A Samsung Galaxy phone — One UI 8 brings Android 16 to a wide range of Galaxy devices.
Samsung One UI 8 is Samsung's version of Android 16 for Galaxy phones and tablets, and it first arrived on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 when those foldables launched in July 2025.
It is not a complete redesign like the version before it, because One UI 7 had already overhauled the look of Samsung's software only a few months earlier.
Instead, One UI 8 focuses on smarter AI features, better multitasking, easier sharing, and stronger privacy controls built on top of Android 16.
The stable rollout began in September 2025 with the Galaxy S25 series, and Samsung then expanded it through the final months of 2025 to older flagships, foldables, and many Galaxy A-series phones.
Here are the new features, the supported phones, and the release timeline you need to know before you tap that update button.
Key Highlights of One UI 8
Based on Android 16. One UI 8 brings Google's Android 16 platform to Galaxy devices, with Samsung's own interface, apps, and Galaxy AI features layered on top of it.
Debuted on the 2025 foldables. The Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7, and Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE were the first phones to ship with One UI 8 pre-installed in July 2025.
Now Bar and Now Brief expand. The lock-screen Now Bar and the daily Now Brief summary reach more Galaxy devices, with personalised suggestions based on your routine.
Flexible 90:10 split screen. A new split-screen ratio lets one app take up most of the display while the second app stays visible in a narrow strip.
Redesigned Quick Share and Auracast audio. Quick Share gets a full-screen layout, while Auracast lets one phone share audio with several nearby listeners at once.
Stronger Knox security. Samsung's Knox platform adds stronger encryption and new protections, including a Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection feature for supported devices.
What Is One UI 8?
One UI is the name Samsung gives to its custom interface on top of Android, and each numbered version usually matches one major Android release.
One UI 8 is therefore Samsung's take on Android 16, combining Google's underlying platform improvements with Samsung's own design, apps, and Galaxy AI tools.
If you already use a Galaxy phone, the home screen, settings, and Samsung apps will look familiar, because this update refines what One UI 7 introduced rather than replacing it entirely.
The timing also marks a change in Samsung's strategy, because major One UI versions now tend to debut with the summer foldables instead of arriving months later.
That is why the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 launched with One UI 8 in July 2025, while the Galaxy S25 series, which had shipped earlier in the year with One UI 7, received One UI 8 as an update starting in September 2025.
For most owners, the practical result is a faster, more consistent rollout than the delayed One UI 7 cycle that came before it.
Now Bar and Now Brief
The Now Bar is a pill-shaped strip on the lock screen that shows live information from apps you are actively using, such as music playback, a timer, or navigation directions.
One UI 8 expands the Now Bar to more devices and more types of content, so you can glance at useful updates without unlocking your phone or opening each app.
It is a small change on paper, but it saves a surprising number of taps during a busy day when you are tracking several things at once.
Now Brief goes one step further by pulling together a personalised daily summary that can include the weather, your calendar, health data, and reminders based on your habits.
Samsung says the system learns from your routine over time, so the suggestions should become more relevant the longer you use the phone.
Both features are optional, and you can control which apps and data sources are allowed to feed them if you prefer a quieter lock screen.
AI and Everyday Features
Galaxy AI remains central to One UI 8, with multimodal features that can understand a mix of voice, text, and what is visible on your screen or through the camera.
In practice, that means you can ask Gemini questions about something you are looking at, get help drafting a message, or clean up a photo without switching between several apps.
Samsung has also added an AI-powered Portrait Studio and improved camera controls, plus a feature called Audio Eraser that can reduce background noise in videos.
On Galaxy Z Flip phones, Gemini Live support on the FlexWindow cover screen lets you have a natural conversation with Google's assistant without opening the phone.
Samsung's own apps also get refinements in One UI 8, including updates to Weather, Files, and Gallery, which can now sort screenshots into categories such as boarding passes.
None of these features requires a new phone on its own, but together they make an older Galaxy feel noticeably more capable after the update.
Multitasking and Samsung DeX
Multitasking is one of the clearest improvements in One UI 8, especially on foldables and tablets with large screens.
The new 90:10 split-screen mode lets you keep one app dominant while a second app stays open in a narrow column, which is ideal for watching a video while replying to messages or checking notes during a call.
You can adjust the split quickly, and Samsung has refined pop-up windows so switching between tasks feels smoother than before.
Samsung DeX, the desktop-style mode that appears when you connect a Galaxy phone or tablet to an external display, has been rebuilt on Android's native desktop mode in One UI 8.
The updated DeX supports adjustable display resolution and rotation, which is particularly useful if you use a vertical monitor or a portable screen.
For people who sometimes work from their phone alone, DeX turns a Galaxy device into a surprisingly practical pocket computer with windows, a taskbar, and keyboard shortcuts.
Quick Share and Auracast
Quick Share is Samsung's answer to AirDrop, and One UI 8 gives it a redesigned full-screen layout that makes sending and receiving files more obvious.
You can now start a transfer directly from Quick Settings in many cases, without opening a separate sharing screen first, and the interface shows nearby devices more clearly.
It works with other Galaxy devices and, through Google's cross-platform support, with many other Android phones as well.
Auracast is the more unusual addition, because it uses Bluetooth LE Audio to broadcast sound from one phone to several listeners at the same time.
That means a group of friends with Galaxy Buds or compatible hearing aids can all listen to the same music or video audio from a single phone, after joining with a simple QR code scan.
It is a niche feature for now, since both the phone and the earbuds need to support it, but it points to where shared listening is heading.
Privacy and Security with Knox
Samsung's Knox security platform continues to underpin One UI 8, with stronger encryption for personal data and new protections against emerging threats.
One of the headline additions is Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection, which is designed to keep sensitive data safer even if a device is lost or attacked.
Samsung has also upgraded Secure Folder, which now builds on Android's Private Space to hide apps and files behind a separate lock, with its own biometric authentication.
On the privacy side, One UI 8 includes a Private Compute Core upgrade that keeps sensitive on-device processing local, so personal data does not need to leave your phone for many AI features.
Samsung has also added post-quantum Wi-Fi protection and automatic sign-out options during security threats on supported devices, according to its rollout materials.
As always, the most important security step remains simple: install the update itself, because it also carries the latest Android security patches.
Design and Everyday Polish
Visually, One UI 8 is a refinement rather than a revolution, with cleaner app interfaces, blurred backgrounds in pop-up menus, and encircled buttons that are easier to spot.
Dynamic wallpapers that shift with the time of day add a bit of life to the home and lock screens, while the lock-screen clock can now interact with your wallpaper for a more layered look.
Samsung has also refreshed the notification and Quick Panel design on Galaxy tablets, making the larger layout easier to navigate with one hand.
Small quality-of-life touches appear throughout the system, from clearer profile-card editing when you customise your contact information to a tidier Gallery app.
If you are upgrading from One UI 7, you may not notice every change on day one, but the interface generally feels a little faster and more consistent.
That is arguably the point: One UI 8 is meant to polish a design that was already new, rather than asking millions of owners to relearn their phones.
How to Update to One UI 8
When the update reaches your phone, you will usually get a notification, but you can also check manually at any time.
Open Settings, tap Software update, and then tap Download and install to see whether One UI 8 is available for your device and region.
If nothing appears, your model or carrier may simply be later in the queue, so check again after a few days rather than assuming your phone is unsupported.
Before you install, connect to Wi-Fi, charge your phone to at least half full, and back up anything important to Samsung Cloud or Google, just in case the update is interrupted.
The download is large, often several gigabytes, so it is best done at home rather than over mobile data.
After the phone restarts, give it a few minutes to finish optimising apps in the background before judging battery life or speed, because the first day after a major update is rarely representative.
One UI 8 Supported Phones
The table below lists the main Galaxy phones confirmed for One UI 8, based on Samsung's rollout schedule and update policy.
Exact availability still varies by region and carrier, and some models receive the update later than others, but every phone listed here is within Samsung's promised support window.
Tablets such as the Galaxy Tab S10, Tab S9, and Tab S8 series are also eligible, along with newer Galaxy watches running One UI 8 Watch.
| Phone family | Models getting One UI 8 |
|---|---|
| Galaxy S series | S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, S25 Edge, S25 FE; S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, S24 FE; S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23 FE; S22, S22+, S22 Ultra; S21 FE |
| Galaxy Z foldables | Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, Z Flip 7 FE (pre-installed); Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6; Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5; Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4; Z Fold Special Edition |
| Galaxy A series | A56 5G, A55 5G, A54 5G, A53 5G; A36 5G, A35 5G, A34 5G, A33 5G; A26 5G, A25 5G; A17 5G, A16 5G, A15 5G; A07, A06 5G |
Release Date and Availability
One UI 8 debuted in July 2025 on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, and the stable rollout for existing phones began on September 15, 2025 in South Korea, reaching the Galaxy S25 series globally from September 18, 2025.
Samsung then expanded the update in October and November 2025 to the Galaxy S24 and S23 series, older Z Fold and Z Flip models, and many Galaxy A-series phones.
The update itself is free, and it arrives over the air, so there is nothing to buy and no separate download to hunt for.
If your phone is on the supported list but still has not received One UI 8, the most likely reason is simply your region or carrier schedule, not a problem with your device.
Samsung aims to complete the rollout for eligible phones within a few months of the stable launch, although budget models and carrier-locked variants can lag behind unlocked flagships.
Keep checking Settings > Software update regularly, and make sure your phone has enough free storage for the large download before you install it.
One UI 8 may not reinvent the Galaxy experience, but it is still an update worth installing as soon as it appears on your phone.
The combination of Android 16, smarter AI assistance, better multitasking, and stronger Knox security makes even a two- or three-year-old Galaxy feel fresher, and it keeps your device protected with the latest patches.
Check your software update screen today, and enjoy the new features once Samsung's rollout reaches your model.