Samsung kicks off One UI 9 beta: Here's what's new on your Galaxy S26

One UI 8.5 has barely rolled out across Samsung’s device lineup, but the company is already moving forward with One UI 9. Samsung announced the One UI 9 beta for the Galaxy S26 series yesterday, and the update has now begun rolling out in the first wave of regions, revealing the full changelog.

The One UI 9 beta program is live for the Galaxy S26 in South Korea, Germany, and the UK, as spotted by Tarun Vats on X.

Here’s the official changelog for this One UI 9 update for the Galaxy S26 Ultra (via Sammobile):

• More customizable quick panel
  • You can now rearrange and customize the controls in your quick panel even more than before. You can change the size of the brightness and volume sliders as well as the media player. You can also separate the sound mode button from the volume slider.
• Samsung DeX enhancements
  • It’s easier to move an app window from one desktop to another using the menu at the top of the window. Desktop previews are now available at the top of the Recents screen, making it easier to switch with a single tap.
• Do more with notes
  • The new Tape feature in Samsung Notes let’s you cover parts of your note with tape and reveal them when needed. A variety of new pen styles have also been added, giving you even more options for writing and drawing.
• More settings in Game Booster panel
  • Adjust your game settings without stopping the action. You can now access screen resolution, screenshot format, and more directly from the Game Booster panel.
• Location access transparency
  • Stay on top of your location privacy. A blue indicator will appear at the top of the screen when an app accesses your location. Tap the indicator in the quick panel to see which app it is.
• Discover new Accessibility features
  • Check the What’s new menu in Accessibility settings to learn about and try the latest Accessibility features for your Galaxy.
• Text spotlight for easier reading
  • Need a closer look? Tap any text on the screen to show it enlarged and highlighted in its own window. You can also customize the font size, colors, and other settings to match your preferences.
• Physical keyboard shortcuts
  • Use shortcuts on your physical keyboard to access the Accessibility settings you need without touching the screen.
• Mouse keys enhancements
  • New options are available when using your keyboard for mouse interactions including speed and acceleration control. You can also use the keyboard’s number pad to point and click.
• Replace swipe with single tap
  • The Replace swipe with single tap option is now located on Dexterity and interaction menu instead of the Assistant menu for easier access.
• Select to speak
  • Get quick audio readouts without turning on full TalkBack. With the new Select to speak feature, you can select an item on your screen, like text or an image, and hear it read or described out loud.
• Improved TalkBack updates
  • Through continuous collaboration, Samsung and Google’s TalkBack features have been unified. TalkBack updates can now be applied with a simple app update from the Play Store.

The first One UI 9.0 beta update is based on Android 17 and has firmware version S94xBXXU2ZZEF, with a download size of over 3.6GB. It also brings the May 2026 security patch.