One UI 8.5 introduces two enhancements for Samsung’s Now Bar

Samsung has already released the One UI 8.5 beta update, which includes several notable upgrades, including enhancements to the Now Bar feature.

​Earlier this week, Samsung opened the Android 16-based One UI 8.5 beta program for the Galaxy S25 series in selected markets, including the US, UK, Korea, and Germany, and is expected to expand it to more eligible countries.

​Samsung has offered notable customization options, new features, UI enhancements, and tweaks with the latest One UI 8.5 beta update. One of the notable improvements the update brings is for the Now Bar feature.

​A new report from Android Authority revealed that One UI 8.5 brings two Now Bar enhancements for the flashlight feature and the new look for YouTube recommendations in the Now Brief widget. In the recent One UI version, the flashlight was hidden in the quick settings. Now with the latest update, a “torch on” icon appears right in the Now Bar at the top of the screen.

This new change will prevent you from forgetting that the flashlight is on. “Torch on” card will appear in the Now Brief widget, which helps you to turn the flashlight off instantly without searching through settings.

​Apart from this, the update also upgrades the YouTube recommendations in the Now Brief widget. Currently, the YouTube video appears in a small vertical list that looks small; however, it’s no longer the case, as in the new update, it has switched to a horizontal carousel layout. This change makes the YouTube feed clearer and more modern.