After the release of Android 17 with a bunch of interesting features, the stable One UI 8.5 update started rolling out, and many owners of older Samsung smartphones have been waiting for it on their devices. But it appears that a whole range of 2022 models and older won’t be getting it, including former flagships like the Galaxy S22. If you have a Galaxy from recent years, the update will most likely reach you. But owners of older devices should know in advance what to expect.
Full list of devices excluded from One UI 8.5
One UI 8.5 Release Date
Samsung began rolling out stable One UI 8.5 on May 6, 2026, and since then the firmware has reached dozens of Galaxy models. The update is being delivered to devices ranging from flagships to budget phones, but with an important age restriction.
According to SamMobile, as cited by Gizmochina, One UI 8.5 is available for devices from 2023 and newer, while many models released in 2022 and earlier won’t receive the update. Even former flagships made it onto the exclusion list. They won’t be able to count on the key features of One UI 8.5.
Which Galaxy Smartphones Won’t Get One UI 8.5
This is not yet an official complete list from Samsung, but rather information from industry sources. Nevertheless, the picture is quite clear: devices from 2022 and older are in question.
Galaxy A73 — one of the smartphones that won’t receive the update. Image: TechDaily
Among the models that may not receive One UI 8.5:
- Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra
- Galaxy S21 FE
- Galaxy A73, A53, A33
- Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4
- Galaxy Tab S8, Tab S8+, Tab S8 Ultra
- a number of other 2022 devices
Many users expected the update to come to any Galaxy with One UI 8.0, since both versions are built on Android 16. But this time Samsung appears to have chosen a different distribution strategy, and the Galaxy S22 series along with most pre-2023 devices didn’t make the cut.
Why One UI 8.5 Isn’t Coming
Interestingly, Samsung initially did start developing One UI 8.5 for the Galaxy S22: test builds were spotted on servers earlier this year. But then the work was shelved, and no new test versions for these models have appeared since early April. Samsung hasn’t stated a direct reason, but the most likely explanation is optimization difficulties. Previously, porting a new shell to an older device was easier because the new version shared a common foundation with the previous one. With One UI 8.5 firmware, that’s not the case.
The thing is that One UI 8.5 is built on Android 16 QPR2, while One UI 8.0 uses the original version of Android 16. QPR2 is an updated system branch with changes to internal code and new developer tools. Due to these changes and adaptation difficulties, Samsung apparently decided not to push the update to all older models.
Will Galaxy S22 Continue to Be Updated
It’s important to look at the situation realistically here. Galaxy S22 launched with Android 12 and received the promised four major Android version updates. This means Android 16 is its last stop. And no more updates will be coming.
The Galaxy S22 series will also miss the update. Image: Marques Brownlee
Intermediate updates like One UI 8.5 are technically not part of guaranteed support, even if the Android version number remains the same. So legally there are no complaints against Samsung — the company fulfilled its commitments. But users are still left with a bitter taste: One UI 8.5 brings notable new features, and being left out is disappointing.
Who Will Get One UI 8.5
The key takeaway is: One UI 8.5 distribution is tied to the release year, not simply to having One UI 8.0. Owners of 2023 Galaxy devices and newer have nothing to worry about, while for the Galaxy S22, Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4, and other 2022 devices, the update will most likely remain unavailable.
Samsung hasn’t published an official list yet, so there’s still a small chance of surprises. But counting on a miracle for older models isn’t advisable — it’s better to treat the current version as the final one for your device.
