A few months after officially closing the door on Galaxy S20 series updates, Samsung is delivering yet another software security surprise. Owners of the Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra on Verizon in the US are now receiving the Samsung security patch from July 2025, via firmware builds G981VSQSDHYG2, G986USQSDHYG2, and G988USQSDHYG2 respectively (Source: SammyGuru).
These three devices officially exited Samsung’s support window back in April 2025, after five years of security updates. The rollout of this July patch marks a rare post-support gesture, and a reassuring one for users still hanging onto these 2020 flagships.
What this patch brings
And why it matters
The July 2025 Security Maintenance Release bundles 1 critical Android CVE, 21 high-severity Android fixes, and 17 Samsung-specific vulnerabilities, including enhancements across Knox security, wireless connectivity, Samsung Account, and more. Notably, the update also includes an unnamed, high-importance semiconductor vulnerability fix (CVE‑2025‑47202) from Samsung Semiconductor — one of the more mysterious yet significant patches in the bulletin.
Even though Galaxy S20 models are technically out of update support, this unexpected rollout indicates Samsung’s commitment to keeping users safe by filling critical gaps that could leave aging phones vulnerable. For now, it’s only rolling out to 202 S series flagships on the Verizon network. It could, theoretically, reach users from other carriers or regions in the coming weeks, but there’s no definitive word on whether that will happen, or when.
Samsung has carried out a similar surprise patch once before for other discontinued devices, but it remains uncommon — especially for models long out of support. For Galaxy S20 users, it’s a welcome boost: closing critical security holes that could otherwise leave the phone vulnerable.
Still, an upgrade is worth considering
Since April 2025, the S20 series has been officially unsupported. While this new patch offers a last line of defense, it’s not a long-term solution. Buyers should strongly consider upgrading to a Galaxy S25 variant, which, under Samsung’s newer policy, will receive seven years of security and OS support.
Samsung hasn’t confirmed plans to extend the July patch beyond the US or Verizon, so check Settings → Software update → Download and install to see if you’re eligible. If you’re still running one of these devices, this unexpected update might be the final security boost you’ll get — install it while you can.
