Samsung starts notifying Galaxy S26 Ultra owners about red screen fix

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is among the top flagships you can get right now. So it came as a bit of a shock to some owners when they discovered an irritating red tint around the middle of the screen. Samsung then offered some good news, saying this wasn’t a hardware issue at all and could be patched with a software update. The company is now delivering this message front and center to customers affected by screen discoloration on their Galaxy S26 Ultra.

A notice has just gone up for South Korean users of the Samsung Members app, shared by SamMobile, confirming that the red screen problem can be patched via a software update or a “software calibration fix.” While the latter can be achieved by visiting a local Samsung service center, the company hasn’t provided a detailed timeline for the broader software update.

Samsung previously said this red tint bug may have been caused by the devices being exposed to strong lighting at maximum brightness. However, the new notice posted on the Samsung Members app doesn’t mention the cause. Here’s the English translation of that notice:

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by an issue where the center of the screen appears reddish on some Galaxy S26 Ultra products. This phenomenon can be resolved through a software calibration fix. If you visit a national service center, you can receive immediate complimentary calibration service regardless of your product’s remaining usage period, and same-day processing is available.

For our customers’ convenience, Samsung Electronics is also preparing a method to apply the software calibration without requiring a service center visit (via a remote update). We will provide details on the distribution schedule as soon as the preparation is complete. Samsung Electronics will continue to strive to provide a better user experience for our customers. Thank you.

The manufacturer notes that the calibration/fix at the service center is free of charge. This shouldn’t surprise anyone given that this isn’t a hardware bug, not to mention that the Galaxy S26 Ultra only started reaching customers in March this year.

With no specificity on how long users will have to wait for the “remote” update that would fix this issue without requiring a service center visit, customers only have one option at their disposal right now. Still, affected Galaxy S26 Ultra owners can breathe a sigh of relief knowing this problem doesn’t require a broad recall that could leave them potentially waiting for weeks.