Samsung One UI 5 gets an open beta, here’s how to try it out

(Pocket-lint) – Samsung is nearing the release of its new Android 13-based user interface, One UI 5, and with it comes a host of new features.

The brand has now launched an open beta for those who want to try out the new UI ahead of the official release.

If you want to get in on the action, there are a couple of catches, though. You’ll need to have a phone in Samsung’s Galaxy S22 lineup (S22, S22+ or S22 Ultra) and live in one of the supported regions.

Initially, that’s limited to the US, Germany and South Korea, but Samsung says it has “other regions planned over the coming months”.

What’s new?

The One UI 5 update brings a variety of new ways to customise the look and feel of your smartphone.

There are sixteen preset colour themes based on your wallpaper and twelve additional options for your home screen.

You can now stack widgets of the same size on your home screen, allowing you to keep things looking organised and save space.

There’s now more control over notifications, too, making it easier to block notifications from certain apps and focus only on the things that you care about.

Sound and vibration settings have been improved, and you can now choose a preferred language for specific apps, which is excellent news for multi-lingual users.

There are also improvements made to the camera app, security functions and accessibility options. It’s a pretty significant update.

How to access the One UI 5 beta

If you’ve decided to give it a whirl, the good news is that Samsung makes it nice and easy to sign up.

First, you’ll need to install the Samsung Members app from the Galaxy Store, sign in, and then follow the steps below:

1. In the Samsung Members app, swipe across the top banner to find the card that says One UI Beta Program and select it.
2. Tap on Register.
3. Agree to the terms by tapping Enroll and then Agree.
4. Navigate to the settings by pulling down the notification shade and tapping the cog icon.
5. Scroll to the bottom and tap Software update.
6. Choose Download and install.
7. Your phone will begin downloading One UI 5 beta.

Writing by Luke Baker.