Samsung's One UI 8.5 is a major software update to the company's smartphones, and it introduces a host of feature improvements like more accessible family sharing, enhanced device security measures, and generative AI tools. The biggest new features One UI 8.5 added to Galaxy Phones are pretty darn exciting. First available for the latest in the Galaxy series, including the Galaxy 26, S26+, and S26 Ultra, the rollout is set to expand to other phones — I already have it downloaded and installed on my Galaxy S25 Ultra. The official rollout started on May 6, with global releases available from May 11 for most devices.
Here are all the Samsung phones confirmed to be supported, that already have it available, or will see it rolling out soon:
- Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, S25 Edge, and S25 FE
- Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, and S24 FE
- Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, and S23 FE
- Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7, Flip 7 FE, and Galaxy Z TriFold
- Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6
- Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5
- Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition
- Galaxy A56, A55, A54, A36, A35, A34, A26, A25, A17, A16, and A15
You'll notice most of the devices are from the last few years, with the Galaxy S23 and Z Fold 5 series first available in 2023.
More devices are expected to see the software update
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While the above list includes all the definitively supported models that will be getting the update, there are others that are likely to see one but have yet to see an official acknowledgement. Those devices are the following:
- Galaxy A24 and A06
- Galaxy F56, F55, F16, F15, and F06
- Galaxy M56, M55s, M55, M16, M15, and M06
- Galaxy XCover 7 and XCover 7 Pro
It's not clear yet if 4-year-old devices like the Galaxy S22 (including S22+ and S22 Ultra), Galaxy Z Fold 4, and Galaxy Z Flip 4 will be getting the One UI 8.5 update. Samsung will likely follow a policy of four years of major Android updates, because the devices were launched in 2022, which would make this the last major update for those devices. It's also very much in line with the expected list of Samsung phones to stop getting updates in 2026. Though, none of that means your phone will suddenly stop working. You just won't see any new updates, if it's not supported. With the Galaxy S24 launch Samsung later introduced a seven-year update policy, so newer devices should be supported for longer. According to Samsung, you can also download the Samsung Members App to double check which devices are compatible with the new update.
How will this update improve older Samsung devices?
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In addition to various improvements, the One UI 8.5 update brings Galaxy S26 features to older phones, upgrading the usability in some interesting ways. The new call screening functionality, first added to the S26 series, is now supported on devices with the update, as far back as the Galaxy S23. That feature allows the phone's AI assistant to automatically take calls from unknown numbers, ask what they want, and transcribe the call for you as an easy-access summary.
With all of these new changes, it's worth mentioning there are a few mistakes you don't want to make after updating your Android. These are smart habits you should take after updating the software to help keep your device running optimally. These include:
- Rebooting your device
- Clearing the cache
- Update old apps
- Delete apps and programs you no longer use
As with many software updates, availability depends on the device model. Some devices may get the update later than others, and a select few may not get the update at all. The biggest difference is that One UI 8.0 was based on Android 16, and One UI 8.5 is based on Android QPR2, so even some devices that support Android 16 may not be getting the update.