1. Seamless Galaxy–iPhone sharing with the Quick Share AirDrop upgrade
One UI 8.5’s headline upgrade is deep integration between Samsung’s Quick Share and Apple’s AirDrop, dramatically reducing the friction of sending files between Galaxy phones and iPhones. Once you’ve installed the update, you can enable this Galaxy AirDrop support by going to Settings > Connected devices > Quick Share and turning on Share with Apple devices. From there, photos, documents, and other files can be sent in just a few taps, without relying on messaging apps or cloud links. This Quick Share update helps close one of the biggest gaps when mixed-device families and teams need to collaborate quickly. It also pairs well with other One UI 8.5 features like the upgraded Circle to Search multi-object image search, making it easier to share what you see or capture. For many users, this single change is enough to make One UI 8.5 feel like a must-have upgrade.
2. Modern interactive Graphical wallpapers that don’t waste storage
Samsung is quietly transforming the look and feel of Galaxy lock screens with refreshed Graphical wallpapers in One UI 8.5. The old set from One UI 5 has been modernized and expanded: there are now eight designs, including two new ones, and every wallpaper is interactive. On the lock screen, elements animate as you move or tap your phone—some use subtle parallax linked to motion sensors, while others, like the familiar tennis court design, feature objects such as a bouncing ball that react to your touches. A basketball-themed option delivers similar playful feedback. To keep storage usage under control, these wallpapers are now downloadable rather than pre-loaded, and you can uninstall any you no longer want. They remain static on the home screen, so the visual flair is focused where you’re most likely to notice it: each time you wake or unlock your device.
3. A major Quick Panel redesign and cleaner app aesthetics
Beyond headline features, One UI 8.5 introduces one of the biggest Quick Panel upgrades in years. You can now freely drag, resize, and remove almost any slider, toggle, or widget, including elements that used to be fixed, such as Smart View and Device Control tiles. Brightness and volume sliders can switch between standard and vertical bars, and even be shrunk or expanded to match your layout preferences. If you want a distraction-free look, you can strip the panel down to the bare essentials or even leave it nearly blank. On the Galaxy S24 Ultra specifically, Samsung also refreshed the Gallery app with a floating menu bar at the bottom, complete with a soft blur effect that rests just above your content. Functionally, the Gallery works much the same, but the updated visual language and the new floating tab bar used across apps give One UI 8.5 a more cohesive, modern feel in daily use.
4. New accessibility control to dim strobing and flashing videos
One UI 8.5 accessibility improvements focus on comfort and safety, especially for users who are sensitive to flashing lights. A new setting automatically dims videos that contain strobing effects, helping reduce discomfort or potential triggers when watching certain content. The option is not yet easily discoverable via the Settings search, so you need to locate it manually within the accessibility menus on your One UI 8.5 device. Once enabled, it works at the system level but does not sync across your Galaxy ecosystem, meaning you must turn it on separately on each phone or tablet you own. Samsung notes that the feature may not function in every app or with all video types, but when it does, it offers a subtle, always-on layer of protection. Together with other One UI 8.5 accessibility tweaks, it shows a clear push toward making Galaxy devices more inclusive for a wider range of users.
5. Camera changes on Galaxy S24 series and the wider rollout
For Galaxy S24 users, One UI 8.5 brings a mix of camera-related additions and removals. Some new Galaxy S24 camera features arrive alongside the broader interface refresh, while certain options, like native video filters, have been removed from the stock Camera app. On the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the core imaging experience stays familiar, and a few features remain absent due to hardware and codec constraints, including 24-megapixel capture support, horizontal lock, and APV codec recording. Elsewhere in the system, Galaxy AI improvements such as smarter Call Assist and upgraded Photo Assist enhance how you capture, edit, and share media, though these tools are still limited to select higher-end devices. The One UI 8.5 update itself is rolling out globally across the Galaxy Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6, S24 series, and an expanding list of compatible models, so more users will see these camera and AI refinements over the coming days and weeks.