Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The first One UI 6 beta was supposed to go live today for the Galaxy S23 phones in the United States, Germany, and South Korea.
- It looks like the release has been delayed for a second time.
Update: August 10, 2023 (5:46 AM ET): It looks like Samsung has once again delayed the One UI 6 beta. Industry sources tell us the decision to delay the beta was taken last minute, which is why we didn’t hear about it before publishing our original post below. The company has even deleted its One UI 6 announcement post that went up a while back and the beta is not yet live. We’ve reached out to Samsung for an update about the final release date for the beta.
Original article: August 10, 2023 (5 AM ET): Earlier this week, the German version of Samsung’s website jumped the gun a bit and announced the launch of the first Android 14 beta for Samsung phones. However, Samsung quickly pulled the post, and no beta ever rolled out.
Today, though, Samsung is really rolling out the first One UI 6 beta, based on Android 14. If you own a Samsung Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, or Galaxy S23 Ultra, you can give the software a shot starting now. We have instructions on how to do this a bit further down the page.
Obviously, this new iteration of One UI comes with all the features included with the stock Android 14 experience. That means the new accessibility features (such as extra-large fonts), limits on installing super old apps, more granular controls over media sharing, enhanced PIN privacy, and more. Additionally, Samsung is emphasizing two main new features unique to One UI 6:
- Design: There is a new default font that gives a cleaner, simpler look. There are also new looks for Emoji on the stock Samsung keyboard. The Quick Panel has been overhauled to bring in more controls in a more intuitive interface (see image above).
- Customization: You can now have multiple lock screens that change automatically through Routines or Modes. There’s also a new camera widget that gives you quick access to a pre-selected camera mode and location for storage.
How to install the first One UI 6 beta on your Galaxy S23
Before you get to installing Android 14 on your Galaxy S23, there are two things you need to know. First, this One UI 6 beta program is only open to users in the United States, Germany, and South Korea. If you live outside of those zones, don’t worry: you’ll have your opportunity to check out Android 14 soon enough.
The second caveat is that this is beta software. It is highly likely that one or more features you rely on day-to-day may not work correctly (or at all) with this software. As such, install this with caution.
Here’s how to get the One UI 6 beta on your Galaxy S23:
- Download the Samsung Members app from the Google Play Store or the Galaxy Store.
- Log into Samsung Members using your Samsung account. You must have a Samsung account to join the beta.
- On the main page of Members, you should see a banner inviting you to the beta program, assuming you have a Galaxy S23 and live in the United States, Germany, or South Korea. If you fit these criteria and don’t see the banner, close the app and check again. Keep doing this until it shows up.
- Once you see the banner, tap it and complete the One UI 6 beta registration process.
- After registering, you’re ready to install the software. On your phone, visit Settings > Software update > Download and install. There should be a new update that populates. Install as usual, reboot, and you’ll be on the beta.