Octyl glucoside (n-octyl-β-d-glucoside) is a nonionic surfactant frequently used to solubilise integral membrane proteins for studies in biochemistry.

Like Genapol X-100 and Triton X-100, it is a nonphysiological amphiphile that makes lipid bilayers less "stiff".

[3] Above its critical micelle concentration of 0.025 M[1] (~0.7% w/v), it was noted as the best detergent for improving selectivity of immunoprecipitation of phosphotyrosine modified proteins.

[4] This detergent has also been shown to rapidly inactivate infective HIV at concentrations above its CMC.

[8] Octyl glucoside has been proposed as a conditioning agent to prevent microbial colonization of contact lenses, due to its ability to lower the hydrophobicity of contact lenses and prevent adhesion of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.