I used One UI 7 on my Samsung Galaxy, and these 5 ...

Samsung is normally one of many first manufacturers to roll out main Android updates, however that hasn’t been the case with One UI 7 and Android 15. The corporate introduced the replace months in the past, but right here we’re — virtually 1 / 4 of the best way by means of 2025, and the secure model nonetheless hasn’t arrived. Whereas a beta model has been accessible for a handful of current Galaxy flagships, the ultimate launch has been MIA.

Fortunately, Samsung has confirmed that One UI 7 will finally start rolling out subsequent month for most up-to-date Galaxy flagships, together with the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S23, and the newest Z Fold and Z Flip fashions. I have been utilizing One UI 7 on my Galaxy S23 for a couple of week now, and listed here are a number of the greatest options I’ve come throughout.

6 Now Bar

Provides fast information with out cluttering the lock display screen

Samsung and Apple have a protracted historical past of “borrowing” options from one another, and One UI 7 isn’t any exception. One of the noticeable additions is the Now Bar, which is (clearly) impressed by Apple’s Live Activities. As an alternative of huge, space-consuming widgets, the Now Bar introduces a pill-shaped, dynamically updating widget on the lock display screen.

For instance, when enjoying music, as a substitute of a full-sized media widget, you may now see a small Now Bar on the backside of the display screen that may be expanded when tapped. Different supported apps embrace Google Maps, Samsung Well being, stopwatch, and timer, with extra third-party apps anticipated to achieve help quickly. The Now Bar additionally seems within the standing bar when the cellphone is unlocked, and you’ll management which apps use the Now Bar in settings.

5 Fast settings and notifications lastly get their very own house

A cleaner, extra organized format

Certainly one of my largest gripes with Samsung (and even Pixel telephones) has been the unified fast settings and notification tray. Whereas having each in a single panel seems to be good, it additionally means you at all times should swipe down twice to entry fast settings toggles. Furthermore, on large-screen telephones, such because the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, reaching the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and different controls with one hand has been removed from preferrred.

With One UI 7, Samsung is lastly fixing this by separating the short settings and notifications into two completely different swipe gestures. Swiping down from the left facet opens notifications, whereas swiping from the suitable facet brings up fast settings. You’ll be able to simply swap between them with left/proper swipe gestures. The short settings format can also be extra customizable, letting you progress incessantly used toggles (like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) to the underside for simpler one-handed entry.

Plus, should you do not just like the change, Samsung provides you the choice to modify again to the previous model through Edit > Panel settings > Collectively within the Fast Settings tray.

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4 New charging controls

One UI 7 provides you extra management over charging habits

Battery life has been a blended bag for Samsung telephones. Whereas the Galaxy S25 Ultra has seen some enhancements, it nonetheless falls in need of rivals just like the OnePlus 13, which affords bigger battery capacities. Let’s not even discuss my Galaxy S23, which barely lasts a full day, forcing me to cost it a number of instances — which is not nice for battery well being.

With One UI 7, Samsung is introducing new charging controls to increase battery lifespan. You now get three battery safety modes, particularly Primary, Adaptive, and Most. The Primary safety fees your cellphone to 100%, then stops till the battery drops to 95% earlier than recharging. The Adaptive charging safety stops charging at 80% in a single day and tops as much as 100% earlier than you get up, based mostly in your utilization patterns, whereas the Most safety prevents your cellphone from charging past 80% to attenuate battery put on.

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3 One UI 7 feels smoother and extra customizable

Extra methods to tweak your cellphone, plus fluid animations

This is not precisely a function, however One UI 7 simply feels quicker, smoother, and extra intuitive than earlier than. Animations really feel snappier, and total responsiveness has improved. I am undecided if Samsung has made any deep animation-level optimizations, however the distinction is noticeable.

Customization has additionally seen main enhancements​. The short settings toggles at the moment are totally rearrangeable, permitting you to place them to your wants. Samsung has additionally added extra widget customization choices, letting you alter the form, measurement, transparency (with blur results), and background styling. Lock display screen widgets are lastly right here as nicely, permitting you to position climate, battery, Samsung Well being information, and extra, immediately in your lock display screen.

Samsung has additionally built-in Dwelling Up, which was beforehand a Good Lock module, immediately into One UI 7, which means now you can customise house display screen layouts freely, permitting you to position apps and widgets anyplace with out grid restrictions.

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2 The digicam app UI is now simpler to navigate

Improved controls for a greater capturing expertise

Samsung’s digicam app UI has remained largely unchanged for years, however One UI 7 lastly brings a much-needed visible refresh. Your complete format has been optimized for one-handed use, making incessantly used options simpler to succeed in.

The highest menu has been simplified, now that includes solely important controls like flash and megapixel settings, whereas a Fast Controls button on the underside bar offers easy accessibility to different settings. Zoom controls have additionally been improved — now, when zooming, you may see preset buttons for 2x, 3x, and better zoom ranges whereas nonetheless having the ability to drag to zoom freely.

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1 Bonus: Samsung lastly provides us a vertical app drawer

It took years, however the long-requested format is right here

For years, Samsung’s app drawer has been caught with a horizontal swipe format, which feels unintuitive, particularly should you’ve used a Google Pixel or OnePlus cellphone, the place the app drawer scrolls vertically in alphabetical order. With One UI 7, Samsung lastly provides customers the choice to modify to a vertical scrolling app drawer.

The function is not enabled by default, however you possibly can flip it on by going to App Drawer > Three-dot menu > Kind > Alphabetical order.

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