Samsung begins rolling out One UI 5.1 software improvements to older Galaxy phones

The Galaxy S23 lineup officially launches on Friday, Feb. 17 with plenty of new features in tow. 

But when it comes to some of the software-specific features, not all of them will be exclusive to the S23 series of phones. Samsung just announced that One UI 5.1 is starting to roll out to the Galaxy S22, S21, and S20 series, along with the Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4. 

One UI 5.1 will start rolling out for the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 in the “coming weeks.” 

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I just checked for an available update on my Galaxy S22 Ultra and nothing was found. It’s currently on the January 1, 2023 security update running Android 12 and One UI 4.1. 

One UI 5 is based on Android 13, so in addition to getting all of the new Samsung-specific features that are included in One UI 5.1, those devices like the S22 — which are still on Android 12 — will also gain Android 13 and all of its features and improvements. 

As for the specific set of features that One UI 5.1 brings to Samsung’s devices, you can expect to have access to a new Expert RAW feature in the camera app, giving you more control over the final product when taking pictures. 

There are also improvements to the personalization experience on Samsung’s phones, including a new dynamic weather widget that changes based on current weather conditions. Samsung also enhanced the Spotify widget to make playlist recommendations based on your current activity (driving, relaxing, etc.)

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Finally, after updating to One UI 5.1, your Samsung devices will continue to work better together. More specifically, that means you’ll be able to use the Multi Control feature that allows you to use a Galaxy Book’s trackpad to control your smartphone or tablet, or copy and paste information between the devices. 

Again, the One UI 5.1 update is starting to roll out today for the S22, S21 and S20 series, along with the Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4. The exact timing of the update reaching your phone will vary, with your wireless carrier determining when it’s truly available for you to install.