Samsung launched its One UI 8 beta late final week to the Galaxy S25 sequence late final week. It’s an open beta, so anybody can strive it, and that’s precisely what I did. As you’ve little doubt ascertained from the headline, my objective right here is to point out you all of the enjoyable new stuff that One UI 8 is bringing to the desk for Galaxy customers.
If you wish to strive the beta your self, merely obtain and set up the Samsung Members app (assuming you’ve gotten a Galaxy S25 telephone). Within the app, you’ll have the ability to enroll within the open beta. As soon as enrolled, merely verify for a software program replace — which you are able to do proper from the app — and set up the One UI 8 beta. After the telephone is up to date, reboot, and also you’ll be met with One UI 8.
In contrast to One UI 7, the beta doesn’t have any huge new design modifications, like we anticipate to see with iOS 26 and Android 16. The truth is, I let my spouse fiddle with my telephone a number of instances over the weekend and didn’t inform her that I used to be on One UI 8. She by no means observed, and I’d wager most people wouldn’t both. So, if you would like a one-line overview of One UI 8, I’d let you know that it’s all about iterative refinements relatively than one thing new.
With that stated, there are many modifications underneath the hood, and also you’re most likely curious what they seem like. So, with out additional delay, listed below are all the brand new options and updates that include One UI 8.
Fast Share overhaul
Credit score: Joe Hindy / Mashable
Samsung’s Fast Share perform has acquired a full overhaul. Instead of the outdated model, the brand new UI contains two screens. One is devoted to sharing and the opposite is devoted to receiving. To it see it, choose a file out of your telephone and share it to Fast Share to open the UI and get began.
On the Obtain aspect, your telephone will instantly begin on the lookout for one other telephone that has engaged in Fast Share to share a file to your telephone. The display screen is tremendous fundamental and straightforward to make use of, with a fast hyperlink to the Settings so you may change who can and may’t share with you.
For the Ship aspect, the file you need to share is proven and your telephone lists close by gadgets that may obtain the file. Alternatively, you may generate a QR code that briefly uploads the file to Samsung’s cloud servers. Then, the opposite machine can scan the QR code and obtain the file. In all, it really works simply and with out a lot fuss in our testing.
My Recordsdata will get per-app filters
Credit score: Joe Hindy / Mashable
Have you ever ever downloaded a file after which instantly forgotten the place it was or what its title was? This alteration would possibly enable you to discover it. Within the My Recordsdata app, now you can filter your information primarily based on which app downloaded them. This works within the Latest information and Obtain views. As soon as there, choose the app to see all of the information — together with paperwork, photos, and movies — downloaded by that one app.
Cut up display screen can now break up apps 90:10
Credit score: Joe Hindy / Mashable
Cut up display screen has at all times been a polarizing characteristic. Some people use it on a regular basis, and a few rarely do. One UI 8 provides a brand new trick to the combination that will make it extra palatable for the latter people. The brand new 90:10 break up lets you principally cover the second app and provides one app many of the consideration. You possibly can then flip backwards and forwards between the 2 by tapping on whichever app is usually hidden.
To make use of the characteristic, put two apps in split-screen mode as regular. The quickest method is lengthy urgent an app within the latest apps menu after which deciding on the second app from there. As soon as executed, drag the divider bar till one of many apps is 90 % displaying and the opposite is 10 % displaying.
The Reminder app has been redesigned
Credit score: Joe Hindy / Mashable
Reminders are a giant deal for folks, and Samsung is attempting to make its Reminders app the one you choose. The redesign now places a bunch of classes on the high of the app that functionally function organizers to your numerous sorts of notes and reminders. Thus, you may rapidly see what’s there for at this time, scheduled for later, and even look over accomplished reminders.
The app additionally now homes new sorts of pattern reminders for customers to check out as a tutorial for the assorted issues the app can do. Lastly, there’s an Add Reminder field on the backside of the display screen that permits you to rapidly add a reminder. The field will populate with recommendations as you kind that can assist you save time.
Samsung additionally built-in Reminders with the Calendar app and vice versa. You should utilize the Calendar app to create or view reminders with no need to open the Reminders app.
A giant checklist of small enhancements
For essentially the most half, One UI 8 is an enchancment over One UI 7, and loads of the modifications replicate this philosophy. Many of the new stuff I noticed in One UI 8 was kind of an iteration over what was there beforehand. Let’s briefly undergo all of these modifications as effectively.
Calendar
On high of the combination with Reminders, Calendar additionally has some new recommendations whereas creating occasions to assist make occasions extra rapidly. You’ll additionally have the ability to drag and drop reminders round in your calendar to reschedule them.
Mashable Gentle Pace
Samsung Web
Samsung’s built-in browser continues to enhance. In One UI 8, the browser now enables you to reconfigure your fast menu to get entry to options you utilize most frequently. It’s similar to how Microsoft’s Edge browser does it the place you may add, subtract, and transfer choices round.
The climate app seems nicer
Performance stays the identical, however the graphics now characteristic extra clear parts and extra realistic-looking imagery.
AI Choose
The screenshot characteristic is now quicker to make use of. You possibly can instantly choose an space of the display screen when participating with AI Choose as a substitute of getting to attend for it.
Enhanced DeX assist
Samsung has improved DeX a bit bit. Whenever you hook up with a tool, you may rotate the show 90, 180, or 270 levels and there are extra decision choices for higher monitor assist.
Samsung Well being
The Well being app has been revised a bit bit as effectively. Now you can set reminders to document your meals consumption and problem your pals to distance operating challenges. For the operating, you may set a distance after which the primary pal to hit that distance wins.
Digital camera
Samsung has added a brand new choice to swipe up or down on the digicam viewfinder to entry fast controls in Digital camera quicker. You must allow this within the settings menu earlier than it’ll work. Search for the Swipe Up/down possibility.
New modes and routines
New preset routines at the moment are out there for climate. They will also be personalized to satisfy your particular wants. There are additionally new actions and integrations for Clock, Calendar, and Samsung Notes.
Profile playing cards
You possibly can additional design and configure your profile card after which ship it to different customers. Different customers will see your profile card whenever you name them.
Contact historical past now contains recorded calls
When viewing a contact’s historical past, any recorded calls at the moment are readily seen and accessible, making it simpler to hear on outdated telephone calls.
Safe Folder will get some enhancements
Safe Folder cannot stop hidden apps from sending notifications whenever you lock them away. The Safe Folder may also now be utterly hidden and encrypted for optimum safety.
Accessibility
Samsung has enhanced its accessibility options. There’s nothing too huge right here, however there are some useful modifications. The Assistant menu has extra methods for customers to zoom in on their display screen, together with a pinch-to-zoom and buttons to extend or lower zoom.
As well as, now you can set your mouse to your keyboard. By urgent the keys on the keyboard, you may transfer the mouse pointer round. Your keyboard will also be magnified for simpler typing, and Bluetooth listening to aids at the moment are simpler to pair.
Auracast broadcasts at the moment are simpler
The characteristic lets you broadcast audio to a number of gadgets without delay. That is now simpler to do in One UI 8 with the inclusion of QR codes. You possibly can generate one for different folks to scan or scan one your self to turn into part of the printed.
Group alarms get a bit higher
Now you can add present alarms to an alarm group. As well as, you may add alarm teams to widgets on your property display screen, which lets you flip all of them on or off with a single faucet.
Faster assist at service facilities
Going to a Samsung service middle is now simpler. You possibly can scan a QR code or NFC scan prompts on the service middle to rapidly share fundamental info like your title and telephone quantity. Samsung says the information is encrypted and may solely be accessed by assist workers.
My remaining ideas
So, as beforehand said, One UI 8 is extra of a refinement than a giant departure from what you already know.
Total, the beta appears fairly steady. I haven’t run into any notable bugs, which is sensible since many of the stuff right here is identical. For now, I like to recommend leaving One UI 8 for the official launch until you actually need to check out one in all these enhancements or new options.
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Samsung
