Samsung continues to open up its wearable software tests to older hardware with the One UI 8 Watch beta now available on Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro. The pilot will start in South Korea, with a wider release to come, and may make the gradual rollout feel a bit more urgent, especially after all it has produced so far are relatively stable builds for just the new Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra.
The change was first spotted on Samsung’s Community forum in Korea and pointed out by SamMobile, with the company now confirming that joining and unsubscribing have been streamlined within the Samsung Members app.
The Watch 6 series is still in beta even after several test builds, which shows Samsung’s cautious pace as both features and stability are maturing across generations of devices.
What’s new in One UI 8 Watch for Galaxy Watch 5 users
One UI 8 Watch early builds prioritize fast interaction and glanceable information. Improved hand gestures enable gesture control without touching the screen at all, and a smart way to combine two tiles into one will help you jam that much more utility onto a single swipe. Now Bar live updates on the watch face allow you to quickly access active events such as timers, workouts, and navigation without having to jump between apps.
For most of us, these changes become meaningful over time. Group together tiles like Weather and Calendar or Timer and Stopwatch to minimize friction, while the persistent context of Now Bar reflects how a lot of people already make use of at-a-glance complications. Early testers on newer watches have described smoother transitions and fewer missed gesture triggers, changes that Watch 5 owners will eagerly want to confirm on older hardware.
Who is eligible and how to join the One UI 8 Watch beta
Available first in South Korea, consumers can preregister via the Samsung Members app on any paired Galaxy smartphone. Search for the One UI 8 Watch beta banner, accept terms, and look for an update to show up in the Galaxy Wearable app. Samsung says that opting out is now easier, though rejoining a stable build involves the usual reset, so be sure to back up your watch first.
Availability can similarly be limited and staggered by region, as was the case with past promotions. Users within the US should be seeing access shortly, although it may take longer by carrier, device, or server availability. Since beta software can impact battery life, notifications, watch faces, and even banking or transit apps, this one’s for enthusiasts who don’t mind occasional hiccups.
Why this matters to Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro owners
Introduced in 2022, the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro powered by the Exynos W920 processor are receiving a significant software lift. Porting over core features such as improved gestures, the Now Bar, and more to these models diminishes the experience delta between them and Samsung’s latest devices — indicative of continuing promises by Samsung not to forget about its installed user base.
That said, feature behavior can vary a bit on older chipsets, especially under intense multitasking or during GPS workouts. Beta testing will also help surface any Watch 5 line-specific battery or sensor edge cases, expediting fixes prior to public release.
Where the One UI 8 Watch rollout stands right now
So far, only the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra have begun receiving stable One UI 8 Watch. The Watch 6 series is still mid-cycle after the beta has been available for a few updates already, and there’s no official word whether the Galaxy Watch 4 will be part of this program. In other words, the inclusion of the Watch 5 seems like a gradual widening as opposed to an indicator that newer stable builds for older models are on their way.
That’s in line with Samsung’s most recent strategy of starting betas on the latest and greatest hardware and cascading down through its portfolio once things are fixed. Community threads provide the most comprehensive picture of what’s going on, and Samsung frequently tweaks its firmware based on feedback about battery life, Bluetooth bugginess, and third-party app behavior.
Outlook and what to watch as the beta progresses
Traditionally, watch betas go through a number of builds over several weeks, with process-critical bug fixes following on the heels of feature polish. If the Watch 6 track is any indication, we’ll see a few iterations before anything stable trickles down to older models. Pay attention to Samsung Community posts for changelogs and known issues, particularly around health tracking, GPS accuracy, and gesture consistency.
With Samsung the second-largest smartwatch seller worldwide, according to Counterpoint Research, One UI 8 Watch will have the chance to make a large impact. For the time being, Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro adopters in Korea can get involved through Samsung Members, but users elsewhere will want to keep an eye out for the beta banner landing their way imminently.