Samsung’s software update cycle moves fast, and One UI 9 is already in motion. Just days ago, on May 12, 2026, Samsung quietly kicked off the beta program for the Galaxy S26 series, giving early adopters in the US, UK, India, Germany, Poland, and South Korea their first real look at what’s coming.
What’s Actually Changing (And What Isn’t)
One UI 8.5 handled most of the heavy visual lifting, so don’t expect a dramatic redesign here. One UI 9 is more refinement than reinvention. The brightness and volume sliders are thicker now, the lock screen media player has been upgraded with colorful waveform animations, and there are hints of more glassy visual effects appearing across the interface. Small, but noticeable once you spot them.
The media player also swaps “Media Output” for “This Phone” when selecting audio output, and some controls now appear as circular buttons rather than grouped inside rectangles. It’s cleaner.
Android 17 Is the Real Story
Under everything sits Android 17, and that’s where the more meaningful changes live. Any app can now open in a floating bubble. Apps are forced to adapt across screen sizes, which matters especially for foldable and tablet users who have long dealt with awkward letterboxing.
There’s also a proper system-level contacts picker now, meaning apps can no longer vacuum up your entire contact list after a single permission tap. Advanced Protection Mode adds another layer for security-conscious users. Satellite connectivity improvements and better UWB distance measurement round out the platform upgrades.
Release Timeline
One UI 9 stable is expected mid-2026, with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 likely launching on it out of the box.
Compatible Devices
Galaxy S Series
- Galaxy S23
- Galaxy S23+
- Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Galaxy S23 FE
- Galaxy S24
- Galaxy S24+
- Galaxy S24 Ultra
- Galaxy S24 FE
- Galaxy S25
- Galaxy S25+
- Galaxy S25 Ultra
- Galaxy S25 Edge
- Galaxy S25 FE
- Galaxy S26
- Galaxy S26+
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
Galaxy Z Series
- Galaxy Z Flip 5
- Galaxy Z Flip 6
- Galaxy Z Flip 7
- Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE
- Galaxy Z Fold 5
- Galaxy Z Fold 6
- Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition
- Galaxy Z Fold 7
- Galaxy Z TriFold
Galaxy A Series
- Galaxy A57
- Galaxy A56
- Galaxy A55
- Galaxy A54
- Galaxy A37
- Galaxy A36
- Galaxy A35
- Galaxy A34
- Galaxy A26
- Galaxy A25
- Galaxy A24
- Galaxy A17
- Galaxy A16 (LTE+5G)
- Galaxy A15 (LTE+5G)
- Galaxy A07 (LTE+5G)
Galaxy Tab Series
- Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S11 (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S10+ (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S10 FE (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S9 FE (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S9+ (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab S9 (Wi-Fi/5G)
- Galaxy Tab Active 5 Pro
- Galaxy Tab Active 5
Galaxy F Series
- Galaxy F06
- Galaxy F15
- Galaxy F16
- Galaxy F34
- Galaxy F36
- Galaxy F55
- Galaxy F56
Galaxy M Series
- Galaxy M06
- Galaxy M15
- Galaxy M16
- Galaxy M34
- Galaxy M54 5G
- Galaxy M55
- Galaxy M56
Galaxy XCover Series
- Galaxy Xcover 7
If your device is on this list, One UI 9 is coming. Samsung’s update commitments have improved significantly, and even mid-range hardware from a few years back is included. Sign up through the Samsung Members app if you want in on the beta before the stable rollout begins.
