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How many software updates will the Galaxy S23 get?
As impressive as the Samsung Galaxy S23 range of smartphones is, the improvements over the Galaxy 22 series were evolution rather than revolution. This might have you considering a deal on a previous-generation handset instead. That would be understandable, but you should also consider how long Samsung will support your next phone. To this end, we’ve examined how many software updates the Galaxy S23 will get.
The Galaxy S23 ships with the Android 13-based One UI 5.1 software, which was developed specifically for the Galaxy line. Since the launch of the phones, they got their first major update to One UI 6 based on Android 14, which is the first of four software updates to which Samsung has committed.
That will take the Galaxy S23 software updates through until 2027, including a year on the final version. Android 17, if that’s how Google is still naming its updates in 2026, will be the final update that the Galaxy S23 phones receive.
Android 17 will be the final update.
If you choose to hold on to your handset for that long or you decide to pick one up at a discount in the coming months and years, then you can be reassured that it will also be protected. Samsung will provide five years of security patches to the S23 range. That means your smartphone will be secure until at least 2028, by which time you might well have your eye on the next cutting-edge flagship.
Samsung’s iOS rival may have compelled the OEM to reassure its customers with these commitments. Apple doesn’t tend to make firm statements on how many updates each iteration of iPhone will receive, but it has regularly led the way in this regard. Past generations have regularly received at least six years of updates and sometimes up to eight years. Samsung’s commitment should reassure buyers who may be deciding whether to splash out on the Galaxy S23 now or wait for the iPhone 15 to arrive.
The software updates on the Samsung Galaxy S23 may be plentiful, but we now understand that they won’t be quite as convenient as we might have hoped. It has been reported that the Galaxy S23 won’t receive seamless updates, which would have allowed you to use the device while an update was being installed in the background. This might be slightly disappointing news to some, but it isn’t likely to be a deal-breaker for any potential buyers.
Between the Android updates, you’ll also receive any relevant S23-specific updates as and when they’re available. Samsung rolled out a camera-focused update in June 2023, with multiple improvements and tweaks included.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 power
Bigger battery
Beautiful display
S Pen functionality
Software update FAQs
The Samsung Galaxy S23 phones ship with Android 13, but you can now update to Android 14. Update versions on other Samsung phones vary.
It isn’t just the Galaxy S23 series that will be updated for four years. Last February, Samsung announced that many Galaxy devices would be eligible for four years of Android updates, including some of the more budget phones. The manufacturer also confirmed that all devices from 2019 or later would get at least four years of security updates.
You should be notified about new software updates on your phone, but you can check if one is available too. Our guide to updating your Android phone might help.
No. You will be notified when a new update is available, but it is up to you to confirm that you want to update your Samsung phone.