Samsung's One UI 8.5 Beta Introduces Smart Screen Recording

The new feature allows users to capture just a portion of their screen, not just the full display.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 2:22am by

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A highly detailed, glowing 3D illustration of a Samsung Galaxy S25 smartphone with its screen partially illuminated, surrounded by a network of neon cyan and magenta lights, conceptually representing the advanced technology and connectivity of the smart screen recording feature.Samsung's new smart screen recording feature in One UI 8.5 gives users unprecedented control over their mobile content capture.San Francisco Today

Samsung's latest One UI 8.5 beta for the Galaxy S25 series introduces a smart screen recording feature that gives users more control over what they capture. The new functionality allows users to record just a specific section of their screen, rather than the full display. This is a significant upgrade, especially for those with larger-screen devices, providing more precision and convenience.

Why it matters

Screen recording is a popular feature for content creators, gamers, and tech enthusiasts. Samsung's new smart screen recording capability sets it apart from standard Android screen recording tools and brings it in line with features already available on other platforms like OnePlus, ChromeOS, macOS, and Windows. This added control and flexibility could make screen recording more useful for a wider range of users.

The details

The smart screen recording feature in One UI 8.5 beta gives users two options when starting a recording: capture the entire screen or focus on a specific section. The phone will automatically detect the area the user wants to record, but they also have the ability to manually define the recording zone. This allows for more precision and eliminates unnecessary background elements.

  • The One UI 8.5 beta with the smart screen recording feature is currently available for the Galaxy S25 series.
  • One UI 8.5 is set to launch officially on the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, which will be unveiled at the Galaxy Unpacked event in San Francisco on February 25th, 2026.
  • After the Galaxy S26 launch, the One UI 8.5 update with the smart screen recording feature will be made available for older Samsung devices.

The players

Samsung

A multinational electronics company and the world's largest smartphone manufacturer.

Zac Kew-Denniss

A writer for Android Authority who has confirmed the smart screen recording feature on his Galaxy S25 Ultra running the latest One UI 8.5 beta.

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What they’re saying

“This feature is a huge upgrade, especially for those with larger-screen devices. It's not just about convenience; it's about precision and control. Imagine being able to record only the part of your screen that matters most to you, without any unnecessary distractions.”

— Zac Kew-Denniss, Writer

What’s next

The smart screen recording feature in One UI 8.5 will be officially launched with the Galaxy S26 series in February 2026. After that, the update will be made available for older Samsung devices.

The takeaway

Samsung's new smart screen recording feature in One UI 8.5 provides users with more control and flexibility over their screen recordings, setting it apart from standard Android screen recording tools. This added precision and convenience could make screen recording more useful for a wider range of users, from content creators to tech enthusiasts.