One UI 8.5 hands-on: A first look at Samsung's next big update!

One UI 8.5 is out. Or is it? Well, Samsung hasn't released it, and it won't be doing so before 2026. However, early One UI 8.5 test builds for the Galaxy S25 Ultra have made their way online, and we decided to take it for a spin to see what Samsung is cooking.

While the build is buggy and clearly unfinished, it's operational enough to give us a good look at the major changes that are coming with Samsung's next big update. And unfortunately, some changes may ruin the usability that One UI is so popular for.

How, you ask? Well, as you may have seen already, some Samsung apps are getting a visual overhaul, and the company has decided to remove the text below the icons in the bottom navigation bar.

Two notable examples are Gallery and Phone, as you can see in the screenshot below. This may not be that big of a deal for everyone, but it does suggest Samsung is making some changes just for the sake of change, and that's never a good idea.

But don't let that dampen your excitement, because in other areas, One UI 8.5 is shaping up to be a lovely update. Take the quick panel — One UI 8.5 makes it extremely customizable. You can place any toggle, widget, or slider wherever you want; the volume and brightness sliders can now be either horizontal or vertical; and if you prefer, you can even strip the quick panel down to almost nothing.

The Gallery app looks dramatically different. Buttons are noticeably larger throughout, and the top half of the UI no longer just displays an album’s name on a plain black or white background. Instead, it now shows a preview of the latest photo or video in that album. This seems to take inspiration from iOS, and hey, we like it!

The Camera app largely keeps its layout, but Samsung has reorganized its settings. Video options are now broken into clearer menus, with separate toggles for audio, formats (including HDR and log), and dual recording. Some watermark and motion photo settings are also expanded, though no major new features have been added yet.

There are some other notable changes in One UI 8.5. Menus in the Settings app have more rounded corners, larger spacing, and smoother animations. The search bar has shifted to the bottom, which will likely make users use the function a lot more. Samsung has also refreshed the battery menu with new UI elements.

The battery icon in the status bar is gone and has been replaced by a simple percentage display, though the charging animation introduced in One UI 7 remains. The percentage turns red when battery is running low turns into a leaf when you enable power saving mode.

The My Files app also gets a search bar at the bottom, and it highlights important sections such as recent files and the internal storage on the main screen with a blurred glass-like background.

Samsung is also finally adding its own version of the Android easter egg, only it isn't hiding it away: when you enter the Settings > Software update menu, you see a nice little splash image with the One UI version. There's a Check for updates button at the bottom, and other options like Auto download over Wi-Fi can now be accessed by hitting the More button at the top.

One UI 8.5 is more of a visual update rather than a feature-packed release. While many elements still feel unfinished, the redesigned settings, fresh app and UI visuals, and especially the deep customization of the Quick Panel stand out as major improvements.

The build we tested is missing some of the leaked and rumored features, such as file transfer over NFC by tapping two devices together and new AI tools like Meeting Assist and the ability to generate product reviews. Samsung will likely add these as development on One UI 8.5 progresses.

Still, even in this early state, One UI 8.5 is looking like a bold iteration of Samsung's software that will make fans happy when it eventually starts rolling out to eligible devices.