Samsung News App Discontinued: Dec. 21 Shutdown Explained

Samsung is pulling the plug on Samsung News, the news feed built into Galaxy phones and tablets. According to discontinuation notices Samsung posted inside the app in India and South Korea, the service will shut down on Dec. 21, 2026, at 00:00 UTC, which is 7 p.m. Eastern (4 p.m. Pacific) on Sunday, Dec. 20. Searches for "samsung news app discontinued 2026" passed 50,000 in the U.S. on Google Trends on Oct. 31 as Galaxy owners tried to figure out whether their phones are affected. Here is what's going away, what we know about the U.S. and how to switch to an alternative now.

What is shutting down

The shutdown covers three pieces of the same service, according to SamMobile, which first reported the notices:

• The Samsung News app, which offers headlines, sports scores, stock updates and more.
• The Samsung News home screen widget, which will stop receiving new content.
• The media page, the feed you see when you swipe right from the leftmost home screen, if you chose Samsung News for it.

Android Central confirmed the same Dec. 21 date and the same three components. Samsung's notice also recommends removing News widgets from your home screen before the service ends, SamMobile reported.

What happens to your data

Samsung says that after the shutdown it will delete all user data, profiles and personalization information tied to Samsung News. The one exception is information that local regulations require Samsung to keep for a set period; that data will also be permanently erased afterward, according to SamMobile. If you used Samsung News to follow specific topics or publishers, note them now, because those preferences won't carry over anywhere.

Is Samsung News shutting down in the US?

Samsung has not confirmed a U.S. date as of Oct. 31, 2026. The notices so far have appeared only in India and South Korea. SamMobile says it is "highly likely" the service will end in other markets too and expects Samsung to shut it down globally on the same date or shortly after, but it is still waiting for confirmation through Samsung's official channels. Android Central advises owners in other markets to watch for similar notices rather than assume their region follows the exact same schedule.

In practical terms, U.S. Galaxy owners who rely on Samsung News should plan for it to go away, but the specific timing here is not official yet.

Sources: SamMobile; Android Central.

How to switch to Google Discover now

Samsung hasn't named a replacement, but Google Discover is already offered as the alternative feed on Galaxy phones and tablets. SamMobile lists three ways to switch before the shutdown:

1. Newer One UI versions: Pinch the home screen, swipe right, then tap Google Discover.
2. From the home screen: Pinch the home screen, swipe right, open Settings, turn on Add media page to Home screen, then select Google Discover.
3. From Settings: Open Settings > Home screen, turn on Add media page to Home screen, then select Google Discover.

To remove a Samsung News widget, press and hold it, then tap Remove. Menu names can vary slightly depending on your device and One UI version.

If you don't want any feed on your home screen, you can simply turn Add media page to Home screen off. You can also keep up with news through a browser or individual publisher apps, which aren't affected by this change.

A news feed with many names

Samsung News is the latest version of a feed Samsung has rebranded several times. According to SamMobile's timeline:

• Bixby Home launched on April 21, 2017.
• Samsung Daily replaced it on Oct. 30, 2019.
• Samsung Free took over in late 2020 with One UI 3.0.
• Samsung News replaced Samsung Free on April 18, 2023.

That history is one reason many Galaxy owners may not have noticed the feed in years, as Android Central put it. Each rebrand changed the name and design, but the basic idea, a swipe-right page of headlines and content, stayed the same.

Why Samsung is doing this

Samsung has not explained the decision. SamMobile says it appears Samsung is streamlining its software by cutting redundant or underused services, and notes the company also recently announced the end of its Daily+ service on TVs and smart monitors. SamMobile also suggested that AI's impact on how people find information online makes the move unsurprising, though that is the outlet's analysis rather than Samsung's stated reason.

For Galaxy owners, the effect is that Google's feed becomes the default choice for the swipe-right page. Since Google Discover has been an option on Galaxy devices for years, many people already use it without realizing Samsung offered its own feed.

What to do before Dec. 21

1. Check which feed you use. Swipe right from your leftmost home screen. If you see Samsung News, plan to switch.
2. Switch to Google Discover or turn the page off using the steps above.
3. Remove the Samsung News widget, as Samsung's notice recommends.
4. Write down topics or sources you follow, since personalization data will be deleted.
5. Watch for a U.S. notice in the Samsung News app or on Samsung's official channels.

For more on Samsung devices and your privacy, see our report on the Samsung TV spying claims. And if your phone's clock seems off this weekend, our guide to daylight saving time ending Nov. 1 explains what changes.

The bottom line

Samsung News is ending on Dec. 21, 2026, in at least India and South Korea, and it's likely to disappear elsewhere around the same time. U.S. Galaxy owners don't have an official date yet, but switching the swipe-right page to Google Discover takes less than a minute and avoids an empty feed later.