Samsung is already moving fast! Hot on the heels of the Android 16-based One UI 8 rollout in India and worldwide, reports indicate the tech giant is now rigorously testing One UI 8.5. This upcoming iteration for Galaxy smartphones is set to introduce a groundbreaking ‘Prioritise Notifications’ feature. Imagine your most crucial alerts appearing prominently above the usual flood of notifications, ensuring you never miss what matters most. This exciting development joins other anticipated One UI 8.5 enhancements, such as fresh clock styles and a sleek blurred effect for lock screen notifications.
Introducing Priority Notifications in One UI 8.5
A recent report from SammyGuru confirms that One UI 8.5 will indeed debut a new feature called ‘Prioritise Notifications’ for Galaxy devices. This intelligent addition is anticipated to be a core component of Galaxy AI, Samsung’s cutting-edge artificial intelligence suite. The feature’s description highlights its purpose: to ensure users ‘don’t miss them’ by displaying ‘notifications that may be important’ above all other incoming alerts.
Based on screenshots revealed by the publication, users will have granular control, allowing them to designate specific apps for high-priority notifications within the feature’s settings. Once configured, alerts from these chosen applications will automatically rise to the top of your notification list, guaranteeing crucial updates are always visible.
A significant detail also emerged: the feature will process notification content directly on your smartphone. This on-device processing confirms that your personal data won’t be sent to or stored in the cloud, offering enhanced privacy and faster performance. While further details about this innovative feature are still under wraps, this local processing aspect is a welcome assurance for privacy-conscious users.
Interestingly, Apple introduced a similar Priority Notifications feature for iPhones with its iOS 18.4 update in March 2025. Much like what’s expected from Samsung, Apple’s implementation uses Apple Intelligence and on-device processing to analyze notification content and highlight critical information. Apple states this approach helps determine importance while upholding user privacy. When active, only prioritized notifications are shown, though users can easily swipe up to access their full notification history.
Beyond priority notifications, earlier leaks hint at other exciting changes in One UI 8.5. We might see blurred backgrounds for lock screen notifications, designed to enhance readability by minimizing visual distractions. Additionally, the update is expected to offer refreshed lock screen clock styles, giving Galaxy users more options to personalize their device’s appearance.
Although Samsung hasn’t officially announced a release date, One UI 8.5 is widely anticipated to arrive alongside the new Galaxy S26 series early next year.