Samsung released the One UI 8.0 stable update based on Android 16 starting in September this year. Rumours were at an all-time high that One UI 8.5 would soon follow, and now, Samsung has officially announced the beta rollout of One UI 8.5, with Galaxy S25 series users being the first to receive it starting from 8 December 2025.
The rollout is taking place in select markets, including Germany, India, Korea, Poland, the UK, and the U.S. Users who wish to participate will need to register through the Samsung Members app. I will share the steps to register via the Members app at the end of this article.
Here is what you will be getting in the One UI 8.5 update
One UI 8.5 updates Photo Assist with continuous editing and AI-generated image creation, which requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Output may include a visible watermark, and results can vary depending on device and UI.
Quick Share improvements allow the system to recognise people in photos and suggest sharing, but this requires devices running One UI 2.1 or later with Android Q or above, and both Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi enabled. Actual speed will vary by device, network, and user environment.
Device connectivity features include Audio Broadcast for sending media and voice to nearby LE Audio devices using Auracast. This is limited to Galaxy S25 series models. Storage Share shows files from other Galaxy devices — phones, tablets (One UI 7+, kernel 5.15+), Galaxy Book2/Book4 models, and Samsung TVs released after 2025 (U8000 and above) — once all devices are signed into the same Samsung account with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on. Availability differs by region and device.
Security additions include Theft Protection, Failed Authentication Lock for repeated unsuccessful unlock attempts, and broader identity checks for sensitive settings.
How to Sign Up for the One UI 8.5 Beta via the Samsung Members App
Before you rush into it, remember one thing: don’t install beta software on your primary phone. Beta builds can be unstable, and there’s always a chance of data loss.
Here’s how to join the beta:
- Open the Samsung Members app.
- Log in using your Samsung Account.
- Look for the One UI 8.5 beta banner on the homepage.
- Tap it and enrol by agreeing to the terms.
- Finally, head to Settings > Software update and download the update.
