Samsung hasn’t officially released One UI 8.5, and it likely won’t arrive until sometime in 2026. Still, early test builds for the Galaxy S25 Ultra have surfaced online, giving us a sneak peek at what’s in store. The software is unfinished and buggy, but it already reveals some major changes — both good and bad.
One of the more surprising changes is the removal of text labels under icons in the bottom navigation bar for certain Samsung apps, like Gallery and Phone.
While this may seem minor, it could hurt usability for users who rely on those labels for quick navigation. It looks like Samsung is making a visual change simply for the sake of change, and not everyone will be thrilled.
Customization in the quick panel
On the flip side, One UI 8.5 introduces a highly flexible quick panel. Users can rearrange toggles, widgets, and sliders however they want. Both brightness and volume sliders can now be set horizontally or vertically, and the entire quick panel can be stripped down to the essentials if you prefer a cleaner look.
Gallery and Camera get tweaks
The Gallery app has received a more dramatic makeover. Buttons are larger, and instead of showing just the album name on a plain background, the top half of the screen now displays a preview of the latest photo or video in that album. It feels inspired by iOS, but in a good way.
The Camera app keeps its familiar layout, but the settings menu has been reorganized. Video options now have clearer menus with individual toggles for audio, recording formats (HDR, log), and dual capture. Other options like watermarks and motion photos also get expanded settings, though no brand-new features have appeared yet.
Elsewhere, One UI 8.5 polishes up the Settings app with rounded corners, larger spacing, and smoother transitions. The search bar has been moved to the bottom for easier reach, and the battery menu sports refreshed visuals and UI tweaks.
