Samsung is doing something it rarely does: opening a major software beta to a mid-range device.
The Galaxy A36 is now part of the One UI 8.5 beta program in India, making it the only market where this will be available for the phone. The first beta build is a hefty 2,507.71MB download and carries firmware version A366EXXU8ZZD2.
To get it, open the Samsung Members app, find the beta banner for your device, and register. After that, go to Settings, then Software Update, and tap Download and Install.
What makes this notable is the context. Samsung has been steadily expanding the One UI 8.5 beta beyond the Galaxy S25 series, adding the S24, S23, and select Galaxy Z devices along the way. Those moves made sense, as Samsung has a track record of beta access for its premium lineup. The A36 is a different story.
Mid-range Galaxy devices almost never get beta access to major software builds. Hints had surfaced over the past week suggesting Samsung might push boundaries with this rollout, but even with those signals, the A36 felt like a stretch. It turns out it was not.
This is a meaningful shift in how Samsung treats its mid-tier user base. Whether it reflects a broader policy change or a one-off decision for the A36 remains to be seen. But for Galaxy A36 owners in India, it means earlier access to One UI 8.5 than anyone would have reasonably expected.
