3 ways you can get Samsung’s One UI 8 update quicker

Samsung unveiled One UI 8 earlier this year, and since then, it has been gradually rolling it out to an increasing number of users through its beta program. If you’re unfamiliar with One UI 8, it’s Samsung’s Android 16 update for its Galaxy smartphones. While One UI 7 (Samsung’s Android 15 update) had a lengthy rollout period marred by issues, so far it appears that One UI 8 won’t share the same fate (hopefully), with September already announced as the launch date.

One UI 8 has been in beta for the past couple of months, and an official stable version was launched on Samsung’s newest foldable devices, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, which came out in July. If you’re excited about One UI 8 and want to get it faster, here are three ways to be one of the first.

1

Join the One UI 8 beta program

The cheapest and simplest option if your device qualifies

If you have a Galaxy S25 or S24 series device, the beta is undoubtedly the easiest way to try out One UI 8 now, before its official launch. Samsung started the beta program for One UI 8 on the Galaxy S25 series in May and recently began rolling it out to the Galaxy S24 series, with the beta now available for download in the US, UK, Korea, and India.

Also, if you have a Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Z Flip 6, you can download and try the beta as well. Unfortunately, if you own a Galaxy S23 series device, Fold 5, or Flip 5, Samsung won’t roll out the One UI 8 beta for them until September, so you’ll need to wait a bit longer.

To sign up and download the beta on your eligible device, just follow these simple steps:

1. Open the Samsung Members app (you can get it from the Galaxy Store if you uninstalled it).

2. Log in to the app with your Samsung account if you haven’t already done so.

3. Tap the One UI Beta Program banner at the top of the screen to enroll in the beta.

4. Once you’ve enrolled, head to Settings > Software update > Download and install to check for updates and download the One UI 8 beta.

2

Give Samsung’s latest foldable models a try

It’s not the cheapest route, but it’s still a way to get One UI 8

If you don’t want the One UI 8 beta or your device isn’t eligible, and you’re eager to try an official release of One UI 8, the only option currently is to get one of Samsung’s latest foldable devices. When Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, one of the key benefits it highlighted was that these new foldable phones come with a stable version of One UI 8 pre-installed out of the box.

So, if you’ve been waiting to upgrade your device or just have $2,000 to spend on a Galaxy Z Fold 7, this is currently the only way to experience an official, non-beta version of One UI 8 until Samsung begins rolling out the official update in September. While it’s certainly not the easiest or cheapest option available, it’s still a way to experience One UI 8 before anyone else and get the update faster. On the bright side, if you do choose to go down this route and get one of Samsung’s new foldables, both the Fold 7 and Flip 7 have some pretty big upgrades, which make them worth the cost if you’re coming from a much older device.

Additionally, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE also comes with One UI 8, making it one of the cheapest ways to officially get the update now, as the phone costs $900, which is more affordable than the Flip 7’s $1,100 price tag.

3

Get the Galaxy S25 FE

Leaks suggest it will launch in September

An alternative way to get One UI 8 sooner is by waiting for the Galaxy S25 FE. Although Samsung hasn’t officially announced it yet, leaks indicate it will launch in late September with One UI 8 pre-installed, like the Fold 7 and Flip 7.

For those unfamiliar, Samsung’s FE series offers more affordable versions of its flagship phones released earlier in the year. For example, last year’s Galaxy S24 FE was a simplified version of the S24, featuring a slower chipset (Exynos S2400E instead of Snapdragon 8 Gen 3), slightly inferior cameras, and slower charging. The S25 FE is expected to follow the same pattern, being a more budget-friendly variant of the S25.

If you own an older Samsung Galaxy phone and prefer not to pay for the S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, or the new foldables, waiting for the S25 FE could be a good option. It’s likely you’ll receive One UI 8 earlier if it launches in September, as the S24 and S23 series may not be updated until after its release. FNN News, a South Korean news outlet, reported that the S25 FE could be launched on September 19 in Korea, which means the US launch could be the same day or follow soon after. For reference, the Galaxy S24 FE launched last year for $650, so the S25 FE could be around the same price range.

4

Play the waiting game

This isn’t exactly a faster way to get it

Lastly, this isn’t exactly a faster way to get One UI 8, but it’s really the only other option to try it out eventually: playing the waiting game.

Samsung has already said that One UI 8 will officially launch in September, first rolling out to the Galaxy S25 series. It didn’t share an exact date of when to expect it for the Galaxy S24 series or the Galaxy S23 series, but it did say it “will be rolled out sequentially to other eligible devices.” Therefore, it’s possible that other Galaxy devices could receive the update in late September or October.

Here’s a list of the Samsung Galaxy smartphones expected to support One UI 8:

Galaxy S Series

• Galaxy S25, S25+ S25 Ultra, S25 Edge
• Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, S24 FE
• Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23 FE
• Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra
• Galaxy S21 FE

Galaxy Z Series

• Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, Z Flip 7 FE
• Galaxy Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6
• Galaxy Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5
• Galaxy Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4

A bunch of Samsung’s mid-range devices are also expected to get the One UI 8 update, including the Galaxy A33, A53, A73, A24, A34, A54, A15, A25, A35, and A55. Samsung has not officially confirmed all the devices getting One UI 8 yet, but these devices are the most likely to get it at the present time.