button as shown above to save the edit. Otherwise, all customizations will be discarded.

When you add any of the recommended quick commands to My commands, you will see a head-up notification of “Added to my quick commands” as shown below.

In the quick commands page, as shown above, you can

1. Switch to My commands tab as shown above.
2. Add a Bixby quick command from scratch.
3. Manage individual Bixby quick commands (delete, share or add to Home screen)/
4. Edit individual Bixby quick commands.

#2.  from scratch

As shown above, in My commands tab, you can tap the + icon (marked as 2) to add your own quick command from scratch.

After tapping the + button, as shown below, you can now define the phrases (the name) of the quick command.

You will use this phrase as a quick command.  The actual commands included in this quick command will be defined later.

So, tap “Quick command word or phrase” as shown below to proceed.

For example, you want to use the phrase “test quick commands” for this quick command.

So, type it as shown above.

Although you can use whatever you like for the name of Bixby quick commands, you should avoid any conflicts with common Bixby voice commands (e.g., “what is the weather”). We noticed, sometimes, your quick command may overwrite the native one.

After defining the phrase (name), you can now tap “Add a command” as shown above to add actual commands to be executed.

There 3 ways to enter the command, as shown below.

• Select a command.
• Say a command.
• Type a command.

The results are identical.

If you choose to select a command, you can choose one from the list as shown above. Most of them include multiple commands, and you have to go one step further to select actual command.

If you choose to type, you can then proceed, as shown below, to type your command directly.

Please note, Bixby quick commands do not support nested quick commands. If your quick command includes another quick command, it will fail at that command or execute unexpectedly.

For example, you want this quick command to open Settings.

So, type open Settings as shown above.

Then tap the message icon as shown above to save it and return. You can also tap Done in the keyboard.

You can define more commands by tapping Add a command again.

For example, you want to include 3 commands to be executed by this quick command.

After typing (or selecting, or speaking) these 3 commands, you MUST tap the Save button as shown above to save it. Otherwise, nothing will be saved.

You can find the newly created Bixby quick command in your My commands now.

How to add the commands to the Home screen?

You can add your Bixby quick commands to Galaxy S9 Home screen. So, you can use them like using an app.

As shown below, you can tap the menu key (3 vertical dots) for the corresponding quick command.

In the menu of this quick command, tap Add to Home screen as shown above.

If you do not find this option, please try to update Bixby.

Now, a confirmation window appears as shown below.

You can tap Add to add the Bixby quick command to the home screen immediately.

In Galaxy S9 home screen, you can find the new icon for the quick command as shown above.  You can use it just like other app icons.

You can also remove it.

But if you delete the corresponding quick command, this icon will NOT be deleted automatically. You have to manually delete it (Tap and hold it, then tap Remove from home).

How to execute quick commands on Galaxy S9, S9+, S8, S8+, Note 8, and Note 9 with the Android Pie update?

You can execute Bixby quick commands like other native commands.

You can speak it out following Hi Bixby, or in voice prompt for commands.

If you add the quick command to the home screen, you can tap the icon to execute it.

For example, if you tap the icon you added for the “test quick commands”, then you will see it:

• Opens Settings.
• Opens the camera app, and take a photo.
• Opens the Gallery app.

This is exactly what you defined for this Bixby quick command.

Some caveats of using the quick commands on Galaxy S9, S9+, S8, S8+, Note 8, and Note 9 with the Android Pie update

Bixby quick commands feature is probably the most useful feature of Bixby.

But there are some caveats when using Bixby quick commands on Galaxy S9, S9+, S8, S8+, Note 8, and Note 9 with the Android Pie update.

Thee caveats include:

• Nested quick commands are NOT supported. You cannot nest another quick command into other quick commands or itself.
• You need the latest (February update) Bixby to add Bixby quick commands to the home screen.  You can update Bixby in Galaxy Store. You can also update it by checking the version in the Bixby Voice settings.
• You should try to avoid native commands for the name of your quick commands. The precedence, apparently, is random based on our testing.

Of course, Samsung may address these caveats in future updates.

Can you use Bixby quick commands on Galaxy S9, S9+, S8, S8+, Note 8, and Note 9 with the Android Pie update now?

If you have any questions or encounter any problems about Bixby quick commands on Galaxy S9, S9+, S8, S8+, Note 8, and Note 9 with the Android Pie update,  please let us know them in the comment box below.

The community will help you find the answer.

Other Galaxy S9 Guides

For the user guide for new features of Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+, please check Galaxy S9 new features guides page.

For using Galaxy S9 and S9+, please check Galaxy S9 how-to guides page.

For using the Galaxy S9 camera, please check the Galaxy S9 camera guides page.

For accessories for Galaxy S9 and S9+, please check Galaxy S9 accessories guides page.

For official Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ user manuals in your language, you may check this page (if your Galaxy S9 or S(+ is running Android Oreo), or this page (if your Galaxy S9 and S9+ have got the Android Pie update)

Detailed how-to guides for new features of Android Pie update for Galaxy S9 and S9+ be found on this page.