Samsung's Galaxy S26 Series Is Missing Key Buttons — Here's How to Restore Full Functionality

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Samsung engineered the Galaxy S26 series to be more capable than its predecessors, yet it conspicuously omits physical shortcut buttons that many competing smartphones include as standard. If you've come to rely on OnePlus's Alert Slider, an iPhone-style camera shutter button, or the customizable side keys found on other brands, you won't find any of those conveniences on a Galaxy S26 out of the box.

Pitaka has a solution. The company offers a range of cases that bolt three fully customizable physical buttons onto the left side of the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus, and Galaxy S26 Ultra, each assignable to a single press. Pitaka offers two distinct styles: the ultra-slim Edge, made from Aramid fiber, and the rugged Cairn, built for drop resistance. Here's how they compare and which one suits your needs.

Why extra buttons matter on the Galaxy S26

Samsung is one of the few flagship manufacturers actively moving away from physical shortcut buttons rather than toward them. That's a missed opportunity. Physical buttons let you trigger functions instantly, without navigating through menus or performing awkward multi-finger gestures — and dedicated keys keep actions cleanly separated so each command is always one press away.

Pitaka's Aaron Buttons go even further than simply filling that gap. Rather than adding just the one button Samsung skipped, they add three. Each button works as an NFC tag embedded inside the case. When pressed and held, it transmits a signal to your phone that the Aaron Button app — in combination with Samsung's built-in Routines feature — translates into virtually any system action you choose.

Pitaka Edge: slim protection with functional side buttons

The Pitaka Edge is aimed at users who want the thinnest possible profile without sacrificing too much protection. It retails for $59.99 on Amazon and is available in five color options.

The Edge case adds meaningful grip and scratch protection, along with raised display corner lips for screen protection. All the necessary cutouts are in place, and the camera lenses are ringed with protective material — though the case does nothing to minimize the phone's already prominent camera island. The power and volume buttons are left exposed, but three semi-capacitive Aaron Buttons are added to the left side.

These buttons require a physical click rather than a light touch, making them semi-capacitive rather than truly capacitive. They sit flush with the case, which means more deliberate pressure is needed compared to the protruding buttons on the Cairn. Activation also requires a press-and-hold input — a quick tap alone won't trigger the NFC tag or its assigned action.

Pitaka Cairn: rugged protection with tactile controls

The Cairn takes a more heavy-duty approach. The extra materials and construction push the price slightly higher, to $69.99, available in three styles. It also includes a MagSafe-compatible magnet on the back with Qi2 wireless charging support.

Despite the added bulk, the camera island footprint is unchanged from the Edge — meaning the phone still wobbles on a flat surface. However, the Cairn does feature a solid raised lip around the display for reliable corner-to-corner screen protection.

Where the Cairn clearly pulls ahead is in its button design. The power and volume rockers receive satisfying tactile overlays, and the three Aaron Buttons on the left side are visibly protruding, making them far easier to locate and press by feel. Like the Edge, these buttons require a press-and-hold to fire the NFC tag — but the Cairn's raised profile means you don't need to brace the other side of the phone for leverage. That makes a genuine difference for one-handed use.

Setting up the Aaron Button app

The Aaron Button app is available on the Galaxy Apps store and can be downloaded directly on any Samsung Galaxy phone. If you haven't configured the buttons yet, pressing one will automatically prompt you to download the app.

Once installed, the app presents a curated list of preset commands commonly used for shortcut buttons. These are suggestions — you're free to ignore them and set up custom actions instead. Tapping a command and then pressing and holding the corresponding side button will assign it.

Actions configured directly through the Aaron Button app bypass Samsung's Routines system, which adds a slight layer of complexity to overall management. For any action routed through Routines, head to Settings → Modes & Routines to configure and manage your NFC tag assignments. Follow these steps to create a custom button action:

3. Tap the Plus button in the top right to create a new routine, or select an existing one from the list.

4. Tap the Plus button next to the If trigger, then select NFC tagged from the list.

5. When prompted, press and hold the button you want to assign.

6. Give the trigger a descriptive name — naming it after the intended action keeps things organized.

7. Back in the Create Routine menu, tap the Plus button under the Then section and select the action you want the button to perform.

Final thoughts: a practical upgrade for Galaxy S26 owners

Pitaka's cases aren't just protective shells — they add genuinely useful hardware that the Galaxy S26 is missing out of the box. While I typically gravitate toward slimmer cases, the Cairn's more tactile, easier-to-press buttons make it the better pick for everyday use despite the added thickness.

Either way, this is an easy recommendation for any Galaxy S26 owner. Three programmable buttons, deeper integration with One UI, and a meaningful boost in day-to-day convenience — all from a case upgrade.

My personal go-to assignments are Flashlight, launch Gemini, and Sound/Silent mode toggle. I've also found that mapping one button to the Voice Recorder app is a surprisingly handy alternative to Gemini — particularly if you've already restored the Gemini gesture trigger through Samsung's built-in workaround.