Samsung's AI-Powered Priority Notifications Spotted in New One UI 8.5 Leak

Samsung Galaxy smartphone users will soon be able to effectively manage their notifications with a new AI-driven feature called Priority Notifications. It's expected to debut with the upcoming One UI 8.5 update, and it has been spotted in a leaked software release. It is designed to automatically identify and highlight important alerts at the top of the notification panel. By combining Galaxy AI's intelligent filtering with user customisation options, Samsung aims to make notifications more organised and less cluttered. The update is anticipated to launch alongside the Galaxy S26 series early next year.

Samsung One UI 8.5 Leak Shows New Priority Notifications Feature

Samsung is preparing to make notifications on Galaxy smartphones smarter and more organised with a new feature called Priority Notifications in its upcoming One UI 8.5 update. The feature, which first appeared in leaked firmware last week but wasn't functional at the time, has now been spotted working in a new leaked build, initially spotted by folks at SammyFans. This gives us a good look at how the feature will appear and operate.

Priority Notifications will reportedly use Galaxy AI to automatically identify alerts that may be important and display them above other notifications. The feature description reads, “Notifications that may be important will appear above other notifications to make sure you don't miss them.” Users will also likely be able to choose which apps can send high-priority notifications, giving them control over what gets highlighted.

Leaked screenshots shared by X (formerly Twitter) Sandeep Adap (@SandeepAdap) show that Priority Notifications will appear at the very top of the notification panel, separated from regular alerts. They feature a subtle glow effect and appear with a Galaxy AI–style gradient, helping them stand out clearly. Importantly, Samsung notes that all notification processing will happen directly on the device, ensuring privacy and preventing data from being sent to cloud servers.

The addition of Priority Notifications is expected to reduce clutter in the notification panel, a problem most smartphone users face daily. By combining AI-backed detection with user control, Samsung is aiming to make important alerts easier to spot without hiding others.

Apple and Google offer similar solutions, such as Apple's Priority Notifications in iOS 18.4 and Google's Priority Conversations on Pixel devices, but Samsung's approach blends automation with manual input for more flexibility.

While Samsung hasn't officially confirmed the rollout, earlier reports suggested that the One UI 8.5 beta program could begin in late November. However, that timeline may have been delayed. The stable version of One UI 8.5 is expected to debut alongside the Galaxy S26 series early next year, likely marking the public release of Priority Notifications for Galaxy users worldwide.