Samsung announces One UI 9 beta program for Galaxy S26 lineup

Samsung has disclosed that the One UI 9.0 beta for the Galaxy S26 series will be available starting May 26.

The company first announced the One UI 9 beta program for several countries—including the US, the UK, Germany, Korea, India, and Poland—on May 12, with the first update expected later this week. Initially, the beta program will only include users in the US, the UK, Germany, and Korea.

Owners of the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra in India and Poland will have to wait until the end of May to join the testing, as noted in Samsung’s official release.

For those familiar with Samsung’s approach, phased rollouts are quite common. The tech giant often launches the first beta in select countries and gradually expands to other markets based on user feedback. This tradition has been part of Samsung’s strategy since its first beta launch in 2018.

Unlike Apple and Google, who typically release beta versions in many countries simultaneously, Samsung keeps beta access limited to just a few markets. Additionally, during the initial months, only certain devices have access—similar to how the Galaxy S24 series was prioritized for the One UI 8.5 beta and the Galaxy S25 lineup for the One UI 8 beta.

The wait for broader device support often lasts a couple of months, but this approach ensures system stability, especially since Samsung has recently rolled out a stable version of One UI 8.5.