Samsung has opened the One UI 8.5 beta to a wave of older Galaxy devices, including the first Galaxy A-series phone to ever join the program. If your device is on the list, you can test the update right now through the Samsung Members app.
Key Takeaways
- The One UI 8.5 beta now covers Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23 FE, Z Fold5, Z Flip5, and Galaxy A36 5G.
- This is the first time a Galaxy A-series device has been included in a One UI major beta.
- AirDrop-compatible Quick Share is rolling out to select mid-to-flagship devices.
- You register through the Samsung Members app, not through Settings.
- Market availability varies by device — some models are region-locked.
What Samsung Just Announced About the One UI 8.5 Beta
Samsung is continuing to expand the One UI 8.5 beta program following its March 2026 rollout, which covered the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Flip6, Galaxy S25 FE, Galaxy S24 FE, and the Galaxy Tab S11 series.
The new wave now includes the Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Z Flip5, Galaxy S23 FE, and, for the first time on the A series, the Galaxy A36 5G.
That last part matters. Samsung has never previously included a mid-range Galaxy A device in a One UI major beta rollout. The A36 5G breaking into the program is a signal that Samsung is casting a wider net with its software testing pipeline.
Which Devices Are Eligible and Where
Not every device in this wave has global access. The Galaxy Z Fold5 and Galaxy Z Flip5 are supported in Korea and the U.S. only. The Galaxy A36 5G is supported in India only.
The Galaxy S23 series, including the Galaxy S23 FE, is available in India, South Korea, the UK, and the US.
Here is the full picture of both waves so far:
Wave 1 — March 2026:
- Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra
- Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Flip6
- Galaxy S25 FE, Galaxy S24 FE
- Galaxy Tab S11 series
Wave 2 — April 2026:
- Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra
- Galaxy S23 FE
- Galaxy Z Fold5 (Korea and US only)
- Galaxy Z Flip5 (Korea and US only)
- Galaxy A36 5G (India only)
Samsung has confirmed the beta program will continue to expand to additional Galaxy devices later this month.
What Is One UI 8.5 and Why Does It Matter
One UI 8.5 is Samsung’s second software update based on Android 16. It brings new and improved features, more UI customization options, and a new design language for stock apps. Beyond Galaxy AI and productivity enhancements, it also brings improvements to privacy, security, and accessibility.
Think of it as One UI 8 with a meaningful feature layer on top. It uses Android 16 QPR2, which allows Samsung to include deeper system-level features, including Perplexity integration, a redesigned Quick Panel, Privacy Protection for shared images, and more Galaxy AI tools.
The Features You Will Actually Use
Quick Panel overhaul
The biggest practical upgrade is the ability to completely customize the Quick Panel. Any widget, toggle, or card can now be moved anywhere, and most can even be deleted.
Floating tab bar
One UI 8.5 brings a new, modern floating tab bar UI — a pill-shaped element with a frosted color scheme. It replaces the traditional plain tab bar at the bottom of stock apps.
Galaxy AI upgrades
A major focus of One UI 8.5 is the expansion of Galaxy AI, with upgrades across Chat Assist, Browser Assistant, Interpreter, Note Assist, and Live Translate. Photo editing, video editing, transcription, and smart suggestions are now more consistent thanks to enhancements in Samsung’s AI algorithms.
Samsung has improved the Photo Assist feature to let users keep generating and editing AI images without saving every version first. It also introduces a new AI feature — Now Nudge — that proactively suggests actions and information based on what is currently on your screen.
Privacy and security
The Privacy Protection feature automatically blurs sensitive parts of a document when you share it with others. It is great for sharing screenshots of bills, bank statements, or personal IDs.
One UI 8.5 also introduces Partial Screen Recording, Audio Broadcast to use your phone as a microphone, and Storage Share to access files from other Galaxy devices.
The AirDrop Update Worth Knowing About
Samsung is introducing support for AirDrop through Quick Share on One UI 8.5 beta. This enables cross-platform file sharing between Galaxy devices and Apple devices on select models, including the Galaxy S25 series, S24 series, Z Fold7, Z Flip7, Z Fold6, and Z Flip6.
AirDrop support through Quick Share is currently available on the Galaxy S26 series in the first live deployment.
If you own one of the supported mid-range or flagship models, this is the feature that closes a real gap between Android and Apple users in shared environments. Cloudorian covered the upcoming One UI 9 Tap to Share feature separately, which takes cross-platform sharing even further with NFC-based proximity transfers.
Should You Join the One UI 8.5 Beta Right Now?
That is a fair question to ask before you download a 4GB pre-release build.
The One UI 8.5 beta update weighs approximately 4 GB, depending on the device and which AI features Samsung has implemented for it.
Beta software by nature carries bugs. Samsung runs these programs to catch issues before the stable release, which means participants are testers, not just early adopters. If your device is your primary phone and you rely on it for daily work, weigh that risk carefully.
If you can tolerate occasional instability, joining gives you months of early access before the stable rollout reaches your device. For S23 series and Z Fold5/Flip5 owners, the stable One UI 8.5 rollout is not expected until May 2026. Joining beta now means getting these features weeks ahead of schedule.
How to Join the One UI 8.5 Beta Program
Follow these steps exactly. The update does not appear in Settings until you register first.
- Open the Galaxy Store and confirm the Samsung Members app is installed and updated.
- Open Samsung Members and sign in with the same Samsung account linked to your device.
- Go to the Discover tab and scroll down to find the One UI 8.5 Beta Program banner.
- Tap the banner and hit Register.
- Once registered, go to Settings > Software update > Check for updates.
- Download the update when it appears.
- Tap Install now and allow the device to restart.
The installation process takes a few minutes after the restart. Do not interrupt it mid-cycle. Keep the device plugged in during the download and install to avoid a failed update.
If the beta banner does not appear in Samsung Members immediately, wait 24 to 48 hours. Registration slots for beta programs sometimes open in batches by region.
What Devices Are Still Waiting
Are you wondering whether your Galaxy phone will make the cut this month? Samsung’s own newsroom language gives a clear signal. The beta program will continue to expand to additional Galaxy devices later this month.
Devices that have not entered the beta program yet but are strong candidates based on Samsung’s update history include:
- Galaxy S22 series
- Galaxy Tab S10 series
- Galaxy A55, A56
- Galaxy M-series mid-range models
Samsung is expected to deliver One UI 8.5 to nearly 100 Galaxy smartphones and tablets in 2026, including the S25, S24, S23, S22 series, Z Fold and Z Flip devices from Fold 5 onwards, and many Galaxy A, M, and F series mid-range models.
The beta is a preview of that breadth. Not every eligible device will get beta access, but the stable update is a different matter.
The Significance of Including a Galaxy A-Series Device
This is the angle competing articles are glossing over. Samsung selling more than 200 million phones per year means the Galaxy A series represents the bulk of real-world Galaxy users, not the flagships. The Galaxy A36 5G entering the beta program — even in India only — is worth paying attention to.
It tells you two things. First, Samsung is stress-testing One UI 8.5 on more modest hardware before the stable rollout. Second, it signals that Galaxy AI features tied to One UI 8.5 are being scoped for mid-range devices, not just flagships.
Quick Share now suggests contacts you can share images with. Galaxy AI also offers continuous image generation, making it easier to redo or undo changes and edits. These features need to work reliably on chips like the Exynos 1580 inside the A36 5G, not just the Snapdragon 8 Elite inside the S25 Ultra.
Including the A36 5G in beta testing is Samsung pressure-testing that exact gap.
Your Next Move
Users can register for the beta program via the Samsung Members app. If your device is listed above and you live in a supported country, open the app today and check for the beta banner.
If your device is not yet in the program, bookmark the Samsung Newsroom page and revisit it later this month. Samsung has committed to more additions before April ends.
The stable One UI 8.5 release is coming regardless. The beta program just gives you a chance to shape it before it lands on everyone’s device.
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