Samsung One UI 9 beta: what is coming our way?

The One UI 9 beta based on Android 17 has been out for two weeks. Last week a new version arrived, which I installed on my Galaxy S26 Ultra. I will look at what it brings and compare it with One UI 8.5 on my Galaxy Z Fold 7. A note on the beta: you currently need a device from the Galaxy S26 series. The official version is supposed to arrive later in the summer, when the new Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 are released.

Settings menu

The menu is tidier. Samsung has pretty much switched on cleanup mode.

• Galaxy AI: Instead of many items with running text, there are only headings now. The description is now inside the respective menu item.
• Display: Instead of half a phone, there is a whole picture as the preview for light and dark mode.
• Parental controls settings: a new item right on the first page. On One UI 8.5 they are hidden under “Digital Wellbeing and parental controls”.

Google’s Easter eggs are back as well: on Android 17 you have to tap three times and first connect circles, and then an animation appears.

Quick settings and media player

• Brightness slider: Dark mode is separated. The slider can be shrunk to half its size, whereas on One UI 8.5 it only went down to two thirds. Another button fits next to it.
• Volume slider: The mute button is separated, and the slider can be shrunk.
• More compact panel: That keeps the panel shorter and clearer.
• Media player: It can now be dragged down to a really small size, too. The design has more contrast and is easier to read, with the artist and title in the middle. The buttons are larger and better outlined, the animation is nicer, and the media output is a button instead of text. That also applies to the view on the home screen and the lock screen.

Text highlighting

New in the accessibility settings under “Size and zoom” is text highlighting. You switch it on, and a small button stays on the screen. If you tap it, very small text, such as the labels under app icons, is displayed enlarged. That helps people with visual impairments and anyone who finds text on the phone display too small, including on websites or in emails.

Camera: dual mode

For the split-screen mode for video recording with the front and main camera, there used to be picture-in-picture and top and bottom. The new arrangement is left and right.

Samsung Notes

For me, Notes is one of the best note-taking apps. What is new:

• Decorative tapes: Via the writing icon and the new tape icon on the side, you choose colors and patterns like the ones you know from washi tape in journaling. A decorative tape over text hides it, and a tap on it shows it again. That helps with memorizing or when sharing your notes in a Teams meeting. You can only draw the tapes with the S Pen, but you can show and hide them with your finger as well.
• Stroke style: The pens now include dashed and dotted lines as well.

Samsung DeX

The DeX settings offer more options, for example hiding the status bar and taskbar automatically.

• Pointer and scrolling speed: You can set them under “Mouse and trackpad”, for an external mouse or when you use the Galaxy S26 Ultra as a touchpad. That is more comfortable because you can customize it.
• Multiple desktops: Via the three lines at the bottom left, the desktops are shown at the top. Before, you had to swipe through. You create several desktops, for example one with YouTube and Instagram and one for productivity, and switch quickly. Apps can be moved to other desktops. With the plus icon you create a new desktop, and the desktops stay saved.

Installing the beta

You need a device from the Galaxy S26 series, meaning S26, S26 Plus or S26 Ultra, and the Members app with a signed-in Samsung account. You register under “Beta program” and download the beta. It is a beta, so errors and bugs can occur. I did not notice any major bugs and was able to use the phone normally.

Verdict

Those are all the new features of the One UI 9 beta that I found. I am curious whether device-specific features will be added with the Z Fold 8 and the Z Flip 8.