Samsung One UI 8 vs 8.5 vs 9: What Galaxy users should know

Table of contents

Quick comparison: Samsung One UI 8 vs 8.5 vs 9

One UI 8

One UI 8.5

One UI 9

What this means for your Galaxy

Samsung has released three versions of One UI in about 10 months. If you own a Galaxy phone and are trying to make sense of what changed, what update your phone currently has, and what is coming next, this guide breaks it all down.

One UI 8 started rolling out in September 2025 and is now installed on hundreds of millions of Galaxy devices. One UI 8.5 first arrived on the Galaxy S26 series earlier in 2026 and began rolling out to older Galaxy phones on May 6, 2026. It is the biggest visual and AI upgrade Samsung has shipped in years. One UI 9 is still in beta as of May 2026. 

Here is how all three compare.

Quick comparison: Samsung One UI 8 vs 8.5 vs 9

Use the table below to see the key differences at a glance, then scroll down for the full breakdown of each version.

One UI 8

When it launched

One UI 8 is built on Android 16. The Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 were the first devices to ship with it, announced at Galaxy Unpacked in Brooklyn, New York, on July 9, 2025, and on sale from July 25. Samsung then began the broader rollout to existing Galaxy devices on September 15, 2025.

The global rollout kicked off three days later on September 18, 2025, covering markets including the US, UK, Germany, and India. The A56 and A36 received the update in Kenya and Nigeria from September 29 to 30, 2025.

What phones have One UI 8

As of May 23, 2026, the One UI 8 rollout is essentially complete. Every eligible Samsung Galaxy phone has received it. The full list of supported devices includes:

Galaxy S series

• Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, S25 Edge, S25 FE
• Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, S24 FE
• Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23 FE
• Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra
• Galaxy S21 FE

Galaxy Z series (foldables)

• Z Fold7, Z Flip7, Z Flip7 FE
• Z Fold6, Z Flip6
• Z Fold5, Z Flip5
• Z Fold4, Z Flip4 (this is their final major OS update)

The Galaxy A series (key models for the Nigerian market)

• A73 5G, A56 5G, A55 5G, A54 5G, A53 5G
• A36 5G, A35 5G, A34 5G, A33 5G
• A26 5G, A25 5G, A17 5G, A17, A16 5G, A16, A15 5G
• A07, A06 5G, A06

Galaxy Tab series

• Tab S11, Tab S11 Ultra
• Tab S10+, Tab S10 Ultra, Tab S10 FE, Tab S10 FE+, Tab S10 Lite
• Tab S9, S9+, S9 Ultra, S9 FE, S9 FE+
• Tab S8, S8+, S8 Ultra
• Tab S6 Lite (2024), Tab A9, A9+, A11, A11+

Galaxy M / F / XCover series

• M56, M55, M54, M34, M16
• F56, F55, F34, F16
• XCover6 Pro, XCover7, XCover7 Pro, Tab Active5 Pro

What One UI 8 added

One UI 8 was a refinement update rather than a full visual overhaul. The biggest additions included:

• Now Brief and Now Bar upgrades: personalised daily updates covering traffic, reminders, and Galaxy Watch health stats. Now Bar has also gained support for more third-party apps and appeared on the Z Flip’s cover screen.
• Galaxy AI for large screens: drag-and-drop of AI-generated content into Multi Window, plus Drawing Assist and Writing Assist on foldables and tablets.
• Gemini Live on FlexWindow: voice-driven Gemini access directly from the Z Flip’s cover screen.
• Audio Eraser expanded: single-tap noise removal is now available in video apps, Voice Recorder, and Samsung Notes.
• Portrait Studio for pets: AI-generated studio photos for dogs, cats, and birds.
• Adaptive lock-screen clock: a new clock that wraps around faces in the wallpaper, with adjustable size and colour.
• Call Captions and Interpreter: live captions for noisy environments and a typing-based translation tool.
• Knox KEEP security and Post-Quantum Cryptography on Secure Wi-Fi.

One UI 8.5

When it launched

One UI 8.5 is built on Android 16 QPR2, which is a quarterly update to Android 16 rather than a brand-new Android version. Despite sharing the same Android base as One UI 8, this version carries the biggest visible changes Samsung has shipped in years.

It first launched on February 25, 2026, at Galaxy Unpacked in San Francisco, where Samsung announced the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra. All three phones came with One UI 8.5 pre-installed. They went on sale on March 11, 2026.

Samsung began the stable rollout for older devices in South Korea on May 6, 2026. The global wave followed on May 11, covering Europe, India, North America, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and more. A wider expansion to the A-series and older flagships continued from May 18 to 22.

What phones have One UI 8.5

As of May 23, 2026, here is where the rollout stands:

Already received the stable update

• Galaxy S26, S26+, S26 Ultra (pre-installed at launch, March 11, 2026)
• Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, S25 Edge, S25 FE
• Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, S24 FE
• Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23 FE
• Galaxy Z Fold7, Z Flip7, Z Flip7 FE, Galaxy Z TriFold
• Galaxy Z Fold6, Z Flip6
• Galaxy Z Fold5, Z Flip5
• Galaxy Tab S11, Tab S11 Ultra, Tab S10 FE, Tab S10 FE+
• Galaxy A56 5G and Galaxy A36 5G

Confirmed eligible and rolling out soon

• Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra (rollout confirmed from May 26, 2026; this is their final major update)
• Tab S10+, Tab S10 Ultra, Tab S10 Lite, Tab S9 series, Tab S8 series
• Galaxy A57, A55, A54, A53, A37, A35, A34, A26, A25, A24, A17, A16, A15, A07, A06
• Galaxy M56, M55, M54, M34, M16; Galaxy F-series
• Galaxy XCover 6 Pro, XCover 7, XCover 7 Pro, Tab Active5/5 Pro

Not eligible

• Galaxy S21 series (non-FE), Galaxy Note 20 series
• Galaxy A devices older than 2023

What One UI 8.5 added

One UI 8.5 is the update that makes your Galaxy look and feel meaningfully different. The changes span the design, AI tools, cross-device features, and privacy controls.

Visual redesign

• A glassier look across the interface, with blur and translucency applied system-wide
• Floating tab bar in Samsung’s stock apps
• Redesigned Clock, Voice Recorder, and Gallery apps
• Three new lock-screen clock styles and a new tap-to-wake animation
• Automatic wallpaper layout that fits faces and widgets around photos of people and pets
• Search bars moved to the bottom of many Samsung apps, including Settings, for easier one-handed use
• Samsung Internet has been renamed to Samsung Browser, with an Ask AI feature in select markets

Galaxy AI additions (ported down from the Galaxy S26)

• Now Nudge: a context-aware AI that surfaces suggestions and shortcuts based on what is on your screen. If you are texting about dinner, it suggests nearby restaurants.
• Photo Assist upgraded: you can now describe changes in plain words. Asking it to change a scene from day to night or restore a missing part of an image works as a prompt.
• Creative Studio: a new native app that uses on-device AI for stickers, invitations, wallpapers, and personalised images.
• Real-time Audio Eraser: background noise removal now works system-wide and inside third-party apps like YouTube and Instagram, in real time.
• Document Scanner: multi-page scanning with automatic removal of fingers, shadows, and paper clips.
• Call Screening: Bixby answers calls from unknown numbers, asks who is calling, and shows you a live transcript before you decide to join.

Bixby: the biggest upgrade since 2017

Samsung rebuilt Bixby for One UI 8.5. You can now give it natural-language commands like “I do not want the screen to time out while I am still looking at it”, and it toggles the right setting automatically.

• Perplexity AI integration: real-time, citation-backed web search results delivered inside Bixby, with conversation history
• You can also choose to use Gemini or Perplexity alongside Bixby, depending on the task
• Third-party app integrations now include Uber, Skyscanner, HERE Maps, and The Weather Channel

Cross-device and sharing features

• Quick Share with AirDrop compatibility: toggle “Share with Apple devices” in Quick Share settings to send and receive files with iPhones, iPads, and Macs. This works on the Galaxy S22 and newer flagships, as well as the Galaxy A36. Note: the Galaxy S23 series stable build does not include this feature due to chipset requirements.
• Storage Share: shows files from your other Galaxy devices, tablets, and PCs directly inside the My Files app
• Family Device Sharing: bundles Quick Share, Camera Share, Storage Share, Auto Hotspot, and Multi Control under one feature
• Bluetooth Auracast: broadcast through your phone’s microphone, with unified broadcast and listen controls in Settings

Quick Panel and customisation

• Add or remove any shortcut, resize toggles, switch between horizontal and vertical sliders, and set custom Quick Panel backgrounds via Good Lock QuickStar
• New portrait camera filters, animated wallpapers with real-time weather effects, and weather-based alarm backgrounds
• Timezone converter built into the Clock app
• Partial screen recording: record only a portion of your display
• Direct Voicemail with AI transcripts and summaries, replacing carrier voicemail

Privacy and security

• Theft Protection: data safeguarding if your device is lost or stolen
• Failed Authentication Lock: auto-locks after repeated failed fingerprint, PIN, or password attempts
• Private Album in Gallery: a biometric or PIN-locked hidden album that does not require a separate Samsung Account login
• Privacy Alerts: AI flags apps that misuse precise location access or admin privileges
• Sleep Time Protection: intelligent overnight charging to protect battery health

One UI 9

When it launched

One UI 9 is built on Android 17. Samsung announced the beta program on May 12, 2026, and pushed the first beta build to Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra users on May 13, 2026. The beta is available in Germany, India, Korea, Poland, the UK, and the US. Nigeria is not included in the official beta markets.

The stable version of One UI 9 is expected to debut with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 at the next Galaxy Unpacked event. Multiple Korean outlets cite July 22, 2026, in London as the date, but Samsung has not officially confirmed it.

What phones will get One UI 9

Samsung has not published the official list yet. Based on its update policies, here is what to expect:

Launch devices (out of the box)

• Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, and the rumoured Galaxy Z Wide Fold

First stable wave: July to August 2026

• Galaxy S26, S26+, S26 Ultra
• Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, S25 Edge, S25 FE

Second wave: August to September 2026

• Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, S24 FE
• Galaxy Z Fold7, Z Flip7, Z Flip7 FE
• Galaxy Z Fold6, Z Flip6

Third wave: Q4 2026

• Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23 FE
• Galaxy Z Fold5, Z Flip5

A-series, M-series, and tablets: Q4 2026 to early 2027

• Galaxy A57, A56, A55, A37, A36, A35, A26, A25, A17, A16, A15, A07
• Galaxy M56, M55, M54
• Galaxy Tab S11, S10, S9 series; Tab A11, A11+

Phones that will not get One UI 9

• Galaxy S22 series, S21 FE, Z Fold4, Z Flip4, Tab S8 series, and older A/M/F devices

If your phone is on this list, One UI 8.5 is your final major update.

What One UI 9 adds

Samsung says the full AI feature set for One UI 9 is reserved for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 launch. What the beta shows right now is mostly refinements built on top of One UI 8.5’s foundation.

Confirmed features from the beta include:

• Samsung Notes Tape: You can cover parts of your notes with decorative digital tape that reveals the content underneath when peeled. Useful for study notes or hiding sensitive parts of screenshots.
• Creative Studio inside Contacts: generate personalised AI profile cards for contacts directly from the Contacts app, without switching to a separate app.
• Quick Panel overhaul: brightness, sound, and media player controls are now independently adjustable with more size options.
• Text Spotlight: tap any text to show it in an enlarged floating window, making it easier to read on smaller screens.
• High-risk app protection: One UI 9 warns you, blocks the app, and recommends deletion when a newly installed app is flagged as a security risk.
• Samsung DeX improvements: easier window moves between desktops, desktop previews in Recents, and persistent window-size memory.
• Game Booster panel: adjust screen resolution and screenshot settings without leaving your game.
• Location indicator: a blue dot in the status bar shows when an app accesses your location. Tap it to see exactly which app.
• Lock-screen media player: colourful waveform animations on the progress bar, circular control buttons, and a cleaner audio output selector.

Features that have been reported but not officially confirmed by Samsung include NFC-based Tap to Share, broader glass UI effects, per-app dark theme, and granular notification rules.

What this means for your Galaxy

Galaxy S22, S23, S24, S25, S26 or any Z Fold/Flip from Fold5 onward

Install One UI 8.5 as soon as your Settings app shows the update. The AirDrop-with-iPhones feature alone is worth it; file sharing with iPhone users in your contacts becomes a one-tap action. You do not need to wait for One UI 9 because most of the headline visuals and AI changes have already arrived in 8.5.

Galaxy A36, A56, A55, A54, A35, A34, A26, A17, A16, A15

Your phone is on Samsung’s eligible list. The A36 and A56 are already getting it, and the rest should arrive in June 2026. AI features will be slimmer than on flagships because of hardware differences. Photo Assist and Audio Eraser should work. Full Creative Studio and on-device Bixby may be limited depending on your model.

Galaxy S22 owners

One UI 8.5 is rolling out to the S22 series from May 26, 2026. Install it; it is your final major update. Security patches will continue until February 2027, after which Samsung will stop supporting the S22 series entirely. If you are thinking of buying a refurbished S22, know that Android 17 will not be available for it.

Galaxy S21 FE, Note 20, A52s, A22, A23 owners

Your phone has reached the end of major OS upgrades. If you want continued software support and the newer AI features, the Galaxy A36, A56, or S24 FE are worth considering. All three carry six to seven years of remaining update support from Samsung.

On the One UI 9 beta

The beta is not open in Nigeria, so you cannot officially sign up. Even if you could, it is worth holding off. Beta builds often have bugs that affect USSD-based mobile banking, which every major Nigerian bank still uses. A data connectivity bug was patched in the very first One UI 9 hotfix. 

If you have a spare Galaxy S26 and still want to try the beta, wait for the second or third build in mid-June when the most common issues have been addressed.