Samsung is widening access to its One UI 9 beta later this month, with the second rollout phase set to start on May 26 for Galaxy S26 users in additional regions. The Android 17-based software began as a limited release, but the company is now pushing it outward in stages, a familiar Samsung move that keeps the most eager users busy while the full stable build still sits in the oven.
One UI 9 beta rollout starts on May 26
Samsung had already named India, the US, the UK, Germany, South Korea, and Poland as beta regions, although the first phase did not reach every eligible user at once. Galaxy S26 owners can sign up through the Samsung Members app once the program appears in their market.
The slow expansion makes sense. Samsung tends to use beta programs to catch rough edges before the wider crowd gets them, and that matters even more now that Android releases arrive with heavier AI and security layers baked in.
Quick Panel, Notes and accessibility changes
One UI 9 brings a redesigned Quick Panel that lets users adjust the size and placement of brightness, media playback, and sound controls separately. That should make the interface a little less rigid, which is welcome on a phone that already tries to do too much and then asks for more.
- Samsung Notes adds new pen styles and decorative tape effects for journaling and customization.
- Creative Studio tools are built into Notes, so users can create profile cards without hopping between apps.
- Accessibility updates include adjustable Mouse Key speeds, improved TalkBack integration, and a new Text Spotlight tool that enlarges selected text in a floating window.
Security features arrive before the stable release
Samsung says the beta will also be more aggressive about spotting suspicious or potentially harmful apps, warning users before installation or execution. Updated policies may even recommend deleting risky apps, which is the kind of blunt housekeeping mobile platforms have been nudging toward as malicious software gets sneakier.
For now, One UI 9 is still confined to the Galaxy S26 lineup, while Samsung is already shipping stable One UI 8.5 updates to older devices. That suggests the beta window could broaden later, but the stable One UI 9 release is expected to land alongside Samsung’s next flagship Galaxy smartphones later this year.