Samsung Electronics on this week opened the One UI 9 beta program, starting with the Galaxy S26 series and giving early users the first look at its next software layer built on Android 17. The rollout brings a wider set of creative tools, more ways to personalize the phone and added protections aimed at blocking new threats before they take hold.
The beta is limited to Galaxy S26 series users in six markets: Germany, India, Korea, Poland, the U.K. and the U.S. Those who want in can apply through the Samsung Members app, while the company says the full One UI 9 experience will arrive later this year on upcoming Galaxy flagship devices.
Samsung is using the beta to push changes that go beyond cosmetic tweaks. In Samsung Notes, users can add decorative tapes and choose from more pen line styles. The Contacts app now links directly to Creative Studio, letting people build personalized profile cards without hopping between apps. The Quick Panel has also been reworked so brightness, sound and the media player can each be adjusted separately, while the layout itself can be rearranged with more control.
Accessibility is a larger part of the update than in many past releases. One UI 9 adds an adjustable Mouse Key speed, and it folds TalkBack into a combined package that brings together features previously offered separately by Google and Samsung. A new Text Spotlight tool also makes selected text appear larger or clearer in a floating window, a small change that could matter to users who rely on readability and on-screen focus.
The security side is more forceful. One UI 9 warns users when new high-risk apps are detected, blocks them from running or installing and recommends deletion through security policy updates. That makes the beta feel less like a preview of a new look and more like a test of how Samsung wants its phones to behave when threats appear.
The company is launching the program as it continues to keep attention on its wider hardware lineup, including promotions tied to Samsung OLED 4K televisions and the S85F set, but the software move is the more immediate story for Galaxy owners. For users in the six launch markets, the beta is the first chance to see how Samsung plans to balance creative tools, accessibility and tighter security before the final release lands later this year.
