Samsung One UI 9 is official: Everything we know so far

Samsung has officially launched One UI 9, its latest Android interface, alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Flip 8. The company also announced One UI 9 Watch for its newest smartwatches, bringing a range of AI features, interface improvements, and performance upgrades.

Here’s everything Samsung has confirmed about One UI 9, including its new features, supported Galaxy devices, and rollout schedule.

One UI 9 is Samsung’s ninth major software version for Galaxy phones and tablets. It runs on Android 17.

One UI 8.5 gave your phone a new look with Samsung’s Fluid AI design. One UI 9 keeps that look and focuses on new features, AI tools, and minor fixes rather than a redesign.

Samsung launched One UI 9 earlier than usual this year. Google moved its Android release window, and Samsung moved with it. This started with your Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 last year, and it continues with the Z Fold 8 line now.

Samsung built several new AI tools into One UI 9, and most of them arrive first on your foldable.

Gemini Intelligence is the biggest one. It can complete tasks for you across more than 40 apps, including shopping, restaurant bookings, travel, and event tickets. You describe what you need, or you show Gemini your screen, and it handles the rest in the background while you do something else. On your Z Flip 8, you can call up Gemini straight from the Flex Window by holding the power button.

Gemini Notebook comes preinstalled too. It gathers your notes, links, images, recordings, and files into one place, then turns them into summaries or audio overviews. On your Z Fold 8, you can drag files straight into it using Split View.

Samsung also throws in six months of Google AI Pro on your Z Fold 8 Ultra, Fold 8, and Flip 8.

Now Nudge pays attention to what you are doing and suggests your next step, like checking your schedule or saving a place you looked up. It now works across your keyboard and more apps than before.

Now Brief, your daily summary, is customizable. You can add cards and action buttons that jump straight to your music, directions, or calendar, and they will flag any privacy issues they notice.

You also get an AI Assistant Activity dashboard. It logs every action Gemini takes for you, so you always know what happened, and you can jump to the right settings if you want to change something.

Photo Assist lets you edit a photo by describing the change out loud, then shows you the before-and-after side by side. My FanCam tracks a subject in your video and reframes it to your desired aspect ratio, right inside Gallery.

Privacy Alerts now use on-device AI to flag apps that ask for your location too often or request permissions they do not need, and it gives you tips to fix them.

Samsung Internet also warns you before a dangerous link loads, using its own machine learning model.

Your phone gets a new Warranty and Care hub too. You can enroll in Samsung Care+, check your warranty, run a self-check on your phone, and book a repair with the cost shown upfront, all from one settings menu.

Your Z Fold 8’s screen automatically adjusts content between portrait and landscape orientations. Your lock screen wallpaper repositions itself so it never covers your clock or widgets, and you can drag it to reframe it yourself.

You can run two or three apps side by side and switch between them with one tap. On your Z Flip 8, the Flex Window now works like a small home screen. Swipe up for your apps, swipe down for your notifications, and add or move widgets without opening your phone.

The Quick Panel on your Z Fold 8 now floats above the rest of your screen, with a shadow underneath it.

Samsung tested most of One UI 9 in a public beta before Unpacked, and all of it made it into the final release.

Your Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 launched with their own version, called One UI 9 Watch, built on Wear OS 7.

You can call up Gemini on your watch just by raising your wrist and talking, no wake word needed. Samsung Health also got an update, built around five areas: activity, mindfulness, nutrition, sleep, and vitals. Your watch tracks your Heart Health Score, Fitness Index, and Daily Cardio Load, and it includes an FDA-authorized sleep apnea feature.

If you run, your watch now offers a Running Coach with a three- to five-week training plan, plus Strava integration. Samsung also redesigned the Galaxy Wearable app with a cleaner look and real watch face previews.

Wear OS 7 itself brings longer battery life, live updates for things like deliveries and sports scores, and AI-generated widgets you can build just by describing what you want.

What Samsung has confirmed is which phones are left out. Your Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra, and S21 FE will not get One UI 9. One UI 8.5 was their final major update. The same applies to your Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4, Tab S8 series, A53, and A33.

Beyond the launch foldables, Samsung’s usual update pattern points to a wide rollout. Expect it to reach your Galaxy S23 through S26 series, your Z Fold 5 through Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 5 through Z Flip 7, most of your A, M, and F series phones, your Galaxy Tab S9 through S11, and the XCover 7 line. Samsung has not confirmed this full list yet, so treat it as an estimate based on how past updates rolled out.

Your Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8 already have One UI 9, since it ships on the phone from day one. These foldables also go on sale in the first week of August 2026.

If you own an older Galaxy phone, you will wait longer. Samsung did not share a rollout date chart for existing devices at Unpacked, and reports suggest the company was never planning to. Your Galaxy S26 is expected to be first in line among existing phones, likely around September 2026. Other reports point to your Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 following around the same time, with A, M, and Tab series phones arriving through the rest of the year. None of these dates are confirmed by Samsung yet.

Gemini Intelligence’s app automation only works in the US and Korea for now, in English and Korean. Samsung has not said when it reaches other regions. If you live in South Africa or elsewhere in Africa, expect your update to land a few weeks after it reaches Korea, Europe, and the US, since Samsung typically rolls out software in waves.

Once your device is eligible, updating takes a few steps.

Update over Wi-Fi where you can, since the file can range from 1GB to 4GB. Keep your battery above 50 percent before you start, and avoid restarting your phone during installation.

You can also update through Smart Switch on your computer. Connect your phone by USB, open Smart Switch, and select Update. To confirm you are running One UI 9, go to Settings, tap About phone, then Software information.