Samsung One UI 9 beta is here: What Galaxy users should know

Table of contents

What is One UI 9?

What is new in One UI 9

Which Samsung Galaxy phones will get One UI 9

When will your phone get the update

How to join the One UI 9 Beta

Samsung has officially launched the One UI 9 beta, built on Android 17, starting with the Galaxy S26 series. The beta went live on May 13, 2026, in six countries, and the stable rollout is widely expected to land in July alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8. Here is what is confirmed, what is still based on reports, and what you can realistically expect for your phone.

What is One UI 9?

One UI 9 is the next major version of Samsung’s Android software, coming after One UI 8.5. According to Samsung’s Global Newsroom announcement on May 12, 2026, One UI 9 is built on Android 17, Google’s new annual Android release.

Here is what Samsung has officially confirmed:

• Version: One UI 9.0, based on Android 17
• Beta announcement: May 12, 2026
• First beta pushed to devices: May 13, 2026
• Eligible beta device: Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra only, for now
• Beta markets (Phase 1): United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and South Korea
• Beta markets (Phase 2, from May 26, 2026): India and Poland
• Stable release: Samsung says the “full experience” will debut on “upcoming Galaxy flagship devices later this year”

Samsung has not officially confirmed a stable launch date. However, multiple credible reports from Korean outlets Seoul Economic Daily and Korea Economic TV, and backed by SamMobile and Tom’s Guide, point to a Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22, 2026, in London. That event is where the Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 are expected to debut, running a stable version of One UI 9. Treat the July 22 date and London venue as reported, not officially confirmed by Samsung at the time of writing.

What is new in One UI 9

Samsung says the beta is built around four areas: creativity, customisation, accessibility, and security. The bigger AI features are being saved for the stable release, so what you are seeing in the beta right now is lighter than past major One UI launches.

Confirmed by Samsung’s newsroom

1. User interface and customisation:

• Quick Panel redesign: Brightness, sound, and media player controls are now independently adjustable rather than grouped together. You also get more size options to rearrange the layout however you want.
• Samsung Notes: New creative tools have been added, including decorative tapes and a wider range of pen line styles.
• Contacts app: You can now access Creative Studio directly from Contacts to design personalised profile cards, without jumping between apps. This requires the Creative Studio app, a network connection, and a Samsung Account.

2. Accessibility:

• Mouse Key speed adjustment: For users who navigate using an on-screen cursor via keyboard.
• Combined TalkBack package: Merges screen reader features previously offered separately by Google and Samsung.
• Text Spotlight: A new feature that shows selected text larger and more clearly in a floating window, useful if you have difficulty reading small text.

3. Security:

• High-risk app blocking: When Samsung’s security policy updates flag a new high-risk app, One UI 9 warns you, blocks installation and execution, and recommends you delete it.

Reported by credible secondaries

SamMobile, TechRadar, and 9to5Google have documented smaller visual tweaks that are visible in the first beta build, even though Samsung did not list them in the official press release:

• Thicker display brightness and volume sliders.
• The lock-screen media player widget now has colourful waveform animations. The audio-output picker also reads ‘This Phone’ instead of ‘Media Output.’
• Some media control buttons now appear circular.
• Parental Controls have been moved to a dedicated section in Settings, away from the Digital Wellbeing menu used in One UI 8.5.

SamMobile notes that One UI 8.5 already brought a major visual overhaul, so One UI 9 reads more like a refinement in these early builds. More features are likely to appear as later beta builds drop.

Android 17 features Samsung inherits

Because One UI 9 runs on Android 17, your phone should also pick up the platform improvements Google has built in. These are based on Google’s Android Developers blog and Android Central reporting:

• Floating app bubbles: Long-press any app icon in the launcher to open it in a floating bubble that stays on top of whatever else you are doing. On foldables and tablets, a bubble bar lives inside the taskbar.
• System-level Contacts Picker: Apps can no longer demand full access to your entire address book. Android 17 introduces a system picker that gives apps temporary access only to the specific contacts you select.
• Adaptive screen sizing: Google now enforces stricter rules for screens 600 dp or larger, preventing developers from locking apps to a single orientation on tablets and foldables.
• SMS and OTP protection: One-time codes are no longer delivered freely to apps that do not legitimately need them. There is also a new local network permission called ACCESS_LOCAL_NETWORK.
• Cross-device Handoff API: Lets you resume app activity across linked Android devices. This feature is still in Beta 2 of Android 17.

Samsung has not officially confirmed which Android 17 features will appear in One UI 9 exactly as Google designed them. OEM software often reimplements system features differently. Treat this list as expected, not guaranteed, until the stable build lands.

What is still speculative

• A redesigned Quick Panel music player that adapts colour to album art. This comes from tipster Alfaturk via Sammy Fans and is not in Samsung’s press release.
• Improvements to Now Brief, the feature that sends notification reminders during the day. Android Authority, via Sammy Fans, reported this based on early beta observations, but Samsung has not confirmed it.
• The ‘advanced AI features’ Samsung teased for the stable build remain unspecified. Samsung separately confirmed that Gemini Intelligence will arrive on Galaxy devices this summer but provided no specifics.

Which Samsung Galaxy phones will get One UI 9

Samsung has not yet published an official list of eligible devices for One UI 9. Any list you see right now, including this one, is based on Samsung’s 4- to 7-year update commitments and the One UI 8.5 eligibility list. It is an educated projection, not a Samsung statement.

Expected to qualify

Based on Samsung’s update policy:

• Galaxy S series: S26, S26+, S26 Ultra (already on the beta); S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, S25 Edge, S25 FE; S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, S24 FE; S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23 FE
• Foldables: Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 (will ship with it); Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, Z Flip 7 FE; Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6; Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5; Z Fold Special Edition and Z TriFold
• Galaxy A series (select models): A57, A56, A55, A37, A36, A35, A26, A25, A17, A16, A15, A07, including LTE and 5G variants
• Tablets: Tab S11, S11 Ultra; Tab S10, S10+, S10 Ultra, S10 FE, S10 FE+; Tab S9, S9+, S9 Ultra, S9 FE, S9 FE+; Tab Active 5 and Active 5 Pro

Confirmed not to receive One UI 9

These devices have reached the end of Samsung’s update cycle:

• Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra: One UI 8.5 is their final feature upgrade. Only quarterly security patches from here.
• Galaxy S21 FE: Reported as end-of-life with One UI 8.5. Samsung has not made a separate public announcement, but the device falls outside the update window.
• Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4: Same four-year policy applies. One UI 8.5 is their last major upgrade.
• Galaxy Tab S8 series: Also ends at One UI 8.5.
• Older A-series (A53, A54): At or near the end of their major-update cycle, depending on region.

The ‘not eligible’ list comes from update-policy analysis by Nokiamob and Beebom, and from Samsung Community moderator statements. It is not from a single Samsung press release. The conclusion is solid: Samsung’s published support windows for those devices end with One UI 8.5, but it is worth noting that the wording ‘confirmed not to get One UI 9′ is inferred from policy rather than from a Samsung exclusion list.

When will your phone get the update

Beta (available now)

• Galaxy S26 series only.
• Phase 1 started May 13, 2026, in the US, UK, Germany, and South Korea.
• Phase 2 opens from May 26, 2026, in India and Poland.
• No African market is included in the official beta. Samsung typically does not run major One UI betas in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria.

Stable rollout

The stable launch is widely expected at the next Galaxy Unpacked event, with Korean outlets and SamMobile reporting a July 22, 2026, London date. Samsung has not officially confirmed the date or venue.

The expected order after stable launch:

• The Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 will ship with One UI 9 out of the box.
• Galaxy S26 and S25 series are expected to receive the stable update around the same window, late July to August.
• Galaxy S24 series, Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, Z Fold 6, and Z Flip 6 typically follow within weeks.
• Galaxy S23 series, S23 FE, Z Fold 5, and Z Flip 5 tend to land in the next wave.
• A-series mid-rangers and tablets usually receive the update later in 2026 and into early 2027.

Samsung’s rollout for Africa, including Nigeria, typically lags Europe and Asia by several weeks, and sometimes months, for carrier-locked phones. Some lower-power A-series devices may also lack certain features due to hardware limitations, according to How-To Geek and Sammy Fans.

How to join the One UI 9 Beta

If you own a Galaxy S26, S26+, or S26 Ultra in one of the six eligible markets, here is the process Samsung’s newsroom and SamMobile describe:

1. Open the Samsung Members app on your Galaxy S26. It comes pre-installed. If it is missing, download it from the Galaxy Store or Play Store.
2. Sign in with the Samsung Account linked to your phone.
3. Look for the ‘One UI 9 Beta Programme’ banner on the home tab or in the Notices or Beta section.
4. Tap the banner and register. Accept the terms and conditions.
5. Once registered, go to Settings> Software update> Download and install, then tap Check for updates. The first beta firmware will appear. Download it on Wi-Fi since it is a few gigabytes.
6. Install and reboot.

You can leave the beta at any time through the same Samsung Members beta hub. Even within eligible markets, availability may vary by carrier, region, and model. Not every S26 owner is guaranteed a slot in the first wave.

A note for our African readers

Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and other African markets are not part of the official beta. Some users do try to side-load beta firmware using region-spoofing methods, but this is unsupported by Samsung. It can break your device, void your warranty, and cause problems with your banking apps and carrier services. It is not worth it.

The Galaxy S26 is also not widely available through official channels in Nigeria, and grey-market pricing puts the Ultra well above $1,092.51 (₦1.5 million), depending on where you buy. If your phone is on the expected eligibility list, the practical move is to wait for the stable rollout later in 2026.

And as with any beta, bugs are expected. SamMobile has already reported a hotfix for mobile data issues in the US build. Do not install beta firmware on a phone you depend on for daily work, banking, or USSD-based mobile money.