(Credit: Joseph Maldonado/PCMag)
UPDATE (5/11): The latest One UI 8.5 update for Samsung phones and tablets began rolling out in South Korea last week, and it is now appearing for some in the US.
As spotted by Android Authority, CID on X shared that Galaxy S25 users began receiving the update on May 11, which includes the April security patch. No other US devices have gotten it yet, but expect this to gradually roll out to confirmed products soon.
Original Story (5/6):
Samsung One UI 8.5 is finally here, bringing user interface design changes, new Galaxy AI and Bixby features, AirDrop support, and more to its top-end Android phones and tablets.
After many iterations of One UI 8.5 were released for testers in beta, the official rollout of One UI 8.5 starts today, though you’re unlikely to get it on your device right away. Samsung is starting with a release in South Korea, before expanding to other regions. Some leaks suggest it may arrive later this week or early next week for US customers.
Samsung has confirmed that the first wave of devices to get One UI 8.5 covers 17 models, including the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, S25 Ultra, S25 FE, S24, S24 Plus, S24 Ultra, and S24 FE.
It’s also coming to four foldables: Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, Z Fold 6, and the Z Flip 6. Five tablets are also set to get the update, including the Galaxy Tab S11, Tab S11 Ultra, Tab S10, Tab S10 Plus, and Tab S10 Ultra.
There’s no word on this software coming to older devices or cheaper handsets, but Samsung tested a One UI 8.5 beta with the Galaxy S23 series, which is now three years old, so we’d expect this software to arrive there eventually. Cheaper devices, such as Samsung’s Galaxy A series, are also likely to get the software update, as the Galaxy A56 and A55 both received it in recent weeks through the beta program.
One UI 8.5 was first released for the Galaxy S26 series earlier this year, but this is the first time it's coming to older devices. Upgrades include expanding AirDrop functionality to let your device send and receive files more effectively with Apple devices.
Other upgrades include a new design language that resembles Apple’s Liquid Glass effect, a fully customizable Quick Panel to speed up how you tweak your phone's setup, Auracast support for audio broadcasting, and more.