One UI 9 Stable Reaches Samsung Galaxy S23, Z Fold5 and Z Flip5 in Korea; US Units Still Waiting
Samsung started rolling out the stable One UI 9 update, based on Android 17, to the Samsung Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+ and Galaxy S23 Ultra in South Korea on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, and the Galaxy Z Fold5 and Z Flip5 are getting it there too. US models on Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T and unlocked have not received it yet, and Samsung has not announced a US date.
The first wave is limited to Korean owners who were enrolled in the One UI 9 beta, and the Korean Galaxy S23 download is about 484MB. Every earlier One UI 9 wave crossed from Korea to a US carrier within four to seven days.
- Update: One UI 9.0 on Android 17 (stable)
- First release: October 14, 2026, South Korea, beta testers first
- Phones: Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, Z Fold5, Z Flip5
- Korean builds: S91xNKSU8GZIF on the Galaxy S23 series (483.81MB); F946NKSU6HZIJ on the Galaxy Z Fold5 (485.41MB), according to reports
- US availability: not yet; no date announced
- How to check: Settings > Software update > Check for updates
How long has the US waited after Korea in each One UI 9 wave?
US Galaxy owners have so far waited between four and seven days after each Korean One UI 9 release. With the Galaxy S24 wave now in the US, there are three data points:
| One UI 9 wave | Korea start | First US release | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S26 series | September 16 | September 23 (T-Mobile) | 7 days |
| Galaxy S25 series, Z Fold7, Z Flip7 | September 28 | October 2 (Verizon) | 4 days |
| Galaxy S24 series, Z Fold6, Z Flip6 | October 6 | October 12 (T-Mobile and AT&T; unlocked Z Fold6 and Z Flip6) | 6 days |
| Galaxy S23 series, Z Fold5, Z Flip5 | October 14 | Not yet | — |
If the Galaxy S23 follows the same pattern, US units would see One UI 9 around October 18 to 21. Samsung has not confirmed that, and the first US carrier has varied between waves, so there is no way to say whether Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T or unlocked phones go first. The details of each earlier wave are in our coverage of the US Galaxy S24 One UI 9 rollout and the Galaxy S25 One UI 9 status by US carrier.
What Samsung's official schedule says about the Galaxy S23
Samsung has not published a US schedule. The most detailed official timetable so far comes from Samsung Japan, which on October 13 listed One UI 9 dates for every eligible Galaxy model and confirmed that phones from the Galaxy S23 series onward qualify. Samsung Japan notes that the dates can change without warning.
| Phone | Japan carriers (docomo, KDDI) | Japan unlocked |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S23 Ultra | Early November | Mid-November |
| Galaxy S23 | Early November | Not listed |
| Galaxy S23 FE | Mid-January 2027 (KDDI only) | Not listed |
| Galaxy Z Fold5, Z Flip5 | Early November | Mid-November |
| Galaxy S24, S24 Ultra (for comparison) | Late October | Late October |
Read those dates as an outer limit for US owners, not a forecast. Samsung Japan lists the Galaxy S24 for late October, yet US Galaxy S24 phones started getting One UI 9 on October 12, so Japan is running roughly two weeks behind the US. The Galaxy S23 FE is not part of the October 14 release and appears to be on a separate, later track.
How to install One UI 9 on a Galaxy S23, Z Fold5 or Z Flip5
Once the update reaches your model, open Settings > Software update and tap Check for updates, then Download and install. Back up the phone first and leave several gigabytes of free space: US downloads in earlier One UI 9 waves were close to 4GB, far larger than the Korean beta-to-stable packages.
If the install stalls with an "Access Denied" error, our guide to the One UI 9 Access Denied update error covers the Safe Mode and Airplane Mode workarounds that got other Galaxy phones past it.
What One UI 9 adds
One UI 9 brings more Quick Panel customization, Samsung DeX and Samsung Notes upgrades, new accessibility options, a location privacy indicator and new Galaxy AI features. Samsung says AI feature availability varies by device model, so not every One UI 9 AI tool on the Galaxy S26 will necessarily appear on a Galaxy S23.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the US Galaxy S23 get One UI 9?
Samsung has not announced a US date for One UI 9 on the Galaxy S23, S23+ or S23 Ultra. The stable update started in South Korea on October 14, 2026, and the three earlier One UI 9 waves reached a US carrier four to seven days after their Korean start. That pattern points to roughly October 18 to 21, but it is not a confirmed date.
Is One UI 9 out for the Galaxy Z Fold5 and Z Flip5?
Yes, stable One UI 9 based on Android 17 began rolling out to the Galaxy Z Fold5 and Galaxy Z Flip5 in South Korea on October 14, 2026, starting with phones that were in the beta program. US Galaxy Z Fold5 and Z Flip5 models had not received it at the time of writing. Samsung Japan lists the two foldables for early to mid-November in Japan.
Does the Galaxy S23 FE get One UI 9 now?
No. The October 14, 2026 One UI 9 release covers the Galaxy S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra, not the Galaxy S23 FE. Samsung Japan's official schedule lists the Galaxy S23 FE for mid-January 2027 on KDDI, which suggests it is on a separate, later track.
How big is the One UI 9 update for the Galaxy S23?
The Korean One UI 9 build for the Galaxy S23 series, S91xNKSU8GZIF, is about 484MB because it goes to phones already running the One UI 9 beta. US owners updating from an older One UI version should expect a much larger download; in earlier One UI 9 waves the US package was close to 4GB.
How do I check for One UI 9 on my Samsung Galaxy S23?
Open Settings, tap Software update, then tap Check for updates. If One UI 9 is available for your Galaxy S23 model and carrier, tap Download and install. Back up the phone before starting.
