Samsung May Let You Wake Bixby with a Gesture in One UI 9

Samsung’s One UI 9 update may make it easier to access Bixby. A fresh leak reveals that the company is working on a Gesture Wake-up feature for its in-house AI assistant. Instead of pressing a button or saying a wake phrase, users may be able to activate the assistant simply by raising their phone toward their face. The feature isn’t part of the initial One UI 9 beta releases.

One UI 9 could make Bixby more accessible for Galaxy users

Currently, Galaxy users can launch Bixby by long-pressing the side key or by using voice commands such as “Bixby” or “Hi, Bixby.” The upcoming Gesture Wake-up option appears to introduce a third method that requires neither. SamMobile recently discovered the new feature that allows Bixby to automatically start listening when the device detects that it has been picked up and brought close to the user’s face.

Once activated, users can immediately speak their request without first triggering a hotword. It makes Bixby more accessible, significantly reducing the time needed to issue voice commands. Rather than saying a wake phrase and then waiting for the assistant to respond, users could simply lift the phone and start talking.

The Gesture Wake-up option will likely work alongside voice commands. Since it requires you to lift the phone, you can’t access Bixby hands-free with this method. Forcing users to choose between voice commands and Gesture Wake-up would defeat the whole purpose of making the AI assistant more accessible and convenient to use.

There are still some concerns, though. This feature likely requires the system to continuously monitor device movement and proximity, which may consume additional power. Moreover, there’s a risk of accidental activation. If the phone frequently mistakes normal handling for an intentional Bixby request, the convenience benefit could quickly disappear.

Perhaps Samsung is taking its time to minimize these risks, hence Gesture Wake-up for Bixby isn’t yet available for One UI 9 Beta users. The company is expected to roll out Beta 3 for the Galaxy S26 series next week. We will let you know if the feature arrives with the next beta release.