If you swipe right on your Samsung Galaxy Home screen and see a news feed, that feed has an end date. Samsung is shutting down Samsung News on December 21, 2026 at 00:00 UTC, according to a notice inside the app. The app, its widget and the news page on the left of your Home screen all go with it, and Samsung has not named a replacement (SamMobile).
Here is what we know, what we don’t, and what to do before the date arrives.
When does Samsung News stop working?
The shutdown happens at midnight UTC as December 21 begins. Depending on where you live, that is the evening before or the morning of:
- US and Canada: December 20, at 7:00 PM Eastern or 4:00 PM Pacific
- UK: December 21, at 12:00 AM
- India: December 21, at 5:30 AM
- South Korea: December 21, at 9:00 AM
- Sydney, Australia: December 21, at 11:00 AM
One report lists December 31 in a sub-headline, but the notice it quotes says December 21, and so does every other outlet. Plan around the 21st (PhoneArena).
Which countries are affected?
Only two are confirmed. Samsung’s notice has appeared in the Samsung News app in India and South Korea. Other markets, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia, are widely expected to follow, but Samsung has not confirmed that.
That caution is worth keeping in mind. Samsung has shut services down region by region before, and it ended Samsung Messages in the US only. If you are outside India and South Korea, open the Samsung News app and check its notices section to see whether your region has been told. Samsung has not published a list of affected phone or tablet models either, so treat any Galaxy device with the app as a candidate.
Why is Samsung closing Samsung News?
Samsung hasn’t said. Tech outlets see it as part of a clean-up, with Samsung trimming smaller services and cutting costs while smartphone sales are under pressure. That is a reasonable reading, but it is still a reading, not an announcement.
What happens to your app, widget and data?
The app and widget stop receiving news. Samsung suggests removing the widget from your Home screen once updates end.
The news page on your Home screen currently lets you pick between Google Discover and Samsung News, or turn the page off. Once Samsung News disappears, Google Discover is the obvious candidate to take over, and Android Authority expects exactly that. Samsung has not said so yet.
Your data will not survive either. The notice says personal information, profiles and personalization settings will be deleted after the shutdown. Nothing published says you can export your followed topics or saved stories, so write down anything you care about now.
What will replace Samsung News?
No official replacement has been announced. There is a small irony here: in December 2025, Samsung told Samsung Free users to switch to Samsung News. Ten months later, the app they were sent to is closing.
Your best alternatives
No single app does everything Samsung News did, so the best choice depends on how much effort you want to put in.
- Google Discover is already on your Galaxy media page. It takes no setup and is the likeliest successor.
- Google News is a standalone app for browsing headlines by topic and source. It won’t appear on your swipe-right page by default.
- Microsoft Start offers a personalized feed through an app and the web, separate from Google. Check that it is still available in your app store before relying on it.
- Publisher apps or an RSS reader give you full control over which sources you follow, in return for a little setup.
- No feed at all is a fair choice too. You can switch the media page off and enjoy a cleaner Home screen.
How to switch to Google Discover
- Touch and hold a blank area of your Home screen.
- Swipe right to the media page.
- Tap Google Discover when the page shows both options.
- To remove the feed completely, tap the switch at the top of the page instead.
These steps follow Samsung’s own support page. Menu wording can vary a little between One UI versions.
A quick checklist before December 21
- Switch your media page to Google Discover now and see if you like it.
- Remove the Samsung News widget from your Home screen.
- Note any topics, sources or sports teams you follow.
- Install a standalone news app if Discover isn’t enough.
Our take
Samsung has now run four news feeds on Galaxy phones: Bixby Home in 2017, Samsung Daily in 2019, Samsung Free in 2020 and Samsung News in 2023. Each replaced the last, and now the fourth is ending with no successor in sight.
In our opinion, that pattern suggests Samsung would rather let Google Discover handle the swipe-right page than keep paying to run its own. For most Galaxy owners this will be a small change, since Discover was already one tap away. The people who lose the most are those who liked Samsung News’s sports alerts and daily extras, and they have the most to gain from setting up an alternative before the deadline. This is our reading, not a Samsung statement, and we will update this post when Samsung confirms more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Samsung News being discontinued?
Yes. It ends on December 21, 2026 at 00:00 UTC, according to Samsung’s in-app notice.
Will my Samsung News data be deleted?
Yes. The notice says personal information, profiles and personalization data will be deleted.
Is Google Discover replacing Samsung News?
Probably, but Samsung has not confirmed it. Discover already shares the media page.
What is the best Samsung News alternative?
Google Discover is the easiest. Google News or a publisher app suits you if you want a standalone experience.
Is the shutdown confirmed in my country?
It is confirmed in India and South Korea. Other countries are expected but not confirmed yet.
Last updated: October 31, 2026.