What's changed with One UI 2?

Whats new and whats changed in the new firmware update

Each new version of Android that you download onto your device will look and feel slightly different. One UI 2 is the latest Android interface for Samsung devices and is designed to help you focus on what really matters. To try it out for yourself, update the software on your device.

Please note: Availability of One UI features, apps and services may vary depending on device, OS version and country. Certain features may require Samsung Account login, GPS connection or data network (Wi-Fi or Internet connection).

Reduce the strain on your eyes at night by softening the display with enhanced Dark Mode. With One UI 2, it is now integrated across menus and features so even notifications, widgets and alarms now also adjust naturally depending on the environment. To activate Enhanced Dark mode:

1 Go to "Settings", then tap "Display".
2 Tap the switch to activate "Dark mode".
3 Tap "Dark mode" for more options.
Dark mode menu in One UI 2 on Galaxy Note10

Discover how One UI 2 can help you manage your phone usage and stay focused on the things that matter. Choose to activate Focus mode to help you avoid distractions from your phone and keep your life in focus. While your focus mode is activated, you can only use the apps you have selected to be permitted. All other apps will be blocked. You can even set up several focus modes, for example: Work time or Sleep time.

1 Go to "Settings", then tap "Digital Wellbeing and parental controls".
2 In the "Ways to disconnect" section, you'll find "Focus mode". Tap "Add" to add a new focus mode or select one of the preset modes.
Select or create a new focus mode in One UI 2
3 If you have chosen to create a new Focus mode, enter a name for the mode, then tap "Save".
4 Tap "Add" to add permitted apps, then tap "Start" to enter the focus mode.
5 Tap "End focus mode" to exit the focus mode.

Device Care gives you all the tools you need to keep your device running smoothly and optimise your battery, storage, memory and security. Find out more about Device Care and how to use it. Then, read on to find out how One UI 2 has made it easier to look after your Galaxy device.

1 New layout

The four main categories (Battery, Storage, Memory and Security) are now displayed in a vertical list, making it more efficient and accessible to monitor your device's performance.

New layout of Device Care available with One UI 2
2 Useful tips

From the new-look home screen, tap the Lightbulb icon (at the top right hand side of the screen) to reveal useful tips to help you take care of your device.

Useful tips for Device Care available with One UI 2
3 Battery

The Battery Usage screen has been updated to show battery usage by date and time. You can now review your battery usage for the last 7 days, rather than just since the last full charge. Tap the date you'd like to check, then review your usage for that day in the list of apps displayed at the bottom of the screen.

Battery usage screen updated with One UI 2
4 Storage

The Storage screen lets you check for any unnecessary images taking up unnecessary space in your storage.

5 Memory

Updating your software to One UI 2.0 gives you a new option to stop background apps from running. To find this option, tap "Memory" in the Device care menu. Before going ahead, you can check which apps you have not used recently and select apps to exclude. When you're ready to go, tap "Clean now".

You can also still set up "Sleeping apps" which don't run in the background. In the new One UI 2.0, sleeping apps and disabled apps are combined in one section called "Sleeping apps".

1 Quick panel

The Quick panel on your device has had a revamp.

  • One UI 2 has made some small changes to the look and feel of the Quick panel. For example, the date and time icons have changed, and page indicator has moved to the top.
  • The notification panel is now split into two sections: an upper part for sound notifications and a lower part for silent notifications.
  • A greater number of apps are now displayed in the Quick panel (was 4x3, now 4x4).
2 Bixby search

One UI 2 lets you search for Contacts more quickly so that you can still find who you're looking for even if you make a typo.

3 Colour selector

Selecting a colour is now easier than ever. The new selection menu lets you select a pre-defined colour. Then, slide the bar to adjust the opacity.

Colour selector updated with One UI 2
4 Permission dialog

It's now quicker and easier to respond when an app asks for your permission. The permission request will now pop up at the bottom of the screen rather than in the centre, so you can more easily tap to allow or deny the request.

Permission request will pop up from the bottom of the screen with One UI 2
1 Improved wallpaper legibility

With One UI 2.0, your device can detect which areas of the wallpaper are light and dark. Dark font color will be displayed on light backgrounds and lighter font color will be displayed on darker backgrounds.

Font colour adjusts according to the wallpaper with One UI 2
2 Dynamic lock screen

One UI 2.0 lets you set up multiple wallpaper images. Then, you can activate "Dynamic lock screen" to refresh your display with a different image every time you unlock your phone.

3 Notifications

One UI 2 has brought a few changes to the notifications you see on your lock screen to simplify the way you check your latest updates.

  • Now, when you tap your notification icons, your notifications appear directly on-screen, rather than in the quick panel.
  • One UI 2 gives you the choice between an icon notification and a detailed notification. The option for a "Brief" notification is no longer available.
  • To help you minimise unnecessary notifications on lock screen, a new "Notifications to show" option has been added. You can choose whether to allow "Alert and silent notifications" or "Alert notifications only" to show on the lock screen.
1 Camera modes

One UI 2 has simplified the Camera modes, displaying only the basic shooting modes by default. To use the advanced modes, tap "More" or tap the Edit icon to edit which modes you would like to select as basic camera modes.

Select camera mode from a secondary menu with One UI 2
2 Live Focus

There's a new way to set the details of live focus mode with One UI 2. Tap the icon, then change the blur and other settings in the secondary menu.

3 Sending photos in the Messages app

When sending a photo in the Messages app, tap the Camera icon, then choose the shooting mode (image or video). With One UI 2, the full camera will launch instead just half the screen, giving you a better view of your subject.

One UI 2.0 comes with some handy hearing, accessibility and visibility enhancements.

1 Contact us

The Contact us menu has moved. It can now be accessed directly from the Accessibility menu instead of having to tap the More options icon. 

2 Time to take action

Choose how long to show messages that ask you to take action.

1. Go to "Settings", then tap "Accessibility".

2. Tap "Advanced Settings".

3. Tap "Time to take action". Choose between 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute or 2 minutes.

3 Power and Volume Up keys

If you have been used to using the Power and Volume Up keys to open selected Accessibility settings, you can now enable the keys to activate "High contrast fonts" or "Mute all sounds".

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