One UI 9 beta makes Galaxy S26 Ultra's Privacy Display way more usable

Samsung is improving how its Privacy Display feature behaves on the Galaxy S26 Ultra when a video is playing in picture-in-picture mode. Privacy Display lets Galaxy S26 Ultra owners limit the viewing angle of their screen, either across the whole display or for specific apps and notifications. According to leaker Ice Universe, the latest One UI 9 Beta 4 update changes how the feature interacts with picture-in-picture (PiP) mode.

Previously, switching a video to PiP mode while Privacy Display was active would obscure the entire phone screen, not just the small PiP window. With the new update, enabling Privacy Display for an app such as YouTube and then playing a video in PiP mode only covers the PiP window itself. The rest of the screen stays fully bright and visible for normal use.

The update mirrors improvements to Privacy Display that Samsung previewed at MWC earlier this year. At the time, Samsung said those changes would work with its current-generation Privacy Display hardware, meaning owners of the Galaxy S26 Ultra do not need new hardware to benefit from this refinement.

A notice posted on the Samsung Community platform describing the feature confirms that users can drag the PiP window to different parts of the screen, and Privacy Display will continue to track and cover it correctly. The notice also states that other on-screen elements, such as the Edge Panel, remain unaffected and usable while a PiP window is covered.

The improved Privacy Display behavior is currently rolling out as part of the One UI 9 beta program. Galaxy S26 Ultra owners enrolled in the beta can check for the update through the Samsung Members app.