Samsung’s One UI 8.5 update expands Galaxy AI with smarter photo tools, improved sharing features, enhanced security, and smoother system performance. The beta is now live for Galaxy S25 users, offering an early look at the AI upgrades expected to roll out to more Galaxy devices.
Galaxy AI in One UI 8.5 gets a major boost with new generative editing tools that let you reshape photos using simple prompts. Photo Assist is smarter, offering continuous edits with full history tracking. You can even merge objects from multiple images, while AI suggestions appear across apps for faster, context-aware actions.
The Samsung Gallery app adds an edit-history timeline, new retouching tools and continuous editing so you don’t need to save after every change. Organization is smarter with improved sorting, while enhanced search helps you find photos, edits and albums faster across local and cloud storage.
Quick Share gets smarter with AI-based contact suggestions that surface the right people instantly. Storage Share lets you access files across Galaxy devices without manual transfers, and Auracast broadcasting makes it easy to share audio with nearby supported devices for group listening.
UI & Design Enhancements
UI and design improvements in One UI 8.5 make the experience feel smoother and more polished. You get fresh lockscreen styles with cleaner layouts, faster system animations that reduce visual lag, and a redesigned Quick Settings panel with better toggles and organization. Widgets also load faster and offer more responsive interactions across the home and lockscreen.
One UI 8.5 strengthens security with a new Failed Authentication Lock that automatically protects the device after repeated wrong unlock attempts. Enhanced Theft Protection helps secure data if the phone is lost or stolen, while clearer permission controls make it easier to see which apps access sensitive information and adjust settings instantly.
The new upgrade boosts overall efficiency with improved RAM management, allowing apps to stay active longer without background drops. Multitasking feels smoother, especially when switching between heavy apps. The updated Battery Care interface offers clearer insights and smarter optimization options, helping extend battery health and daily runtime.
The update rolls out first to the Galaxy S25 series, with Fold, Flip, S, and A models to follow. Release timing varies by region and carrier, so both beta access and stable updates will arrive in phases over the coming months.
To join the One UI 8.5 beta, open the Samsung Members app, look for the Beta Program banner and register your device. Always back up your data first, since beta builds can introduce bugs or instability. Expect occasional glitches, app crashes and performance issues as features are still being tested.
The stable One UI 8.5 update is expected to launch alongside the Galaxy S26 in early 2026, with other Galaxy devices receiving it gradually afterward. Rollout schedules will vary by region, and the final build will include refinements and extra features not fully polished in the current beta.
