Samsung One UI 8.5 beta reaches Galaxy S23, Fold5, Flip5, and more

Samsung has expanded its One UI 8.5 beta program to the Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Z Flip5, Galaxy S23 FE, and Galaxy A36 5G. The company announced the latest wave on April 9, 2026, and said the rollout is starting in select markets including India, Korea, the UK, and the US.

More Galaxy phones enter the beta program

The newest expansion brings Samsung’s 2023 flagship phones and foldables into the beta, while also adding the Galaxy A36 5G, which Samsung says is the first A-series device to join the One UI 8.5 beta. That makes the A36 5G one of the more notable additions in this round, since Samsung had previously focused the rollout on newer flagship models and tablets.

Samsung is also handling this as a phased release rather than a simultaneous global launch. In the fine print, the company says the Galaxy Z Fold5 and Galaxy Z Flip5 beta is limited to Korea and the US, while the Galaxy A36 5G beta is limited to India for now. Samsung adds that availability and timing may vary by market.

Samsung is widening access in stages

This follows Samsung’s earlier March expansion, which brought the One UI 8.5 beta to the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Flip6, Galaxy S25 FE, Galaxy S24 FE, and Galaxy Tab S11 series. Samsung now says the beta program will continue to expand to additional Galaxy devices later this month. Users can sign up through the Samsung Members app where the beta is available.

Samsung also referenced AirDrop support through Quick Share in the new announcement, but the company’s footnote says that support is currently available on the Galaxy S26 series. In the same note, Samsung does not list the newly added Galaxy S23 series, Z Fold5, Z Flip5, S23 FE, or A36 5G as devices receiving AirDrop support in this rollout.

For users with eligible phones, the immediate change is simpler: One UI 8.5 beta access is now opening up to more older Galaxy flagships, selected foldables, and one A-series model, with market availability depending on the device.

Samsung’s latest beta expansion also comes as Apple is refining its mobile test cycle. While Samsung is expanding access to One UI 8.5 on more Galaxy devices, Apple recently reissued iOS 26.5 beta 1 (v2) and iPadOS 26.5 beta 1 (v2) as build 23F5043k, replacing the earlier 23F5043g seed from March 30 rather than moving straight to beta 2. Together, the two rollouts show how major mobile brands are still adjusting pre-release software in stages before broader public releases.