Samsung has been beta testing Android 16-based One UI 8.5 for the Galaxy S25 series for almost a month now. It pushed the second beta and expanded the beta program to more countries in the second half of December. Now, the company is kicking off the first week of 2026 with a new One UI 8.5 beta.
The new CZA3 firmware weighs around 1.2GB and contains the January 2026 security patch. This makes the Galaxy S25 the first phone to receive this month’s security update.
The build contains several bug fixes related to the lock screen and Now Brief. This marks the third beta update for Galaxy S25 units that enrolled in the One UI 8.5 beta program in early December, and the second beta release for S25 users in Poland and India.
Samsung release notes mention the following bug fixes in the latest beta:
• Version – One Ul 8.5, ZZA3
Bugs that have been fixed
– Fixed the clock display error on the lock screen
– Resolved the issue related to favorites in the phone app
– Fixed the issue where Now Briefing does not display
– Improved the screen lagging issue when using Live Effect in the gallery
– Improved the issue of high power consumption when a specific app is running
– Enhanced the visibility of the search button on the widget addition screen
It’s unclear if the latest beta contains any new features or changes. Samsung may have made a few minor tweaks, but it does not typically detail them.
If your Galaxy S25 is enrolled in the One UI 8.5 beta program, the new firmware should be live for download. You can grab it from Settings > Software update > Download and install.
One UI 8.5 should debut with Galaxy S26
While Samsung’s One UI 8.5 beta testing is going in full swing, the company is unlikely to push the stable build before the Galaxy S26 launches. If the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7’s debut were anything to go by, One UI 8.5 will launch on the Galaxy S26 first before expanding to the S25 and eventually to older Galaxies.
