Android 13, along with Samsung’s newest version of its One UI skin, is now rolling out for millions of Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra owners all around the world. Samsung has released the major update in dozens of countries on the first day itself, making this pretty much the fastest rollout of a newer operating system for Galaxy smartphones in the company’s history of making Galaxy smartphones.
In most of Europe to many countries in Asia (including Korea and India), Galaxy S22 owners can now download the Android 13 and One UI 5.0 update and start enjoying a whole boatload of features. There’s plenty of new stuff for everyone in this update, and we’ve picked three areas where Samsung has made some particularly interesting additions.
One UI 5 gives you extensive lock screen customization features
On One UI 5.0, you can customize your phone’s lock screen to a much higher degree than what has been possible before. You can select various types of gradient backgrounds for the lock screen in addition to a variety of wallpapers, change the clock type, font, color, and more, and also edit your lock screen widgets. The lock screen on One UI 5.0 is now basically a tinkerer’s paradise, and you can go nuts making it look exactly the way you want.
Check out the video below to see just how good the lock screen customization is on Android 13 and One UI 5.0 for Galaxy smartphones.
One UI 5 brings improved privacy features to keep your data safe
Another area that Samsung has focused on with One UI 5.0 is privacy and security. The new security and privacy dashboard accessible from the Settings app gives you an at-a-glance look at the status of various aspects of your phone, such as the lock screen, your Google or Samsung accounts, and app security.
When sharing photos, your Galaxy phone will automatically detect and notify you if any of the photos you are sharing contain sensitive information, such as credit cards, passports, and other such data. And for when you’re giving your phone in for repairs, or perhaps lending it to a friend or family member of yours, there’s the new Maintenance mode.
With Maintenance mode turned on, the phone hides your personal data, including pictures, messages, and accounts, and only allows access to apps that come pre-installed on the device out of the box. This negates the need for factory resetting your device if you’re lending it to someone or leaving it with Samsung customer care for repairs.
Camera and Gallery get some nifty additions
One UI 5 also brings some new Camera and Gallery features and improvements to existing functionality. The option to watermark pictures is now standard across all Galaxy devices that run (or will run) Android 13, instead of being limited to select devices as has been the case till Android 12 and One UI 4.x.
In Food mode, you can now take better close-up shots of food if your phone is equipped with a zoom camera. Zooming in and out in the regular photo mode has also been streamlined to help you more easily zoom in and out of a scene with a single swipe. And those who like to manually set shooting parameters before taking a picture can now get tips in Pro mode on how to best utilize all the options and controls.
Samsung has also streamlined the filter selection menu in the Camera app and the built-in photo and video editors by putting all available filters in a single list so you don’t have to go searching too hard for your favorite one. In the Gallery app, you now have more extensive control over which albums are displayed or hidden, and you can even create albums that are automatically updated with photos of the people you select!
Check out the videos below for details on many more One UI 5 features
There’s a lot more to One UI 5 and Android 13 than the stuff mentioned above, and you can watch our YouTube videos embedded below for more details. You can also check out the complete changelog here. And, of course, don’t forget to check if the update is available for your Galaxy S22, S22+, or S22 Ultra from the Settings » Software update menu. Our firmware archives also have the Android 13 firmware available for download if you’re interested in manually upgrading your device.
