Older Samsung Galaxy phones just got a great free software upgrade

Samsung One UI 5.1 brings a host of cool features to older Galaxy phones

Samsung Galaxy S22 Android phone being held by a woman in a black leather jacket
(Image credit: Samsung)

After the Galaxy Unpacked event brought us the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, users of older Samsung phones may have been feeling a little left out. Shiny new features like a 200MP camera and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor will have been enough to convince some people to upgrade.

If you've stuck with an older handset, though, you could be in luck. That's because Samsung is rolling out the user interface debuted on the new handsets to previous generations of the Galaxy range.

Users of Samsung Galaxy S22, Samsung Galaxy S21, Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, Samsung Galaxy S20, and Samsung Galaxy S20 FE handsets should all get the One UI 5.1 update. 

That's a brilliant upgrade for Galaxy users. Far from being a superficial half-step away from the original One UI 5 update, this brings a range of added functionality. Users will get a host of ease-of-use upgrades for the camera, making selfie-taking and RAW photography easier than ever before. Using the Expert RAW functionality is even quicker with an option in the advanced menu, while selfies can be altered with a different hue via an Effects button on the side of the screen.

Elsewhere, a family sharing album allows you to share photos with friends and family with never before seen ease. Up to six people can use the gallery, with 5GB of storage per user. 

AI plays a part too, with images getting automatic makeovers in the gallery app. Shadows and reflections can be removed from still images, while GIFs get the benefit of better resolution and clarity.

As ever with Samsung updates, the process is likely to be rolled out in stages. Users of any of the devices mentioned above can check for available updates in the settings menu.

Sam Cross
Staff Writer

Online news writer at T3.com, Sam has five years of experience in online and print journalism, with work featured in publications like Metro and Last Word on Sports. After years writing about music and football, Sam now turns his hand to bringing you news about new phones, smart home products, smart watches, laptops and TVs. Sam is a longtime fan and user of Apple products, including iPhones, MacBooks and Apple Watches.He’s also T3’s resident football expert, bringing you everything you need to know about the big games, including how to watch them. In his spare time, Sam is a keen guitarist, watch lover and (very) amateur golfer.