Samsung’s One UI 8.5 is the latest iteration of the software interface featured on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Packed with AI-driven features and usability tweaks, it seeks to enhance the smartphone experience without a complete overhaul. While it builds upon One UI 8.0, there are several key updates Samsung users will appreciate. Here’s a detailed look at the new additions in One UI 8.5.

Design Updates

New Quick Settings Customization

One of the immediate upgrades is the customization options for quick toggles. You can now rearrange quick settings and resize their icons, allowing a more personalized layout. The orientation of sliders can also be adjusted, offering greater flexibility for how you interact with essential controls.

Refreshed Lock Screen Effects

The lock screen has added new weather animations. These visual effects mirror real-world weather conditions, offering a convenient glance at the state of external weather without opening an app. Matching animations have also been introduced to the alarm background, ensuring the weather update is visible as soon as you start your day.

Redesigned Battery Settings Page

The battery settings menu has been overhauled to present information more clearly. This redesign makes it easier to analyze your usage habits without straining your eyes.

Improved Screen Recording

Screen recording now offers a feature to record select portions of the screen, rather than capturing the entire display. This could be handy for focusing on specific areas during presentations or tutorials.

Expanded Systemwide Search

Systemwide search has been made easier to access with a quick shortcut built into the control panel. Though the search functionality itself remains unchanged, its placement improves workflow efficiency for users on the go.

Artificial Intelligence Enhancements

Contextual Recommendations

The AI-powered “Now Nudge” feature provides contextual suggestions, such as adding events directly from a text message into your calendar. However, during testing, this feature proved to be somewhat inconsistent, indicating room for improvement.

Enhanced Bixby Integration

Samsung’s Bixby Assistant has been upgraded with better natural language understanding, thanks to the integration of Perplexity AI. The assistant also provides more detailed responses and a revamped conversation history that’s easier to scan. These enhancements aim to make voice interactions more functional.

Streamlined AI Select Access

AI Select, which allows for contextual actions based on screen elements, has received an accessibility upgrade. Instead of navigating through menus, users can now press and hold the edge pull tab to activate it. While the functionality remains the same, quick access improves the feature’s usability.

Updated Samsung Brief Notifications

Samsung’s Brief notifications have been expanded to gather more personalized insights. However, noticeable differences in the recommendations provided may take time to materialize during regular use.

AI-Driven Photo Editing

The photo editor in One UI 8.5 lets you describe edits in natural language. For example, you can add AI-generated elements or manipulate colors. While certain adjustments like contrast and sharpness remain manual, this new tool makes creative editing faster. Additionally, there’s now an option to view and revert edits made to a photo.

Camera Enhancements

Document Scanning Improvements

The camera’s document scanner has been improved to enhance text legibility in scanned documents. Users can now export scanned results directly as PDF files, making it convenient for professional use.

Virtual Reflector in Expert RAW Mode

A standout addition for photography enthusiasts is the virtual reflector feature in Expert RAW mode. It simulates the effect of bouncing light onto a subject, similar to professional lighting setups. This tool aims to enhance portrait and product photography results.

Horizon Lock for Stabilization

Video shooting gets a boost with the new horizon lock stabilization mode. This feature keeps your videos level regardless of how you tilt or rotate your phone—ideal for capturing consistent footage during dynamic movements.

Customizable Focus Peaking in Pro Video

In Pro Video mode, users can now adjust focus peaking as per their preferences. This gives videographers better control over the focus points in their content, enhancing the creative possibilities.

New Tools for Everyday Use

Enhanced Screenshot Management

Screenshots are now intelligently organized within the gallery. Searching for specific screenshots is easier, thanks to AI-powered keyword tagging. This small update will save time for users who need to revisit captured information frequently.

AI Audio Enhancements

The AI audio eraser feature now extends beyond video recordings. In One UI 8.5, it can be used to clean up audio from media playing in apps like YouTube. This makes the tool particularly useful in noisy environments, such as sports events, where background noise could interfere with playback clarity.

Compatibility and Availability

These new features in One UI 8.5 are currently available on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. However, Samsung has confirmed that many of these changes will also roll out to older Galaxy devices. This ensures that long-term users can benefit from the latest updates without necessarily upgrading to the newest hardware.

Takeaways

One UI 8.5 brings meaningful quality-of-life improvements through better customization, AI advancements, and camera upgrades. Highlights include the virtual reflector in Expert RAW mode, the new horizon lock for video stabilization, and enhanced photo and screenshot organization. While some features, such as Now Nudge, may require further refinement, overall, the update adds value to Samsung’s user interface, whether for productivity or creativity.

If you’re using a compatible Galaxy device, these updates are worth exploring to maximize your smartphone’s functionality.