The One UI 8.5 public beta is now available from Samsung, kicking off first in South Korea and the US, with launches to other countries, including the UK, Germany, India, and Poland, soon after for users of the Galaxy S25 series through the Hardware Fans Test Program.
User confirmations that the update is rolling out through the Samsung Members app, along with posts from Max Jambor and SamMobile in community channels, back up spokespersons’ claims.
This release ties together a significant visual refresh with new AI-driven experiences and deeper cross-device connectivity. It is built on Android 16 QPR2, so Galaxy users may also see improvements at the platform level in addition to Samsung’s own interface enhancements.
What’s new in One UI 8.5 for Galaxy S25 series owners
Samsung is embracing transparency, refreshed motion, and updated 3D-style app icons in system apps and menus for a cleaner look. There isn’t a revolutionary new look here; the changes are subtle but unified in an attempt to bring the UI up to date while still being familiar.
AI capabilities include on-device assistance that grows smarter, where early testers have called out more intelligent text suggestions and contextually aware tools that provide relevant actions during messaging, media editing, and search. I’d anticipate a more tightly integrated experience featuring intelligence built into the devices and core apps—beyond Samsung’s previous Galaxy AI push.
Connectivity and continuity also get attention. Multi-device controls are smoother, and file and clipboard sharing handoffs are faster, as Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth pairing flows have been compressed. There are also even more ways to customize things with granular lock screen tweaks, accent controls, and profile-based settings for Modes and Routines.
Although a pre-release changelog made the rounds, the official notes being sent out now largely confirm those additions as well. Some of the rumored assistant and Bixby enhancements are missing in the first beta, so they may arrive in future builds.
Where the One UI 8.5 beta is rolling out and available now
The first wave includes South Korea, the United States, the UK, Germany, India, and Poland. Samsung usually stages these rollouts, so other European and Asia Pacific markets ought to follow in due course after servers steady themselves and early adopter feedback is reviewed.
At release, it’s so far restricted to the Galaxy S25 series. Wider device availability typically follows over weeks or months, on account of hardware variations and regionally specific certification.
Eligibility requirements and how to sign up for the beta
It requires enrollment through the Samsung Members app. You’ll find the One UI Beta banner, agree to the terms, and then download the update from Settings > Software update. Availability depends on the region or account, and the banner might not appear at the same time even within a single country.
Back up before installing; beta packages can exceed 3GB and may contain known issues affecting battery life, biometrics, camera stability, or banking apps. Should you need to opt out of the beta, Samsung usually allows for withdrawal via Samsung Members, with rollback available through Smart Switch on PC or Mac.
Why this One UI 8.5 beta matters for Samsung Galaxy users
Samsung’s mid-cycle “.5” releases are more than cosmetic shine. They are frequently the places where a company will try to harmonize the latest in Android’s under-the-hood work with its own feature map, then tune for performance and battery consistency across millions of devices.
The focus on AI reflects company trends overall. IDC’s shipment figures see Samsung as the global top vendor being swapped back and forth between it and Apple, with each sitting below or near 20%, a figure that gives it undue weighting in how quickly advanced features spread through Androidville. It also helps that recent flagships are still being supported for a longer period than ones of the past, and faster adoption of interim builds such as 8.5 is no doubt encouraged by that.
- From the user perspective, this beta is a sneak peek at where Samsung’s taking everyday interactions: lighter visual weight and more assistive smarts built into core apps; lubricated motion between phones, tablets, PCs, and wearables.
What comes next in the One UI 8.5 beta and stable rollout
Samsung has a history of shipping new beta builds fast once public testing begins, with several beta builds focusing on bug squashing and UI refinement. More areas tend to come on as feedback is assessed and carrier testing lingers.
The stable release of One UI 8.5 will likely ship with the Galaxy S26 series initially, then it will roll out to the Galaxy S25 lineup and other compatible smartphones. Since 8.5 is based on Android 16, all the devices that are already running One UI 8 will be considered to get the update when the stable OTA rollout starts.
For the time being, Galaxy S25 owners in eligible countries can jump in and provide feedback via Samsung Members, perfecting what millions will see when it launches.
