Remap Bixby manually & using all in one gestures; Bind to flashlight [ROOT]

[beugologist]

The bixby button is an absolute waste of a physical key on samsungs part, and ever since I got my S8 a little over a month ago I've been trying to find a way to completely remap the key without any of this bypass nonsense that flashes bixby for a moment before proceeding with your action, or returning to your home screen etc. I'm currently using a rooted S8 on renovate ice r155, with the latest AIO gestures & Tasker.
I highly recommend using MiXplorer as a root explorer, you will need one for this. Basic knowledge on using tasker will help too.

Thanks to redplate, j91co & kuaka as I've pieced together their help in order to make this work on my phone.
Links to threads here:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s8+/how-to/root-remap-bixby-button-o-app-t3601061/page10
https://forum.xda-developers.com/s7-active/how-to/how-to-tasker-to-assign-flashlight-t3396760

So I have made a little tutorial on how to re-assign the key; this must be done manually and does not require an app for anything other than more extensive actions.
Therefore there are two parts to this: manually re-assign the key, and linking the key to all in one gestures.

Re-assign the key:
(1) Open a root explorer, and navigate to root: /system/usr/keylayout
(2) Copy generic.kl and rename the copy to generic.kl.bak
(3) Open generic.kl and edit as text; either rename to .txt and revert back or use MiXplorer to edit directly
(4) Find '703'; it should look like # input_fw Intelligent Key for Dream key 703 WAKE (or 'WINK' depending on device version, its ok)
(5) Simply rename the entry in capitals, for example WINK to VOLUME_DOWN
(6) Save the file, reboot.
(7) If any issues, restore the backup.

Link to AIO Gestures & Tasker
For this example I'm going to show you how to use AIO gestures with Tasker to toggle the flashlight with the bixby key.
(1) Manually re assign the key as shown in the first part: use something not commonly used. I used the function DVR. Save & reboot after changing this.
(2) Download tasker & AIO gestures. Grant root permissions and accessibility permissions in settings.
(3) Open AIO gestures and go to the hard keys section; 3 dots in top corner > custom keys
(4) Press bixby, it should display what you assigned it to. In my case it showed DVR. Press add.
(5) It will now be shown in the list of hard keys. Press it once to open the menu. You can choose anything you like, im going to assign it to a tasker shortcut:
(6) Swipe to the 'shortcut' section and scroll down to task shortcut
(7) Add a new task, and filter for 'torch'. Set ' toggle'. Press back, and again.

You should now have your bixby key bound to flashlight. I've tested this and it works from the AOD too. Enjoy, and please give credit to the great oaks who figured this all out cus im a flop and couldn't have done it without them
Of course if you know how to use tasker and stuff you can do whatever you want with this, take full advantage of that button! F#ck samsung for forcing the stain bixby is into our devices.
by is on us.
I haven't tested myself, but apparently this method also works with all of the bixby apps removed.
If somebody would like to incorporate this into an app, that'd be mad and you'd be a legend for doing so.

Here is a list of some actions I have accumulated from some threads you can assign to the key:
VOLUME_DOWN
VOLUME_UP
HOME
POWER - Power menu
MUSIC - starts your favorite music player
CAMERA - Open camera
APP_SWITCH - App switcher
VOICE_ASSIST - Google Assistant
SYSRQ - Take screenshot
CALENDAR - Open default calendar
CONTACTS - default contacts
MESSAGE - Default messenger

 

[otis_bartleh]

I guess you have never heard of the BxActions app, on xda and the play store... Remapping of Bixby button, without root even. Works great

 

[beugologist]

I've used all those apps and each of them have a quirk where it flashes open for a short time, or sends you back to the home screen. In my opinion it's not an elegant solution and just isn't fluid enough, this way bixby doesn't show up at all and it works from everywhere.

 

[toole]

Can I open a specific app on my phone with this?

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

[otis_bartleh]

I've used all those apps and each of them have a quirk where it flashes open for a short time, or sends you back to the home screen. In my opinion it's not an elegant solution and just isn't fluid enough, this way bixby doesn't show up at all and it works from everywhere.

No Bixby flashing up anymore Also, it always worked from everywhere. Maybe that is a pro thing, but I like to donate to helpful devs, so I have pro..

Can I open a specific app on my phone with this?

BxActions can...

 

[beugologist]

Interesting, always used a free version and had some sort of quirk. Maybe it's improved since I last used it like the other week, but it never blocked bixby properly.
Whilst it's a nice app, you're also heaps limited to what you can assign the key too so bringing tasker to the table gives you pretty much endless possibilities.
Maybe the Devs will see this thread and incorporate this into their app for free....

 

[otis_bartleh]

Yeah, a recent BxActions update made it so Bixby doesn't come up anymore. There is an extra one-time step to take with the PC (don't need adb or anything special), but it's super easy, doesn't install anything extra, steps you through it, and takes all of about 30 seconds. It has just about every option I can think of for reassigning the button, including ability to customize actions for a long press or a double press of the button. It's come a long way even in the last few weeks in my opinion.

Although, it's nice to have options, that's what I love about Android. I just thought I'd present another option in case it wasn't known, so thanks for your post!!

 

[beugologist]

Cheers for that, I had no clue they had fixed up all the blocking stuff, I'd love to check it out but I've completely removed bixby in favor for rebinding it lol. Still, that's mad that the dev has sorted it all out without the need for even adb or root; I might check it out as some point as the only thing limiting me currently I'm not sure how to configure it for double and long presses, could be my lack of knowledge with tasker, I'm still learning all this stuff.
Does BxActions have tasker support?

Anyway cheers for letting me know, it's a communal effort to get rid of Bixby

 

[KeepItzRoot]

DUDE....I HAD TO MAKE AN ACCOUNT TO THANK YOU! This mod make all the Bixby disabler app obsolete! You should put this in theme and mods, it really deserve more notice!

 

[otis_bartleh]

Does BxActions have tasker support?

This I don't know, never used tasker...

Anyway cheers for letting me know, it's a communal effort to get rid of Bixby

My thoughts exactly!

 

[kbarni]

I recommend Button Mapper (from XDA developer flar2) from the play store. It can remap every key, and you can assign actions for press, double press and long press, too. It also has a long list of actions you can assign to the buttons. More, it doesn't need Tasker to be installed.
It has rooted and rootless mode; in rooted mode you can launch the actions even without unlocking the phone. It is very smooth and light, it doesn't flash the screen when Bixby button is pressed.

 

[otis_bartleh]

I recommend Button Mapper (from XDA developer flar2) from the play store. It can remap every key, and you can assign actions for press, double press and long press, too. It also has a long list of actions you can assign to the buttons. More, it doesn't need Tasker to be installed.
It has rooted and rootless mode; in rooted mode you can launch the actions even without unlocking the phone. It is very smooth and light, it doesn't flash the screen when Bixby button is pressed.

BxActions does all that and more apparently, as BxActions will let you launch the actions with the phone locked, even without root... Also doesn't need tasker, is smooth, light, and doesn't flash Bixby, and does single, double, and long presses, and is also from an XDA dev...

Wait, just realized you said "remap every key", as in remapping of volume keys as well? If so, that's kind of cool, even though I don't need that for anything...

 

[flar2]

BxActions does all that and more apparently, as BxActions will let you launch the actions with the phone locked, even without root... Also doesn't need tasker, is smooth, light, and doesn't flash Bixby, and does single, double, and long presses, and is also from an XDA dev...

Wait, just realized you said "remap every key", as in remapping of volume keys as well? If so, that's kind of cool, even though I don't need that for anything...

Button Mapper does all the Bixby stuff for free, has more actions to choose from, also allows you to remap other buttons, and if you have root, is faster, more reliable and will give you even more options.

 

[otis_bartleh]

Button Mapper does all the Bixby stuff for free, has more actions to choose from, also allows you to remap other buttons, and if you have root, is faster, more reliable and will give you even more options.

Free I don't care about, developers deserve our money, it's not easy... Remapping other buttons is cool, sounds like another good one!

---------- Post added at 09:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:04 AM ----------

Button Mapper does all the Bixby stuff for free, has more actions to choose from, also allows you to remap other buttons, and if you have root, is faster, more reliable and will give you even more options.

I hit post previously and it disappeared, so if this ends up double posting, sorry about that...
I don't care about free, developers deserve our money, coding isn't quick and easy... But re-mapping other buttons, that is cool, sounds like another good one!

 

[beugologist]

Can I open a specific app on my phone with this?

Yeah, you can assign it to whatever you want with tasker.

 

[beugologist]

BxActions does all that and more apparently, as BxActions will let you launch the actions with the phone locked, even without root... Also doesn't need tasker, is smooth, light, and doesn't flash Bixby, and does single, double, and long presses, and is also from an XDA dev...

Wait, just realized you said "remap every key", as in remapping of volume keys as well? If so, that's kind of cool, even though I don't need that for anything...

Yeah you are literally editing the keymap file, so you can change any of the hardware buttons like this.

 

[beugologist]

Button Mapper does all the Bixby stuff for free, has more actions to choose from, also allows you to remap other buttons, and if you have root, is faster, more reliable and will give you even more options.

Thanks! I'll check it out.

 

[beugologist]

I've checked out using button mapper as an alternative, and discovered only the volume keys work with the display off / device locked. Whilst it is more usefull than aio guestures, it completely defeats the purpose of having an easy to access flashlight key, considering I'd have to unlock my phone. Found that bixby actions doesn't work at all now due to remapping the key (plus im too much of a stinge to pay for long / double press, everyone with an S8 should have had this from the factory but I see nothing wrong with charging for hard work).
Found a new thread describing a method using 'Xposed edge' (pro ver here https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jozein.xedgepro&hl=en, free one too) that supposedly does all these things plus double press, through using xposed, however im a bit skeptical using this as a solution due to the current state of xposed atm.
If anyone else knows a great tool that can remap CUSTOM keys, from anywhere (aod, lockscreen, home, in app), that supports long, double and single presses I would be forever grateful.
Whilst BxActions seems like the best solution to remove bixby (from the perspective of all users) at this point in time, I've just glanced through it to find a lack of tasker support (guess you could build your own tasker app and launch it but that's trek and a dirty solution), but cheers to jawomo for his effort with this and everyone else who's contributed.

 

[otis_bartleh]

I checked out button mapper, but still prefer BxActions since it works with the lock screen without root... Nice there are so many options...

I agree that it shouldn't be needed and we shouldn't have Bixby forced upon us when we pay as much for a phone as we did (or are)...

 

[tenthousandfeet]

Thanks for this. Anyone know of a way to get it to work with the screen off? It works with the always-on display, but not if that's disabled and the screen is off.

Also, I'll warn everyone else not to do what I did on my first attempt. I used Total Commander to copy generic.kl to a non-root folder, made my changes there with TC Edit (part of Total Commander, but it can't get root access to edit system files directly), deleted the original generic.kl, then moved the edited version back to /system/usr/keylayout. I don't know why this didn't work, but after a reboot I was unable to use any keys at all - not the Bixby button, not the power button, even the on-screen keyboard refused to appear. I could unlock the phone with the fingerprint scanner and open apps, but I couldn't restore my generic.kl.bak since I couldn't delete the .bak part with no keyboard. Thankfully I had a very fresh system backup I could restore, though I'm sure I could have also renamed the .bak file with ADB. I tried again, this time editing generic.kl directly with ES File Explorer (instead of using Total Commander to edit a copy) and it worked as it's supposed to.