6 Hidden One UI 8.5 Shortcuts That Change How You Use Your Galaxy Phone

You update to One UI 8.5, look around for a minute, and... it kind of looks the same?

That's the trap. Samsung doesn't usually redesign the whole phone with these updates. Instead it hides small changes inside menus you'd never think to open — a resized tile here, a new toggle there.

Most people scroll past every single one of them. They keep using their phone exactly the way they did on the old software, and never notice anything actually changed.

Here's the thing though — these small changes add up fast. A shortcut that saves you 3 seconds doesn't sound like much. But you pick up your phone over 100 times a day. Multiply that out and you're talking real time back in your pocket every week.

I went through what's actually new in One UI 8.5 and pulled out 6 shortcuts that genuinely change how fast and how easy your phone feels to use. Some take one tap to turn on. Some you'll use without even thinking about it once it's set up.

Let's get into them.

1. Edge Panel Multi-View Launch

Normally tapping an app just opens it full screen, using up your whole display.

With this shortcut, tapping an app icon inside your Edge Panel opens it straight into split-screen or pop-up view instead. No dragging, no extra steps.

How to set it up:

  • Go to Settings
  • Tap Display
  • Tap Edge panels
  • Turn it on if it isn't already
  • Add the apps you multitask with most into the panel

How to use it:

  • Swipe in from the edge to open your panel
  • Tap any app icon — it opens straight into split-screen or pop-up
Works on: Galaxy phones running One UI 8.5.

2. AI Select on Long-Press

Long-press the Edge Panel handle and it triggers AI Select right away — no digging through menus to find it.

How to set it up:

  • Make sure Edge panels are turned on (Settings > Display > Edge panels)
  • Long-press the small handle tab on the side of your screen

How to use it:

  • The AI Select tool pops up instantly
  • Circle or tap anything on screen — text, an image, an object
  • It grabs it for you to copy, search, or edit

Note: This replaced the old Smart Select tool, so if you used that before, this feels familiar but faster.

3. Quick Panel Tiles You Can Resize

This one's actually a big deal. You can now resize individual Quick Settings tiles instead of being stuck with Samsung's fixed layout.

How to set it up:

  • Pull down your notification shade twice to open the full Quick Panel
  • Tap the pencil/edit icon
  • Long-press any tile
  • Drag the edges to resize it — smaller for a single line, bigger for more detail

What you can resize:

  • Brightness slider
  • Music player tile
  • Most individual Quick Settings tiles

Basically you build your own layout instead of scrolling through tiles you never use.

4. Lockdown Mode in the Power Menu

This adds a one-tap toggle to your power menu that turns off face unlock and fingerprint unlock temporarily.

How to set it up:

  • Go to Settings
  • Tap Lock screen
  • Tap Secure lock settings
  • Turn on Show Lockdown option

How to use it:

  • Press and hold the power button
  • Tap Lockdown
  • Face unlock and fingerprint are disabled until you enter your PIN or password

Good for: lending your phone to someone, or if you're worried about someone forcing unlock access.

5. Direct Voicemail

This one skips your carrier's voicemail system completely.

  • Missed calls get recorded straight on your phone instead of going through your carrier
  • AI shows a live transcript while it's recording
  • No more calling in and typing a PIN just to check messages

How to set it up:

  • Go to Settings
  • Tap Apps → Phone
  • Look for Voicemail settings
  • Select Direct Voicemail if it's available for your carrier

Note: Availability depends on your carrier and region, so it may not show up for everyone yet.

6. Smarter Lock Screen Wallpaper Placement

If your lock screen wallpaper has a person or pet in it, One UI 8.5 automatically repositions it so the subject doesn't get covered by the clock or widgets.

How it works:

  • Go to Settings → Wallpaper and style
  • Set a photo with a person or pet as your lock screen wallpaper
  • One UI 8.5 automatically detects the subject and adjusts placement so nothing important gets hidden behind the clock

No extra steps needed — it just happens in the background once you set the photo.

If your screen has been acting up lately, it's also worth checking whether it's a display issue rather than a settings one — here's what to do about the red tint showing up on some Galaxy S26 Ultra screens.

A Quick Tip

Don't try to set up all 6 at once. Pick the one that sounds most useful to you today, get used to it for a day or two, then move to the next.

If you're someone who lives in split-screen and multiple apps, you might also like our guide on Android gestures you probably haven't tried yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. 1: Do I need to update to One UI 8.5 to get these?

Yes, all 6 are tied to the One UI 8.5 update specifically.

Q. 2: Will these slow down my phone?

No. They're built-in system features, not extra apps running in the background.

Q. 3: What if I can't find one of these settings?

Type the feature name directly into your Settings search bar — it's usually faster than digging through menus.

Q. 4: Is Direct Voicemail available for all carriers?

Not always — it depends on carrier support in your region.

Final Thoughts

One UI 8.5 isn't a total redesign. Samsung didn't rebuild the whole interface from scratch this time.

It's more like they went through and quietly tightened a bunch of small screws — the kind of changes you'd never notice unless someone pointed them out to you.

None of these 6 shortcuts are flashy on their own. Resizing a Quick Panel tile isn't going to impress anyone. Long-pressing an Edge Panel handle isn't a headline feature.

But stack all 6 together and your phone genuinely feels faster and easier to use every single day. That's really what good software updates are supposed to do — not add flashy new screens, just remove the small friction you'd stopped noticing.

You don't need to set all of these up today. Pick the one that sounded most useful to you while reading this. Turn it on. Use it for a couple of days until it feels normal.

Then come back and try the next one.

Which of these 6 are you setting up first? Let me know in the comments.

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