9 new options coming to your Galaxy telephones with One UI 8.5

Replace: September 24, 2025 (12:09 AM ET): A brand new One UI 8.5 leak revealed one other cool characteristic coming to Galaxy telephones with One UI 8.5. We’ve added it to the listing proper on the finish. Suppose freedom to customise the management panel any approach you need! Counds thrilling? Learn on to seek out out extra.

Unique article: September 23, 2025 (5 AM ET): Android 16-based One UI 8 is simply beginning to roll out to Galaxy telephones worldwide, and Samsung hasn’t formally introduced something about One UI 8.5 but. Nevertheless, we and some folks obtained our arms on a leaked firmware construct that reveals a number of upcoming options in your Galaxy telephones. Whereas we’ve already written about these options individually, right here’s a fast roundup of probably the most thrilling new options coming to your Galaxy telephones when the One UI 8.5 replace finally lands.

Samsung appears to be making ready a brand new characteristic known as Personal Show (or Privateness Show), which can make it tougher for individuals round you to peek inside your display screen. The characteristic is meant to restrict visibility from facet angles, so solely you possibly can clearly see what’s on the show. This appears to be like like it’ll debut on the upcoming Galaxy S26 Extremely, which is rumored to make use of Samsung’s “Flex Magic Pixel” know-how. That tech makes use of AI to regulate viewing angles, adjusting pixels so that they’re not as seen to individuals sitting subsequent to you. Based on the leaked One UI 8.5 firmware, customers will be capable to choose between totally different privateness ranges, together with a “Most Privateness” possibility that dims the display screen even additional.

Proper now, Galaxy customers depend on Bixby Textual content Name to manually display screen calls. You faucet a button when somebody calls, and Bixby asks why they’re calling earlier than you determine to select up the cellphone. It really works with each contacts and unknown numbers, but it surely requires your handbook enter each time.

With One UI 8.5, Samsung seems to be bringing Pixel-inspired automated name screening for Galaxy telephones. Code within the leaked One UI 8.5 firmware signifies that your Galaxy telephones will mechanically deal with suspicious calls in your behalf and present you a dwell transcript of the dialog. This manner, you received’t must carry a finger if an incoming name from an unknown quantity is more likely to be spam. The handbook Bixby Textual content Name possibility will nonetheless stay for individuals who desire to set off name screening themselves.

Fast Share is Android’s reply to Apple’s AirDrop, however the leaked One UI 8.5 firmware suggests it’s about to get even simpler to make use of in your Galaxy telephones. We noticed strings pointing to an NFC-based file sharing possibility, the place transfers start just by holding two gadgets shut collectively.

This looks like a callback to the outdated Android Beam days, however Fast Share needs to be a lot sooner since it’ll possible depend on Wi-Fi Direct relatively than Bluetooth after the preliminary NFC handshake between gadgets. Samsung even appears to be testing particular animations that play when this switch is triggered. It appears to be like just like the characteristic will probably be experimental when and if it launches, so customers could should choose in to strive it.

Samsung as soon as provided pollen monitoring inside its Climate app, however quietly eliminated the characteristic. Now, it appears to be like like pollen monitoring will make a comeback on Galaxy telephones with the One UI 8.5 replace. The code within the leaked construct suggests the app will as soon as once more present pollen ranges for timber, grass, and ragweed.

Every sort is represented with a color-coded leaf icon, and severity ranges like “None,” “Low,” and “Reasonable” to assist these with allergy points know what to anticipate. Alongside this, the app may additionally get barely refreshed navigation buttons with a extra fashionable look.

Samsung appears to be making ready a brand new AI shortcut proper within the launcher. This is able to make it simpler to ask questions and get immediate responses. Primarily based on what we’ve seen within the code, the solutions will probably be brief and conversational, capped at round three sentences.

Apparently, the code references a number of AI suppliers, and it appears to be like like customers will be capable to select between Gemini, Perplexity, or Samsung Gauss for these fast solutions.

Design modifications are additionally on the playing cards in your Galaxy telephones with One UI 8.5. Leaked screenshots from a modified construct present that Samsung is experimenting with extra iOS-inspired layouts and visuals.

For instance, the Settings web page is now extra compact, with subtitle textual content faraway from menu gadgets. The search bar has been moved to the underside of the display screen, and containers now embrace drop shadows. There’s additionally a floating again button and an overflow gradient impact on the edges. These modifications may make their approach throughout Samsung’s apps, freshening the look of the whole UI

One UI 6 launched Auto Blocker, a safety characteristic that stops unauthorized apps, USB instructions, and extra from putting in or operating in your Galaxy cellphone. Whereas the characteristic could be very helpful, it may possibly frustrate energy customers who sideload apps or join their telephones to PCs.

With One UI 8.5, Samsung may give customers the potential to briefly disable Auto Blocker, with an choice to have it mechanically flip again on after half-hour. This manner, you’ll nonetheless be capable to sideload what you want or check one thing shortly, whereas nonetheless preserving the safety enabled by default.

One UI 8.5 additionally appears to be including an accessibility characteristic that might make a giant distinction for some customers. The system will be capable to detect flashing lights in movies and mechanically dim the display screen to scale back the affect in your eyes.

That is designed to assist individuals with photosensitive epilepsy (PSE), who will be triggered by quickly flashing lights in movies, video games, or animations. Whereas it’d look like a small addition, it may assist make Galaxy telephones simpler to make use of for individuals who endure from the problem.

As extra leaks floor, we’re now discovering out that One UI 8.5 may carry a completely customizable management panel to Samsung’s telephones. All modules may develop into movable and detachable, representing the most important design change for the characteristic in years. Leaked screenshots present that the entire management panel may develop into extra modular, providing you with far more freedom to rearrange controls. You may additionally be capable to take away any part you need, regardless of how essential it could be.

These are the eight largest modifications we’ve noticed within the leaked One UI 8.5 firmware to this point. Samsung hasn’t confirmed something but, so options may nonetheless change earlier than launch. In fact, this listing may also develop as growth continues and we get nearer to the launch of the Galaxy S26 sequence early subsequent yr. We’re anticipating a ton of recent options for all the things from images to productiveness, AI, and extra. But when these early findings are something to go by, One UI 8.5 could possibly be a big replace in your Galaxy telephones.