Galaxy S24 Ultra One UI 8.5

Photo by Zulfugar Karimov on Unsplash

Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S24 Ultra now runs on the freshly rolled‑out One UI 8.5, a step up from the earlier One UI 8.0 that powered the previous generation. The new skin sits on top of Android 14 and keeps the overall Samsung feel while slipping in a handful of visual and functional upgrades that aim to make everyday use feel a bit more buttery.

One of the first things users notice is the revamped “Morph” design language. It’s not a total overhaul but adds subtle depth to icons, buttons and menus, and comes with a new palette of accent colours that you can pick from the settings. The effect is a slightly richer look without draining the battery.

Navigation also got a facelift. The expanded gesture menu now houses a dedicated “Quick‑Swipe” panel. With a single swipe from the side, you can pull up recent apps, glance at notifications, or even power‑off the device. It’s a neat shortcut for folks who dislike hunting for the power button or digging through the recent‑apps list.

Dark‑mode fans have something to smile about too. One UI 8.5 improves dark‑mode rendering, allowing custom wallpapers to stay truly dark and not bleed colour. Alongside that, a new “Night‑Light” toggle can be scheduled, dimming the screen’s blue light automatically based on your chosen time frame.

Privacy got a serious boost. Samsung introduced an “App‑Level” permission manager that shows, in real‑time, how often each app reaches for the camera, microphone or location. You can now spot a sneaky app that’s constantly listening and revoke its access on the spot, all from a single screen.

Battery management also received a tweak. A “Battery Saver” mode now kicks in automatically when the charge dips below 15 %. Instead of a blunt cut‑off, the system throttles background activity, extending the remaining juice without you needing to toggle anything manually.

Photo by Jason Dent on Unsplash

Camera lovers will notice a couple of UI additions that sit right on the home screen. The new “Photo‑Enhancer” panel gives a live HDR‑boost while you’re framing a shot, making low‑light scenes look clearer instantly. For the pros, a “Pro‑Camera” toggle unlocks manual focus and ISO controls without diving deep into the camera app.

The rollout of One UI 8.5 started on 23 January 2026, according to reports. The update is available for all S‑series devices launched in 2025, which includes the Galaxy S24 Ultra, S24 Plus and the base S24 model. Users can fetch the update via the built‑in Software Update panel or by connecting the phone to a PC/Mac with Samsung’s Smart Switch utility.

While the update is officially rolled out for the entire 2025 S‑series, some sources say that the Galaxy S24 Ultra may receive the full package a day earlier due to a staggered server push. This minor timing difference hasn’t caused any functional issues, but it’s worth keeping an eye on the update notifications if you own a different S‑series device.

Installation is straightforward. Just tap “Download and install” in the Software Update screen, let the phone fetch the package, and after a quick reboot you’ll land on the new UI. For those who prefer a PC route, Smart Switch will handle the download and flashing process, preserving your data and settings.

Users who have already switched to One UI 8.5 report that the system feels smoother, especially when swiping between apps or scrolling through long feeds. The added depth in the Morph design does not tax the GPU, keeping frame rates high even on the power‑hungry S24 Ultra’s 120 Hz display.

Overall, One UI 8.5 seems to be a thoughtful polish rather than a radical redesign. It respects the familiar Samsung ecosystem while sprinkling in enough fresh touches – from Quick‑Swipe to tighter privacy controls – to make the Galaxy S24 Ultra feel newer than when it first shipped.

One UI 8.5 brings a subtle visual refresh, smarter navigation and tighter privacy to the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The update is live, easy to install, and adds useful tweaks without compromising performance.

📋 Disclaimer

The analysis presented in this article is purely based on the author's understanding and opinions derived from various reliable sources. The author has reviewed multiple sources to present this analysis.

If any information is found to be incorrect or misleading, it is purely a mistake originating from the source material and the author shall not be held responsible for the same. The author is sharing personal analysis on the topic based on what the sources have reported.