Samsung Galaxy users offered major free upgrade - full list of compatible phones

No sooner has Samsung launched its latest version of Android 16 for a crop of Galaxy phones that it turns around and gives one set of lucky phone owners access to Android 17.

The Galaxy S26 launched earlier this year with One UI 8.5, Samsung's version of Android 16. Just last week this version began being pushed out to older Galaxy phones including the S25 and Z Fold 7 - but the Korean tech giant has decided now is the time to introduce One UI 9, its take on Android 17.

You'll just need the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus or S26 Ultra if you want to try it out. That's because One UI 9 is only available in beta, which is a version of software that is still under development.

Tech firms sometimes let you install a beta version as it helps them see where there might be bugs and unforeseen issues - you just have to acknowledge that the software might not work completely smoothly, and certain functions may break.

"Built on the new Android 17, One UI 9 beta delivers expanded creative tools, customization options, a more accessible mobile experience and stronger protection against potential security threats," Samsung said in a press release.

The firm added that the "full experience of One UI 9 will be introduced with upcoming Galaxy flagship devices later this year" - this is very likely to be with the expected release of the next generation of Samsung folding phones, presumed to be the Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8.

These bendy phones are normally launched around July or August.

But for now, if you have a Galaxy S26, you can head to the Samsung Members app on your device and opt in to the new beta program.

"The One UI 9 beta program will be available to Galaxy S26 series users in select markets, including Germany, India, Korea, Poland, the U.K. and the U.S starting this week," Samsung confirmed.

Here are the six new things Samsung says you'll be able to test out.

Samsung Notes is getting a small update to include new pen styles, while the Contacts app now, oddly, has access to Samsung's Creative Studio app for creating personalisd profile cards.

If anything proves that no one goes into the Contacts app, linking it to your AI slop app to get people to engage is it.

More useful for most people should be One UI 9's update to the quick panel, which Samsung says gives you greater control over layout, with brightness, sound and media player clearly individually adjustable, and more sizing options.

It's not the sexiest update, but these are the sorts of changes that actua;ly improve the everyday use of a smartphone.

If you need to use accessibility features on your S26, you'll also be able to enjoy an adjustable Mouse Key speed for smoother cursor control, plus new TalkBack screenreader tools that Samsung says melds with what Google offers as part of the core Android experience.

These users are also getting a brand new feature called Text Spotlight, which can be used to beam selected text in a larger size in a floating window.