How To Disable Recent Apps Button On Samsung S6

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[Q] How do I disable hardware keys (recent apps and back)?

Thread starter 3bs11
Start date Jun 28, 2015

I managed to disable the back button by going to /system/usr/keylayout/Generic.kl and adding # in front of key 139 menu and key 158 back but the recents button still works after rebooting. This was the old method when the left button was a menu not recent apps button. Which button number is for recents?

Last edited: Jun 28, 2015

I can't customise what the short press does

That screen look a bit different on my S6. Did you activated it when it asked for it? When you first started it did it asked you for something?

I managed to disable the back button by going to /system/usr/keylayout/Generic.kl and adding # in front of key 139 menu and key 158 back but the recents button still works after rebooting. This was the old method when the left button was a menu not recent apps button. Which button number is for recents?

I just did this myself. I made the same mistake as you did, such that the recent key/button was still operational. I then realized that it's not a menu button, but it's an app switcher function, hence "recent". Under "# samsung", there should be "key 254 APP_SWITCH". That's the one to disable the app switcher key or "recents" button.

Hope this helps out anyone out there looking for this.

How do I get to this coding

I just did this myself. I made the same mistake as you did, such that the recent key/button was still operational. I then realized that it's not a menu button, but it's an app switcher function, hence "recent". Under "# samsung", there should be "key 254 APP_SWITCH". That's the one to disable the app switcher key or "recents" button.
Hope this helps out anyone out there looking for this.

hi, sorry for bother you but can you tell me how to do that? my recent apps key is always pressing and i go in holidays so i don t have time to take the phone to warranty.. can i perform that without root? thank you

hi, sorry for bother you but can you tell me how to do that? my recent apps key is always pressing and i go in holidays so i don t have time to take the phone to warranty.. can i perform that without root? thank you

To disable the capacitive button , you need root.

To disable the capacitive button , you need root.

Thank you for your answer. the phone is three months old and already got a problem ..Basically is unusable the recent tab is always pop up..

Thank you for your answer. the phone is three months old and already got a problem ..Basically is unusable the recent tab is always pop up..

Dont root the phone. Take it to samsung for warranty claim when you get a chance.
They should be held accountable for the defect. Good luck.

Thank you for your answer. the phone is three months old and already got a problem ..Basically is unusable the recent tab is always pop up..

Dont root the phone. Take it to samsung for warranty claim when you get a chance.
They should be held accountable for the defect. Good luck.

Just to verify, do you have any type of case on the phone, and if so, does the button do the same thing if you remove the case.
Otherwise, Rakcoon is correct. They should fix it under warranty.

THe best way to do is, add: qemu.hw.mainkeys=0 in build.prop, reboot and done.
There is another way to do is: Disable the hardware/back keys through: /system/usr/keylayout/Generic.kl and add # in front of key 139 menu and key 158. Also add the same to key 254 APP_SWITCH

Hope this helps..

THe best way to do is, add: qemu.hw.mainkeys=0 in build.prop, reboot and done.
There is another way to do is: Disable the hardware/back keys through: /system/usr/keylayout/Generic.kl and add # in front of key 139 menu and key 158. Also add the same to key 254 APP_SWITCH
Hope this helps..

Thanks to the above listing, I was in the middle of factory resetting my Samsung S6 back to stock (but still rooted) and my physical keys (app switcher and back buttons) wasn't working. I had to go in build.prop and generic.kl and reset them back to default values (e.g., put 1 for the mainkeys value and remove # in front of 158 and 254). Now the physical keys are working.

If you want to disable the recent button all you have to do is download all in on gesture. There you can disable any button.

i cant find any of these places where the text is used to block these buttons.. build.prop? system-usr??? what do these even mean

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