Samsung’s One UI sits on top of Android and makes the phone easier to use. It comes with helpful features, smart tricks, and Samsung’s own style. In early 2025, Samsung released One UI 8 (based on Android 16). People liked it because it was smooth and clean. Now everyone is waiting for the next update: One UI 8.5. So let us reveal all the things you should know about OneUI 8.5 inside this blog.
What We Know So Far About OneUI 8.5?
Samsung has not officially announced One UI 8.5 yet (as of December 4, 2025). Many leaks show what it might include. One UI 8.5 is expected to be a mid-year update, not a full new version. But it will add new features, design improvements, and better AI tools.
People expect One UI 8.5 to first appear on the Galaxy S26 series. After that, it may roll out to other Samsung phones depending on Samsung’s update policy. In this guide, you’ll learn about the expected release date, features, and eligible devices.
In recent leaks, two new features have been added. These two key additions are Direct Voicemail and a dedicated Private Alum. Direct Voicemail shows live transcripts as callers leave messages, lets you pick up mid-voicemail, and stores transcripts locally. The new Private Album sits directly in the Gallery, offering a fingerprint, face, or password-protected space for securely moving selected photos. This update simplifies access to secure media and enhances call management on Samsung devices
Top Features Of Samsung One UI 8.5
Let me show you all the top features of the Samsung One UI 8.5 that you will like. Here are the top features of Samsung One UI 8.5:
Personal Data Intelligence
Personal data Intelligence is a feature in Samsung devices that uses AI to analyze data storage patterns, phone usage patterns, network usage patterns, and more, and accordingly manage your data and apps. This feature will get better inside the One UI 8.5
Along with this, there will also be an Intelligent Network Switch for seamless handoff to mobile data based on movement and signal loss.
Network Battery Saver
One UI 8.5 will introduce a network battery saver. When you are not using your phone, it will turn this mode on to save your network and battery, even if your internet is on.
Sensitive Filter for Photos
A special sensitive filter for the Photos app is coming, in which sensitive videos and images will be asked to be put in special places, and even before downloading them, you’ll be alerted.
Private Album
Another photo update that this OS will bring is that there will be a Private Album in the Gallery app where you can hide photos and videos securely.
3D Icons For Apps
This OS upgrade will bring a visual enhancement where specific apps will appear in a three-dimensional visual design.
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New Animations
Samsung One UI 8.5 will bring many new animations, UI effects, smoother notification bar transitions, and new widgets.
Redesigned Quick Settings Panel
There will be a newly appearing Quick Settings Panel with a new appearance and featuring an optimised layout and faster-access toggles.
Link Assessment
This OS upgrade will feature Intelligent Link Assessment that learns your Wi-Fi signal patterns and prioritises the strongest network.
Machine Learning Upgrades And Galaxy AI Advancements
The One UI 8.5 will bring a lot of AI tools and AI integration to make your phone work faster and smoother. This will be powered by machine-learning optimisations with better resource allocation and a performance boost for your phone.
Notification Summaries
There might also be an AI-enabled feature of notification summaries. This will help you get a summarised note of all your notifications on your Samsung phone.
Also Read: iOS 26.1 Beta 2 Release: New Features & Bug Fixes
Samsung One UI 8.5 Release Date: When Will It Launch?
Samsung is testing its new software One UI 8.5. The rollout will happen in different stages. Here’s the easy breakdown:
OneUI 8.5Beta Testing
The Beta 1 starts in USA, UK, South Korea, and Germany. It is mainly for Galaxy S25 Phones. Samsung has already started preparing the test versions.
Beta 2: December 22, 2025
Now, the Beta 2 expands to India, Poland, and more countries. More devices are going to join. This includes devices like the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7.
Beta 3: January 5, 2026
Samsung will fix bugs and improve features based on user feedback. Users can give feedback through the Samsung Members app.
If you want to join beta testing, look for the beta section on Samsung Community forums.
Stable (Final) Release Schedule
| Category | Release Time | Devices Included |
|---|---|---|
| 1. First Release | Late January or Early February 2026 | Comes pre-installed on Galaxy S26 series |
| 2. Flagship Phones | Mid-March 2026 | – Galaxy S25 – Galaxy S24 – Z Fold7 – Z Flip7 – Tab S11 |
| 3. Older Phones | By End of May 2026 | Older flagships: S23, Z Fold6 Mid-range: A56, A36 Budget models: some selected phones Total: 100+ devices updated by June 2026 |
If your device already has One UI 8, updating to 8.5 will be easy. Just go to: Settings > Software Update
Also Read: What’s New In Apple iPhone 17 Pro Camera Setup: Specs And Features!
Samsung One UI 8.5 Eligible Devices: Full List
Here are all the devices that will be eligible for the Samsung One UI 8.5 upgrade:
| Category | Devices That Will Get One UI 8.5 |
|---|---|
| Galaxy S Series | – S26 / S26+ / S26 Ultra (pre-installed) – S25 / S25+ / S25 Ultra – S24 / S24+ / S24 Ultra / S24 FE – S23 / S23+ / S23 Ultra / S23 FE – S22 / S22+ / S22 UltraS21 FE |
| Galaxy Z Series (Fold & Flip) | Z Fold8, Fold7, Fold6, Fold5, Z Flip8, Flip7, Flip6, Flip5 |
| Galaxy A Series | A56, A36, A26, A16A55, A35, A25 (5G)A15, A05 (selected variants) |
| Galaxy M / F Series | M56, M36, M16F56, F36, F16 (LTE/5G) |
| Galaxy Tab Series | – Tab S11 / S11+ / S11 Ultra – Tab S10 / S10+ / S10 Ultra / FE – Tab S9 / S9+ / S9 Ultra / FE – Tab S8 / S8+ / S8 UltraTab A9+, Tab A8.4 |
| Galaxy XCover Series | XCover7 Pro, XCover6 Pro |
| Galaxy Watch (Wear OS) | – Watch7 / Watch7 Ultra – Watch6 / Watch6 Classic – Watch5 / Watch5 Pro – Watch4 / Watch4 Classic |
End Note
Samsung One UI 8.5 is here to make the stage change for OS upgrades. In the era where OS upgrades are bringing their A game forward, and the best upgrades in terms of both UI and AI are being made, One UI 8.5 will mark its name forward. Let’s see whether it moves ahead of its competitors, and makes Samsung phones the best OS holders, or the showstoppers become showfloppers in front of the audience. Keep coming for more such upgrades.
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