Google is gearing up to release Android 14 any day now. For its part, Samsung recently released a beta version of One UI 6, which is based on the new flavor of Android, for some Samsung devices.
As usual, Samsung has included many of the new features Google added to Android, which you canread about in our complete guide to Android 14, but the smartphone maker has also added some new features of its own.
For example, a new quick settings panel looks and works a lot like the iPhone’s Control Center panel. There’s also a new system font, more emoji on Samsung’s keyboard, and plenty more,which we fully detailed here.
Below, I’ll walk you through what you need to know if you want to give Samsung’s One UI 6 and, by extension, Android 14 a try on your Samsung Galaxy S23 phone.
What do I need to take part in the One UI 6 beta?
Samsung’s One UI 6 beta program is currently available toGalaxy S23,S23+, andS23 Ultraowners who live in the USA, South Korea, or Germany.
Before enrolling in the beta program, you’ll also need to install the Samsung Members app on yourGalaxy S23.
It’s important to note that the One UI 6 beta is just that, a beta, which means that the software isn’t finalized, and you’ll likely experience bugs and other issues where apps or the phone as a whole doesn’t work as expected. You can leave the beta program, but you must factory reset your phone to do so.
If you meet all the requirements, enrolling in the One UI 6 beta takes just a few minutes and taps on your phone’s screen. To enroll, open the Samsung Members app and give it a second to fully load. Across the top of the screen will be a series of banners that you can scroll through horizontally. Keep scrolling until you see the One UI 6 Beta Program banner; select it. If you don’t see the banner, keep checking back.
On the next screen, tapRegister. Scroll through the terms and conditions, tapEnroll,and confirm your enrollment.
Once you’re enrolled, leave the Samsung Members app, and open your phone’sSettingsapp. Scroll down and selectSoftware Updatefrom the list of options, followed byDownload and install.
From here, the process is identical to a normal software update. Your phone will download and install One UI 6, prompting you to reboot the phone during the process. Once that’s done, you’ll have the beta software on your Galaxy S23.
How to leave the One UI 6 beta
If you decide that it’s too buggy and you want to go back to the current official release of One UI for your Galaxy phone, you’ll need to go back into theSamsung Members app, tap on theOne UI 6 beta banner, and then selectWithdrawat the bottom of the screen.
Next, you’ll need to connect your phone to your PC and use Samsung’s Smart Switch for PC app to downgrade your phone’s software. Your phone will completely reset during the process. you may back up your phone using Smart Switch before downgrading and use that backup to restore your phone after the downgrade is complete. However, keep in mind there’s a chance not everything will be restored due to the beta nature of the software.
