5 Practical Samsung Galaxy Features to Use After the One UI 9 Update

Following the August release of its latest foldable devices, Samsung introduced One UI 9, the first iteration of its Galaxy interface built on Android 17. The update is currently rolling out to recent flagship models. While many new smartphone features rely on gimmicky AI capabilities, this latest software update offers several grounded and genuinely useful tools.

After testing One UI 9 on both the Galaxy S26 Ultra and S25 Ultra, we found that while some advertised features like the Now Nudge contextual assistant fell short in practice, other additions proved to be highly functional. Here are the five most valuable features to utilize after updating.

My FanCam Transforms Wide Videos Into Tracking Shots

One of the standout features in One UI 9 is My FanCam, which allows users to convert a wide-angle video into a close-up tracking shot focused on a single subject. Originally marketed with concert footage, the feature also excels for social media dance videos. Users can record in widescreen and later crop to a vertical format, with the AI automatically following the dancer across the frame.

This functionality eliminates the need for specialized shooting modes; it works on any existing video stored in the Samsung Gallery app. By tapping the Galaxy AI button—represented by a sparkle icon—users can generate the effect locally on the device. This means the feature operates effectively in airplane mode without uploading data to the cloud, though a Samsung account login is required. Initial testing confirms availability on S26 Ultra and S25 Ultra models, with the S24 series being the oldest line to support the feature in beta.

Expanded Quick Panel Customization

Building on the customization options introduced in One UI 8, One UI 9 grants users even greater control over the Quick Panel. The most significant change involves the volume and brightness sliders. Previously, these sliders were permanently anchored to shortcuts for ringer mute and dark mode, respectively. Now, users can remove these buttons entirely, allowing the sliders to function independently.

The interface has also been streamlined. Sliders now feature a more minimal design, freed from the large UI pads that bordered them in previous versions. Additionally, borders around tiles have been removed for a cleaner aesthetic. A subtle update was made to the music player widget: the waveform visualizer on the scrubber bar now dynamically matches the colors of the current album art.

Enhanced Document Scanning for Curved Surfaces

Samsung has long offered document scanning within its native camera app, but it historically struggled with curved surfaces like book pages or folded papers. One UI 9 addresses this with a major upgrade that automatically compensates for warping and folds, producing flatter, more accurate digital renders.

The updated scanner also includes an improved finger eraser that removes thumbs from photos where the user was holding the document. It can further correct for moire patterns and glare. A new home screen shortcut allows direct access to the scanning tool without navigating through the camera app. While the AI handles single-page scans and dog-ears well, scanning full two-page spreads remains a challenge.

Generative Now Brief Cards

The Now Brief feature, introduced on the lock screen’s Now Bar with the Galaxy S25 series, has been refined in One UI 9 to be more practical. Rather than attempting to guess which real-time updates are relevant, users can now create custom cards using generative AI prompts.

These cards pull information from specific apps like Samsung Health, Samsung Weather, and YouTube at set times. For instance, users can configure a card to display their daily step count and calories burned at 9 PM. There is a daily limit on how many cards can be generated or edited to manage cloud processing costs. Despite requiring significant personal data, the feature provides once-daily updates, though the AI’s judgment on other notifications can occasionally be misguided.

Security Brief for Real-Time Threat Alerts

Also integrated into the Now Bar is Security Brief, a proactive security feature that alerts users when an app behaves suspiciously or potentially contains malware. To enable this, users must toggle on “Security and privacy” within the Now Brief settings.

The system monitors apps for unusual activities, such as excessive background location tracking. While Google Play Store apps rarely trigger false alarms unless they abuse permissions, sideloaded applications from outside the Play Store may be flagged due to missing developer signatures. Reports indicate some tutorial apps have been incorrectly identified as threats. Samsung states that Security Brief is supported on devices as far back as the Galaxy S23 series. Although engagement with the Now Bar has been slow compared to competitors, these new capabilities demonstrate Samsung’s continued investment in the feature.