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One UI
Software overlay by Samsung Electronics Limited From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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One UI is a user interface (UI) developed by Samsung Electronics for its smart devices, including Android devices from at least late 2016 or early 2017 running Android 9 (Pie) and later. Succeeding Samsung Experience, it is designed to make using larger smartphones easier and be more visually appealing. It was announced & unveiled at Samsung Developer Conference in 2018,[4] and was updated in Galaxy Unpacked in February 2019 alongside the Galaxy S10 series, Galaxy Buds and the Galaxy Fold.
 | This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: This article may resemble that of a change-log and should be rewritten to provide a broader historical perspective. (March 2025) |
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In 2021, Samsung and Google announced the wearable version of Tizen and Wear OS were being merged.[5][6]
The latest version, One UI 7, was released on January 22, 2025.
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Features
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One UI was designed as part of a goal to make Samsung's hardware and software "work together in perfect harmony" and provide a more "natural" experience on large-screen smartphones. One UI displays most of the features[7] that were in the Samsung Experience UX. A prominent design pattern in many of Samsung's system applications is to intentionally place common features and user interface elements along the middle of the screen rather than near the top. This makes them easier to reach with a user's thumb when using the device one-handed.
For similar reasons, apps utilise large headers to push their main content towards the vertical centre of the screen. The navigation bar supports the use of gestures and the usual 3-button system, while a system-wide "night mode" was also added (which gives UI elements and supported applications a darkened color scheme). As with Android Pie upstream, the Overview screen of recent apps uses a horizontal layout, as opposed to the vertical layout of previous versions.[8][9][10][11]
One UI Core
One UI Core was a slimmed down version of the original One UI feature set aimed towards the lower-priced A, F, J (discontinued in 2019),[12] and M series low and mid-range devices. Devices running One UI Core typically have a reduced set of features compared to the full version of One UI running on higher end devices. One UI Core hasn't been made available to those low-end devices since the release of One UI 6 and are instead given full One UI software with limited features.[13]
Default apps and components
The following is a list of Samsung's own software and functionalities that are included with One UI (as of version 6.1).
Additional Samsung apps and components for One UI are offered on the Samsung Galaxy Store
Since One UI devices running Android use Google's version of the OS, numerous Google Mobile Services components also ship with the devices.
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History
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Overview
One UI 1
One UI 1.0 is the first version of One UI and is based on Android 9 "(Pie)". It brought about many features which were becoming increasingly popular among various apps. Dark mode was one key feature added to make viewing in dark spaces easier on the user's eyes. This feature was included in many apps and eventually brought to iOS 13 and Android 10. The first version also brought native screenshot editing tools, refined curves, refinements to the Always-On Display (tap to show), an upgraded Bixby with support for remapping the Bixby button, and a new way to navigate the device: gestures released on 19 December 2018.
While Android 9 “Pie” did come with gesture support, it was only available on Pixel devices and stock AOSP devices and is said to be 'half baked' by many users. However, Samsung decided to create their own gesture system to navigate devices with One UI installed. To achieve this, the user has to swipe up from the bottom of the device in the three locations of the 'buttons' to navigate. The gesture system has received mixed reviews.[27][28][29] The incoming call screen got refinements. One UI 1.0 was released on 7 November 2018.
One UI 1.1 brought stability fixes and performance optimizations, primarily for the camera, fingerprint reader, and facial recognition.[30] One UI 1.1 was released alongside the Galaxy S10 series. This is the first version of One UI to be included as part of newer Samsung Galaxy devices since 2019. Later releases required some devices from 2018.
One UI 1.5 provided a native screen recorder, a "Power Mode" for higher system performance and exclusive early access Link to Windows support in cooperation with Microsoft.[31] It was launched with the Galaxy Note 10 series devices on 12 August 2019. It was included with select Galaxy A series devices from 2019, Galaxy Tab S6 and Tab Active Pro.
Although Samsung Experience was rebranded to One UI in late 2018, some apps like Settings or the Calendar still identify One UI 1.0–1.5 as Samsung Experience. This would be corrected with One UI 2 as the Samsung Experience name would later fade away with the release of Android 10 for those supported devices.[citation needed]
One UI 2
One UI 2.0 is the second version of One UI and is powered by Android 10.[32] It provides Galaxy users with a skinned Digital Wellbeing experience, a more refined UI in some default apps such as Device Care, a minor UI change to the clock position in quick settings, a native screen recorder, the new Android 10 gesture system, Dynamic Lock Screen (different wallpaper with every unlock), a Trash folder in Files, native Android Auto, sound themes and harder Location permission access. The incoming call screen got improvements, including the phone icons. One UI 2.0 was officially released for the Galaxy S10 and Note 10 series on 7 November 2019 with other devices received the update thereafter.[33]
One UI 2.1 brought support for 120 Hz refresh rate, Quick Share, Music Share, additional camera modes, and native support for Live Captions. It was first released with the Galaxy S20 series & the Galaxy Z Flip. It also arrived for older devices such as the Galaxy S9 and S10, Note 9 and Note 10,[34] the Galaxy Fold, and select Galaxy A series[35] devices as a software update on 24 February 2020.
One UI 2.5 was initially released on 24 August 2020 with the launch of the Galaxy Note 20 series, with the update later being released to other supported devices. It doesn't bring radical changes to the UI, but there are plenty of new feature additions to the camera, DeX, gesture navigation, and other services.[36][37][38]
One UI 3
One UI 3.0, the third version of One UI and based on Android 11, was released for Galaxy S20 devices beginning on 2 December 2020. The update includes a few noteworthy improvements, such as a translucent notification panel, brief notifications, new volume controls positioned on the right or left of the device alongside the physical volume keys, slightly enhanced widgets, redesigned incoming call screen, and smoother animations and transitions throughout the whole UI among other features.[39][40][41]
One UI 3.1 first released with the Galaxy S21 series, has started rolling out to other supported Galaxy devices, starting with the Galaxy S20 series on 17 February 2021. There are no notable user interface changes. It contains many new camera feature improvements such as improved touch autofocus and auto exposure controller and improved Single Take feature and software implementations such as Object Eraser, Multi Mic Recording, Eye Comfort Shield, Private Share and others.[42] This is the first version to replace the built-in phone, messages and contacts apps with Google's versions however, this only applies to phones released in 2021 with Android 11 or later in North America and the older phone, messages and contacts apps provided by Samsung that have been present since the beginning of Touchwiz still remain to this day. Older devices such as the S10 and S20 remain unaffected and do not include Google's communication apps.
One UI 3.1.1 first released with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 on 11 August 2021, although this first appeared with the Galaxy Tab S7 FE on 18 June 2021. It made multitasking easier with enhanced multi-window and task-switching features and also optimized more apps to take advantage of the large screen devices such as foldables and tablets. As such it was only released to eligible Galaxy Z series and Galaxy Tab series devices. The new features were rolled out to all supported devices but devices that aren't classified neither as foldable phones nor tablets continued to show their software version as One UI 3.1 after the update.
One UI 4
One UI 4.0, based on Android 12, is the fourth generation of One UI. It was released to the Galaxy S21 series on 15 November 2021. This version focuses on customization, privacy, and access to Samsung's expanding ecosystem.[43][44]
One UI 4.1 was first released with the Galaxy S22 series. It brought minor changes; however, it did introduce features like Smart Calendar, added option to choose how much virtual RAM is desired (from 2, 4, 6 or 8 GB), redesigned palette picker, Smart Widgets, separate Left/Right audio balance, extra brightness toggle, Pro Mode on more cameras, Night Mode portraits, and other minor changes.[45]
One UI 4.1.1 is based on Android 12L which optimized the Android OS for alternative form factors such as foldables. It first released with the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 on August 23, 2022. This update also adds further Samsung specific enhancements to multitasking and optimizations for foldable smartphones (Galaxy Z Fold line) and large screen tablets (Galaxy Tab line).[46] Even though the new features made it to supported bar-type phones One UI 4.1.1, like One UI 3.1.1, was only officially rolled out to the Galaxy Z series and Galaxy Tab series.
One UI 5
One UI 5.0, based on Android 13, was announced on 12 October 2022, as the fifth generation of One UI. It was officially released for the Galaxy S22 series first starting 28 October 2022 with other devices received the update months or weeks afterwards depending on the country.[47]
Some features and changes include the ability to turn off the RAM Plus feature, where previously users could only limit it to 2 GB rather than turning it off entirely, and a redesigned way of customizing the lock screen, similar to iOS 16. Material You was also expanded to most of Google and Samsung Apps along with some third-party apps that support material you, allowing more ways to customize One UI. One UI 5 also brings refreshed icons for a more-refined look across the UI.
One UI 5.1 was announced on 1 February 2023 and released on 13 February 2023 with the Galaxy S23 series. It brought many new multitasking features, weather, new battery widget, Settings and Spotify suggestions, Camera and Gallery features, as well as improvements such as the ability to change color tone for selfies, enhanced image remastering, and revamped info display.[48]
One UI 5.1.1 launched with the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Tab S9 on 26 July 2023. The update increases the number of apps shown in the taskbar with more recent apps, improves support for Flex Mode in more apps, allows for two-handed drag-and-drop file transfer and gives the ability to hide apps in pop-up mode among other features and improvements.[49] Like One UI versions 3.1.1 and 4.1.1, it was only available to foldable phones and tablets.
One UI 6
One UI 6.0 is based on Android 14.[50] It was officially released for the Galaxy S23 series starting 30 October 2023 with other devices received the update after several weeks or months depending on the country.[51]
The update includes a redesigned quick panel with a new button layout, improved access to the brightness settings and a new notification layout that allows sorting by time. Other new features include a new default font, called One UI Sans, new emojis and an improved multitasking experience. Built-in Samsung applications such as the Camera app, Gallery, Photo Editor, Weather among others have also received updates to add more functionality and customization.[52]
One UI 6.1 was released on 17 January 2024 with the Galaxy S24 series. This and later versions of One UI mainly include new AI-based features that are available only on flagship devices sold in 2022 and later. These features are marketed as "Galaxy AI" and rely on a combination of local models and cloud-based models. In mainland China, the cloud partner is Baidu providing its Ernie model,[53] while in international markets (including Hong Kong and Taiwan), the cloud partner is Google providing its Gemini Pro model.[54]
Features coming to all applicable devices include enhanced battery protection designed to prevent battery degradation, SuperHDR for photos in the Gallery and on social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat, and the option to show the lock screen wallpaper on Always On Display. Simultaneously the merger of Samsung's Quick Share and Google's Nearby Share feature were announced allowing all Galaxy users fast file transfer with all Android and Windows devices using a single solution.[55][56]
While not released alongside One UI 6.1, Samsung implemented Google's A/B seamless update technology with the release of the Galaxy A55. This works by installing updates to a secondary system partition that the device boots from whenever it is restarted.[57][58]
One UI 6.1.1 was released on 10 July 2024 with Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6. This update includes several new Galaxy AI features such as Portrait Studio, Suggested Replies and Sketch to Image. Other devices are expected to receive the update thereafter starting with the Galaxy S24 series.[59] However, non-foldable phones continued to show the software version as 6.1 after the update like One UI 5.1.1 as like major releases of One UI that report ".1.1", it was only available to foldable phones and tablets.
One UI 7
One UI 7.0 was released on 22 January 2025 with the S25 series and is based on Android 15. It was also publicly released as an update to the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy Z6 series first starting on 11 April 2025[60] with varying release dates depending on the country.[61]
The update features a complete revamp of the One UI experience, marking its first major change in the history of One UI. The icons, widgets, camera app, and lock screen have all been redesigned; the quick panel has been separated into two by default (the notification panel and the control panel), though it can be reverted into the old layout.[62] Samsung Phone, Samsung Messages, Samsung Contacts are removed on US Galaxy models in favor of Google's apps providing RCS support. However, they are still available as an optional download on the Galaxy Store. DeX for PC and downloadable edge panels are deprecated in this release in favor for Link to Windows and third party alternatives. New ringtones and notification sounds are added for the first time since the release of the Galaxy S20 series.[63]
Starting with this version, Samsung introduced One UI as the default interface on its smart TVs, monitors, projectors,[64] and home appliances.[65]
As of March 2025, the stable rollout of One UI 7 to existing devices has been drastically delayed.[66] The Galaxy S25 series, A25 (Japan variant), A06 5G, A26, A36, A56, M06 (LTE/5G), F06 5G (LTE/5G), M16 (LTE/5G), M56, F16 (LTE/5G), XCover7 Pro, Tab S10 FE/FE+ and Tab Active5 Pro are the only devices have One UI 7 pre-installed.
Samsung launched the beta program on 5 December 2024, in nearly half a dozen markets across the globe, including the United States, South Korea, and Germany. The beta has been released for the Galaxy S24 series (excluding S24 FE) initially but the beta testing was later expanded for Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 on March 6, S23 Series (excluding S23FE) and Tab S10 series on March 13,[67][68][69] and to A55 on April 5 in India, South Korea, United Kingdom and United States.[70]
One UI 8
One UI 8.0 started beta testing on 28 May 2025 on the Galaxy S25 series and is based on Android 16.[71]
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Software support
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At a Galaxy Unpacked event on 5 August 2020, Samsung announced that it would offer up to three years of One UI (four for S10 and Note 10 due to Lite release being delayed) and operating system updates and four years of security updates (five for S10 and Note 10 due to Lite release being delayed) for some devices.[72] The list includes:
- Galaxy S series (S10 and S20, except S20 FE 2022)
- Galaxy Note series (Note 10 and Note 20)
- Galaxy Z series (Fold, Z Fold 2, Z Flip and Z Flip 5G)
- Galaxy A series (A51, A52, A52s, A71, A71 5G UW, A82 and A90 5G)
- Galaxy XCover series (XCover Pro and XCover 5)
- Galaxy Tab S series (Tab S6 and S7)
- Galaxy Tab A series (A7 Lite and A8 and later)
- Galaxy Tab Active series (Tab Active 3 and Tab Active 4 Pro)
At a Galaxy Unpacked event on 9 February 2022, Samsung announced that it would offer up to four years of One UI (five for S21 series due to FE release being delayed) and operating system updates and five years of security updates (six for S21 series due to FE release being delayed) for some devices.[73] The list includes:
- Galaxy S series (S21 to S23)
- Galaxy Z series (Z Flip 3 to Z Flip 5, Z Fold 3 to Z Fold 5)
- Galaxy A series (A15, A24, A25, A33, A34, A35, A53, A54, A55 and A73)
- Galaxy M series (M15, M34, M35, M54, M55)
- Galaxy F series (F15, F34, F35, F54, F55)
- Galaxy Xcover series (XCover 6 Pro, XCover 7)
- Galaxy Tab (S8 and S9 series, Tab Active 5 and later rugged tablets)
- Galaxy Watch 4 series and later smartwatches
- Galaxy Book laptops released since 2021
- They will receive security updates for 18 months after the last major Windows feature update supported for that device.
At a Galaxy Unpacked event on 17 January 2024, Samsung announced that it would offer seven years of security updates, software updates and seven OS upgrades (eight for the Galaxy Tab S10 series due to FE being delayed) for all flagship devices sold in 2024.[74] The new policy only applies to the latest flagship series with foldable device released in 2024 and later will receive Galaxy AI features. The device list include the following:
- Galaxy S24 series
- Galaxy Z series (Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6)
- Galaxy Tab S10 series
At the Mobile World Congress in 2025, held in Barcelona, Samsung quietly extended software support for the phones and tablets:
- Extended to eight years of OS upgrades and twelve years of security updates (for Galaxy S devices, Tab S series and Z series sold in 2025 and later), each starting with the Samsung Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra and S25 Edge in March 2025, and will subsequently expand to the Galaxy Tab S series and Z series by September 2025.
- Extended to six years of OS upgrades and ten years of security updates (for mid-range Galaxy A series devices above the A0x/M0x/F0x line), each, starting with the release of the Samsung Galaxy A16 in April 2025,[75] and later expanded to Galaxy A26, A36, and A56 in May 2025.[76]
- Extended to four years of OS upgrades and eight years of security updates, each, to future A0x/M0x/F0x series devices, starting with the release of the Galaxy A06 5G (and its rebranded versions: Galaxy F06 5G (sold in India), Galaxy M06 5G (sold online in select countries), and the Galaxy A25 (Japan variant)[77] in May 2025.[78]
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Devices running One UI
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Smartphones
Current series
Galaxy Z series (2019−)
Galaxy S series (2017−)
Galaxy A series (2017−)
Galaxy XCover series (2017−)
Galaxy M series (2019−)
Galaxy F series (2020−)
Former series
Galaxy Note series (2017−2020)
Galaxy J series (2017−2018)
Tablets
Galaxy Tab S series (2017−)
Galaxy Tab A series (2017−)
Galaxy Tab Active series (2017−)
Computers
Galaxy Book series (2017−)
Watches
Galaxy Gear series (2016)
Galaxy Watch series (2018−)
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See also
Other Android Skins
References and notes
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