One UI 8.5 Beta is officially live! Experience game-changing AirDrop support, AI notification summaries, and a smarter Bixby. See if your Galaxy device is eligible for the April wave right now.
As of April 2026, Samsung is actively expanding the One UI 8.5 Beta Program to a wider range of Galaxy devices. Based on Android 16, this mid-cycle update introduces significant AI enhancements and cross-platform connectivity features.
Current Beta Status and Timeline (April 2026)
The One UI 8.5 update is currently in its second major beta wave. While the Galaxy S26 series launched with the stable version in February 2026, older flagships are currently testing the following:
- Wave 1 (March 2026): Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold6, Z Flip6, S25 FE, S24 FE, and Galaxy Tab S11.
- Wave 2 (April 9, 2026): Expansion to Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy S23 FE, Galaxy Z Fold5, and Z Flip5.
- A-Series Entry: For the first time, the beta has opened for a mid-range device, the Galaxy A36 5G (currently limited to the India market).
Key Features and Enhancements
One UI 8.5 focuses on "Seamless Connectivity" and "Proactive AI."
Cross-Platform Quick Share (AirDrop Support): Through a collaboration with Apple/Google, Quick Share now supports AirDrop-style transfers to iOS devices on select flagship models (S26, S25, and S24 series).
Conversational Bixby (Perplexity AI): Bixby has been overhauled with a Large Language Model (LLM) backend, allowing for complex, multi-turn conversations and real-time web searching powered by Perplexity.
Smart Screenshot Organization: The Gallery app now uses AI to automatically categorize screenshots into folders like Receipts, Tickets, Coupons, and Directions.
Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S25 + One UI 8.5: Everything New in 2026 Update
Privacy Protection: A new system-level feature that automatically blurs sensitive information (like credit card numbers or addresses) when you are screen-sharing or sending documents.
iOS-Style Notification Summaries: Uses Galaxy AI to condense long stacks of notifications into a single, readable summary on the lock screen.
Redesigned Quick Settings: A fully customizable control center that allows users to resize individual toggles and group them by frequency of use.
Stable Rollout Expectations
If you are not on the beta, the stable version is expected to follow this schedule:
- Late April 2026: Galaxy S25 series (starting in South Korea).
- May 2026: Galaxy S24 series, Z Fold6, and Z Flip6.
- June 2026: Galaxy S23 series and older eligible flagships.
How to Join the Beta?
If you have a supported device in a participating region (US, UK, India, Korea, Germany, Poland):
Open the Samsung Members app.
Log in with your Samsung Account.
Look for the "Registration for One UI Beta Program" banner in the top carousel.
Tap Enroll and wait 10–20 minutes.
Navigate to Settings > Software Update > Download and Install.
Note: As this is beta software, expect occasional bugs. It is highly recommended to back up your data via Smart Switch before installing.
Samsung’s One UI 8.5 Beta introduces revolutionary AI features and seamless iOS connectivity. Discover the new Quick Settings design and check if your Galaxy device is eligible for the update.
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