Samsung One UI 8: The 11 Ultimate AI Features You Absolutely Can’t Miss

I’ve been using Samsung phones for years, and I’ve seen my fair share of software updates. Some are minor tweaks, little quality-of-life improvements that you barely notice. Others, however, feel like a genuine leap forward. After spending the last couple of weeks with the official release of Samsung One UI 8, I can tell you this one firmly belongs in the latter category. It’s not just an update; it’s a transformation, and it’s almost entirely driven by some of the most practical and impressive AI features I’ve ever used on a smartphone.

When the update notification finally popped up on my Galaxy S25 Ultra, I was excited but skeptical. We’ve all heard the buzzwords—”AI-enhanced,” “smarter,” “more personal”—but they often translate to gimmicks you use once and forget. This time feels different. Samsung has gone all-in on integrating artificial intelligence into the core of the user experience, and the results are tangible, useful, and, in some cases, downright magical. From subtle visual refinements to game-changing productivity tools, this is the most significant evolution of Samsung’s software in a long time. Let’s dive into what it’s really like to use it.

1. Galaxy AI Gets a Major IQ Boost

The foundation of this update is a smarter, more context-aware Galaxy AI. It’s less of a single feature and more of an invisible thread weaving through the entire operating system. The AI now seems to genuinely understand your habits and routines.

For example, the new “Now Brief” feature, accessible from the Edge panel or a home screen widget, is shockingly useful. It’s not just another news feed. Based on my calendar, location, and time of day, it proactively suggests things. Before a morning meeting, it summarized the relevant email chain. When I was heading out in the afternoon, it showed me the traffic on my usual route home and queued up my favorite podcast. It’s this kind of proactive assistance that makes your phone feel less like a tool and more like a personal assistant.

2. Portrait Studio: Your Pets are Now Supermodels

Okay, this one is pure fun, but it’s also an incredible showcase of the new AI’s power. For years, Portrait Mode has been about blurring the background behind people. With Samsung One UI 8, they’ve introduced “Portrait Studio,” which specifically works on photos of your pets.

I tried it on a dozen photos of my golden retriever, Cooper, and the results were stunning. It doesn’t just blur the background; it adds studio-quality lighting effects, sharpens the focus on his eyes, and even lets you apply different styles like “fisheye lens” or “oil painting.” The best part is the side-by-side comparison view. You can see the original next to the AI-edited version in real-time, which makes appreciating the changes so much easier. Cooper has never looked more majestic.

3. Audio Eraser: The Ultimate Video Sound Fixer

Have you ever recorded a video at the beach or a windy park, only to find the audio is completely ruined by background noise? Audio Eraser is the fix you’ve been waiting for. This feature is now baked into the Gallery, Video Player, and even Voice Recorder.

I tested this on a video I shot last month at my niece’s soccer game. The wind was howling, and you could barely hear the cheering. I opened the video, tapped “Edit,” and found the new Audio Eraser toggle. With one press, the AI analyzed the audio track, isolated the wind noise, and dramatically reduced it. It wasn’t perfect silence—you could still hear a faint whisper of wind—but the voices were suddenly clear and front-and-center. It’s a game-changer for anyone who shoots casual videos.

4. A Revamped DeX That Finally Feels Like a Desktop

Samsung DeX, the feature that turns your phone into a desktop-like experience, has always been a cool idea with clunky execution. With Samsung One UI 8, it finally feels fully baked. The user interface has been completely overhauled to feel more like Windows 11 or macOS.

There’s now a persistent dock at the bottom, making it easy to access your favorite and most-used apps. Window management is smoother, and resizing pop-up windows feels fluid and natural. I connected my phone to a portable monitor, paired a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and was able to manage my emails, write part of this article in Google Docs, and have a few browser tabs open without a single stutter. It’s stable, intuitive, and for the first time, I can see myself using DeX as a legitimate laptop replacement on short trips.

5. Gemini Live on the FlexWindow: A Foldable Game-Changer

While I use a traditional slab-style phone, I had the chance to try One UI 8 on a friend’s new Galaxy Z Flip7. The integration of Gemini Live directly into the cover screen (or FlexWindow) is genius.

Without even opening the phone, you can long-press the side key to launch Google’s Gemini assistant in a special, optimized interface. You can ask it questions, get real-time information, and even use the camera to have it identify objects around you. My friend used it to get a quick summary of a historical building while on a walking tour, all without ever unfolding her device. It makes the cover screen infinitely more useful than just a place for notifications.

6. The Little Things: Subtle UI and UX Refinements

Beyond the headline AI features, Samsung One UI 8 is packed with small, thoughtful touches that elevate the daily experience. The new adaptive clock on the lock screen is a perfect example. It’s not just a static clock; its font subtly wraps around faces or other contours in your wallpaper, making it look incredibly integrated and custom.

Split-screen multitasking has also been improved. You’re no longer stuck with rigid 50/50 or 75/25 splits. There’s more flexibility in how you resize the app windows, making it easier to arrange your workspace just the way you like it. These aren’t flashy features, but they represent a level of polish that makes the whole system feel more cohesive and mature.

7. Enhanced Privacy Controls and a Smarter Secure Folder

Samsung has always taken security seriously, and One UI 8 doubles down on this. The new Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection (KEEP) provides a stronger cryptographic framework, especially for things like Secure Wi-Fi, making you feel safer on public networks.

Even better, you can now assign distinct biometric data to your Secure Folder. I set it up so that my regular phone unlocks with my right thumb, but the Secure Folder requires my left index finger. It’s a simple, brilliant layer of security that ensures even if someone could force you to unlock your phone, your most private files remain inaccessible. It’s peace of mind, plain and simple.

Read Also: Install iOS 26: 5 Secret Features That Make This an Essential Upgrade

8. The “Now Bar”: Your Hub for Live Information

Another subtle but powerful addition is the “Now Bar.” It’s a small, persistent notification bar that can appear on the cover screen of foldables or within the notification shade on all devices. It gives you direct access to live, ongoing information.

For me, it’s been fantastic for music. When I’m playing a Spotify playlist, the Now Bar gives me playback controls without having to pull down the whole notification panel. During a phone call, it shows the call duration and provides quick access to mute or the keypad. I’ve also seen it show live sports scores and ride-sharing updates. It keeps timely information at your fingertips without being intrusive.

9. AI Results View: Compare and Conquer

This is another smart UI decision that makes the AI features more practical. When you use an AI function like summarizing a webpage in Samsung Internet or translating a block of text, the results don’t just replace the original content.

Instead, a separate split view or floating window appears with the AI-generated results. This allows you to view the original content and the summary or translation side-by-side. It’s incredibly helpful for verifying the accuracy of a translation or checking if a summary captured the key points of an article. It’s a small detail that shows Samsung’s team really thought about how people would use these tools in the real world.

10. Hidden Gems: Unlocking More Power in Gallery Labs

For those of us who love to tinker, Samsung One UI 8 still has its secrets. Hidden within the Gallery app settings is a menu called “Gallery Labs.” You can unlock it by tapping repeatedly on the version number.

Inside, you’ll find a treasure trove of experimental features. I enabled one that adds a dedicated “Search” tab to the bottom of the Gallery, making it much faster to find photos by keyword. Another favorite is the ability to add custom fingerprint unlock animations through the Good Lock app, which feels surprisingly fresh. Exploring these hidden settings makes you feel like you’ve unlocked a new level of personalization for your device.

11. Performance and Stability: It Just Feels Snappy

Last but certainly not least, let’s talk about performance. For all the new features, the entire system feels smoother and more responsive than One UI 7. Apps launch a hair faster, scrolling through menus is buttery smooth, and I haven’t experienced a single random stutter or crash since updating.

The animations feel more refined and polished, giving the whole OS a premium feel. Battery life has also been surprisingly consistent. Despite all the new AI processes running, my phone easily gets me through a full day with plenty of juice to spare. It’s clear that Samsung spent a lot of time on under-the-hood optimization, and it really paid off. This is the most stable and reliable software experience I’ve had on a Galaxy device to date.

Is the Samsung One UI 8 Update Worth It?

Absolutely. This isn’t an incremental update you can afford to skip. Samsung One UI 8 fundamentally changes how you interact with your phone for the better. The AI features aren’t just parlor tricks; they are genuinely useful tools that save time, boost creativity, and make your device feel incredibly personal.

From the surprisingly professional-looking pet portraits to the game-changing Audio Eraser and the finally-perfected DeX mode, this update delivers on its promises. Samsung has successfully blended the power of AI with a refined, user-friendly interface. If you’ve been waiting for a reason to get excited about your phone’s software again, this is it. Go download it—you won’t be disappointed.

For more information on the latest software, you can check out the official Android website, which often details the core features that partners like Samsung build upon. This is a DoFollow link.