You can disable Samsung Internet in your phone's settings, but you cannot fully remove it

Samsung Internet is the default web browser on most Samsung phones. You can turn it off so it no longer appears in your app drawer and stops running in the background, but the system will not let you delete it completely — it is built into the phone's operating system. Disabling it takes about 30 seconds and requires only the Settings app.

If you want to use a different browser instead, you can set Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or another app as your default. This means links will open in your chosen browser rather than Samsung Internet, even if Samsung Internet is still technically on the phone.

Key Takeaways

  • Disabling Samsung Internet removes it from your app drawer and stops it from running background tasks, but does not delete it from your phone.
  • You can disable Samsung Internet through Settings > Apps > Samsung Internet > Disable, which takes less than a minute.
  • Setting a different browser as your default means all links will open in that browser instead, even if Samsung Internet remains on your device.
  • If you change your mind later, you can re-enable Samsung Internet through the same Settings path or by searching for it in your app settings.

Steps to disable Samsung Internet through Settings

Open the Settings app on your Samsung phone. Scroll down and tap Apps (on some phones this may say Applications). Look for Samsung Internet in the list — you may need to scroll or use the search icon at the top to find it faster.

Tap Samsung Internet to open its details page. You will see buttons near the top or bottom of the screen. Tap the button that says Disable. A popup will ask if you want to disable the app — tap Disable again to confirm. The app will disappear from your home screen and app drawer immediately.

Setting a different browser as your default

If you want links to open in a different browser, you need to change your default. Open Settings and go to Apps again. Tap the three-dot menu icon (or look for Default apps or Default applications depending on your phone model).

Find Browser app or Web browser in the list. Tap it and select the browser you want to use — Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or whichever app you prefer. From that point on, any link you tap will open in your chosen browser instead of Samsung Internet.

Why you cannot fully delete Samsung Internet

Samsung Internet is part of your phone's system software, not a regular app you downloaded from the Play Store. Samsung includes it as the built-in browser, which means the operating system depends on it for certain functions. Android prevents you from deleting system apps to avoid breaking your phone.

Disabling it achieves the same practical result — it stops running, stops appearing in your app drawer, and stops handling links. The only difference is that a small amount of storage space remains taken up by the app files, though this is usually less than 100 MB.

How to re-enable Samsung Internet if you need it later

Go back to Settings > Apps and search for Samsung Internet. Tap it and look for the Enable button (it replaces the Disable button when an app is turned off). Tap Enable and confirm. The app will reappear in your app drawer within seconds.

You can also re-enable it by going to Settings > Apps > the three-dot menu > Show system apps, then finding Samsung Internet in the full list and tapping Enable.

Alternatives if you want to keep Samsung Internet but use another browser

You do not have to disable Samsung Internet to stop using it. Simply set your preferred browser as the default (as described above) and ignore Samsung Internet entirely. It will sit on your phone unused, taking up minimal space and battery.

Many people keep Samsung Internet enabled but never open it, because setting a default browser means they never encounter it during normal use. This approach is simpler than disabling and re-enabling if you think you might need it in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling Samsung Internet affect my phone's performance?

No. Disabling it may actually improve performance slightly because the app will no longer run background processes or updates. Your phone will work normally in every other way.

Can I disable Samsung Internet on a non-Samsung phone?

Samsung Internet is only available on Samsung devices. Other Android phones use Chrome or another browser as their default and do not have Samsung Internet installed.

What happens to my bookmarks and history if I disable Samsung Internet?

Your bookmarks and browsing history remain stored on your phone even after you disable the app. If you re-enable Samsung Internet later, they will still be there. However, if you switch to a different browser as your default, that browser will have its own separate bookmarks and history.

Do I need to disable Samsung Internet to use a different browser?

No. You can keep Samsung Internet enabled and simply set another browser as your default. Links will open in your chosen browser, and you can ignore Samsung Internet completely.

Can I uninstall Samsung Internet updates?

Yes. Go to Settings > Apps > Samsung Internet, tap the three-dot menu, and select Uninstall updates. This removes any updates you installed while keeping the base version that came with your phone. You cannot remove the base version itself.