Samsung One UI 8.5: Everything you need to know

Samsung’s One UI interface continues to evolve with each new version, and next year, we will see something we haven't seen for a long time: a x.5 version of One UI. In the early days of One UI, major new versions were followed by x.1 and x.5 updates. Between One UI 1.0 and One UI 2.0, we got One UI 1.1 and One UI 1.5, and One UI 2.1 and One UI 2.5 were released between 2.0 and 3.0.

Samsung then shifted strategy and decided to replace the x.5 versions with x.1.1 updates, which were tailored for foldable phones and software features that took advantage of that form factor. That version number scheme has been the standard since then, but Samsung is bringing the x.5 version out of retirement next year.

Samsung made a leap from One UI 7.0 to One UI 8.0, owing to the former's later-than-usual release. While it isn't making a similar jump from One UI 8.0 to One UI 9.0, it is skipping version 8.1 and even 8.1.1 and going to One UI 8.5.

Will Samsung make this the standard way of numbering minor One UI updates going forward? That remains to be seen. But for the next one (no pun intended), x.5 is making a comeback.

One UI 8.5, based on Android 16, will debut on the Galaxy S26 series in early 2026. One UI 8.5 looks primarily to be a visual update, with Samsung making notable changes to the user interface in its apps.

The biggest practical upgrade, as revealed in leaked One UI 8.5 firmware, is the ability to completely customize the quick panel. Any widget, toggle, or card can now be moved anywhere, and most can even be deleted.

The search bar in many Samsung apps, including the Settings app, has moved to the bottom of the screen for easier access in one-handed use. One UI 8.5 also introduces improved protection for sensitive info in images you share.

Samsung is also working on an update to the Samsung Internet browser for One UI 8.5 and the Galaxy S26 lineup. Additionally, the Now Brief Galaxy AI feature has been updated to double as a toggle for the flashlight when it’s turned on.

Visually, there are many interesting changes. Samsung has introduced 3D icons for apps, or icons that look more three-dimensional than usual thanks to the use of shadows and curves. Inside system apps like Gallery and Phone, Samsung has switched from text-based icons to non-text icons for the bottom navigation bar.

On the lock screen, users will find three new styles for the clock. There's also a subtle new animation for Always On Displays — the wake-up animation when double tapping the screen now starts from the point of contact. Last but not least, Samsung is finally introducing a proper logo for One UI, similar to that of the Android easter egg.

How quickly One UI 8.5 reaches existing devices will largely depend on the scope of its changes. If Samsung packs in substantial new Galaxy AI features (as of October 9, very few have been reported), the rollout could take as long as two months after the Galaxy S26 launch.

However, Samsung will give users a chance to test One UI 8.5 through a beta program sometime in late November.

The list of One UI 8.5 eligible devices will more or less include the same devices that are eligible for One UI 8. That means every flagship Galaxy phone launched since 2022 and numerous mid-rangers and some budget phones and tablets launched since 2023. For some of these, One UI 8.5 will be the final feature update.

Here's a tentative list of devices that could get the One UI 8.5 update: