Samsung One UI 8.5 Leak: Dark Mode Icons Finally Get a Proper Fix

Updated: November 28, 2025

Samsung’s next major software update, One UI 8.5, is shaping up to finally solve one of the most annoying quirks on Galaxy phones: bright app icons that ignore dark mode. Fresh leaks and reports show Samsung is testing a system that forces dark‑themed icons for all apps, giving the home screen a unified, nighttime look for the first time. ^[1]

Here’s what’s new, why it matters, and when you can expect to try it.

Key takeaways

Forced dark icons: Leaked One UI 8.5 builds show app icons automatically switching to dark‑themed backgrounds when Dark Mode is enabled, including third‑party apps. ^[2]
New 3D icon style: Icons keep a subtle 3D look with depth and drop shadows in both light and dark themes, marking a shift away from flat design. ^[3]
Based on a real leak: The change was first spotted in a short clip shared by tipster Galaxy Techie on X, now echoed by outlets like Android Authority, PhoneArena, SammyFans, and SammyGuru. ^[4]
Beta is close: Multiple reports point to a December 8, 2025 start for the One UI 8.5 beta, beginning with the Galaxy S25 series in select markets. ^[5]
Nothing is official yet: Samsung has not publicly announced One UI 8.5 or confirmed the dark icon overhaul, so everything described is still based on leaks.

What the leak shows: Dark mode finally looks truly dark

In the leaked build of One UI 8.5, the home screen behaves very differently once Dark Mode is turned on:

App icons sit on dark backgrounds instead of light tiles, eliminating the familiar “black wallpaper + glowing white squares” effect. ^[6]
The behavior appears to apply system‑wide, including third‑party apps, rather than only Samsung’s own icons. ^[7]
The leaked clip shows icons and their backplates updating dynamically as dark mode is toggled, suggesting this is a core part of the launcher and theme engine, not just a static icon pack. ^[8]

Android Authority describes the change as Samsung finally addressing “one of the most persistent and overlooked issues with dark mode in recent years” on Galaxy devices, where the UI goes dark but a grid of bright icons remains unchanged. ^[9]

SammyFans, which also analyzed the leak, says the new engine “makes app icons adopt the dark theme across the board for an overall optimized look”, with the surrounding app background now matching the OS‑level dark theme. ^[10]

In short: your icons should finally match the rest of your dark UI.

The new look: Dark, cohesive, and a bit 3D

Alongside the dark‑themed icon backgrounds, One UI 8.5 appears to be pushing a broader visual refresh:

3D‑style icons & depth: Icons in the leak keep a subtle 3D effect with depth and drop shadows, rather than staying completely flat. ^[11]
Same style in light and dark modes: The 3D treatment and shadows are visible regardless of whether you’re using light mode or dark mode; only the background color shifts. ^[12]
Floating feel: Outlets that have seen early builds say icons look like they’re floating slightly above the wallpaper, which lines up with earlier One UI 8.5 design leaks for Samsung’s new 3D icon direction. ^[13]

PhoneArena notes that this new icon style dovetails with earlier rumors comparing One UI 8.5’s visuals to Apple’s more depth‑heavy iOS 26 design language, with both platforms moving away from ultra‑flat icons toward soft shadows and layered interfaces. ^[14]

For users, the practical impact is simple: a more unified, premium‑looking home screen, especially at night.

Why now? Google’s icon theming rules are a big clue

This change isn’t happening in a vacuum. New rules in the Google Play Store policy are quietly pushing Android manufacturers toward more consistent icon design:

Earlier this year, Google updated its policy to require developers to support themed icons, meaning they must provide monochrome icon assets that Android can recolor automatically. ^[15]
If an app doesn’t ship a properly themed icon, Android can now generate one dynamically so themed icon grids don’t look half‑finished. ^[16]

Android Authority and Samsung‑focused blogs suggest that Samsung’s new dark icon system in One UI 8.5 is tapping into this ecosystem: the OS appears ready to enforce dark‑friendly icons even for apps that historically ignored them, using Google’s new requirements as a foundation. ^[17]

That would explain why the leak shows third‑party apps adopting dark backgrounds without every developer manually redesigning their icons.

When can you try One UI 8.5’s dark icons?

Leaked One UI 8.5 beta timeline

Several independent reports now converge on the same beta schedule for One UI 8.5, including the dark icon overhaul:

Beta 1 – December 8, 2025
- Regions: US, UK, South Korea, Germany
- Devices: Galaxy S25 series first (S25, S25+, S25 Ultra). ^[18]
Beta 2 – December 22, 2025
- Adds: India and Poland
- Earlier markets likely get a second beta build with fixes and refinements. ^[19]
Beta 3 – around January 5, 2026
- Final polish before stable rollout, according to some leak roadmaps. ^[20]

PhoneArena states that the first public One UI 8.5 beta is expected to become available on December 8, starting with the Galaxy S25 family, backed up by server firmware sightings and regional reporting. ^[21]

Important: Samsung has not officially confirmed these dates. All timelines are subject to change and based on leaks shared via X and reported by multiple tech outlets.

Which Galaxy phones are likely to get One UI 8.5?

A number of publications have published expected device lists based on Samsung’s usual update policy and the rollout of Android 16‑based One UI 8.0: ^[22]

High‑end phones
- Galaxy S26 series (shipping with One UI 8.5 out of the box)
- Galaxy S25 / S25+ / S25 Ultra
- Galaxy S24 and S23 families, including FE models
Foldables
- Galaxy Z Fold 7, Fold 6, Fold 5, Fold 4
- Galaxy Z Flip 7, Flip 7 FE, Flip 6, Flip 5, Flip 4
Popular Galaxy A / M / F devices
Recent Galaxy Tab S and Tab A models

Most of these lists are unofficial and leak‑based, but they align with Samsung’s normal promise of multi‑year OS upgrades for recent flagships and upper‑mid‑range devices.

Why this fix matters so much to Galaxy users

At first glance, “dark icons” might sound like a minor tweak. But for many users, this is the piece that’s been missing ever since Samsung rolled out full‑system dark mode.

1. Visual consistency

Previously, you could switch your Galaxy phone into Dark Mode and still be stuck looking at bright white icon tiles across the home screen. That clashed with:

Dark wallpapers
Dark notification shade
Dark system menus

The effect made Samsung’s dark mode feel unfinished, even if the rest of the UI was well‑tuned. A unified dark icon set finally delivers the “everything matches” feeling people expect from a modern OS. ^[23]

2. Comfort & OLED friendliness

A darker home screen is not just about aesthetics:

Less glare when using your phone at night or in bed
Potentially slightly reduced power draw on OLED screens, where darker pixels consume less energy (though the impact varies with usage) ^[24]

Given how popular Dark Mode has become—many users never turn it off—fixing the icon situation finally brings form and function together.

3. Aligning One UI with 2026’s design trends

With One UI 7 and now 8.x, Samsung has been steadily evolving its visual language toward:

More depth and glass‑like effects
Higher‑contrast, readable text
Smaller touches of animation and blur for polish ^[25]

A dark icon overhaul that adds 3D depth and coherence fits perfectly into that roadmap, and helps Galaxy devices stand out against other Android skins.

How to get ready for the One UI 8.5 beta

If Samsung follows its usual playbook, here’s what Galaxy S25 owners in eligible markets can expect once the beta is live: ^[26]

Check your device & region
- You’ll likely need a Galaxy S25, S25+, or S25 Ultra.
- Early access should roll out first in the US, UK, South Korea, and Germany, with more countries later.
Use the Samsung Members app
- Historically, Samsung announces beta programs via a banner inside Samsung Members.
- When One UI 8.5 beta opens, you’ll probably enroll from there.
Back up everything
- Beta software is experimental. Expect bugs, occasional crashes, and missing features.
- Always back up to Samsung Cloud, Google Drive, or local storage before joining.
Expect features to evolve
- Dark icons, Galaxy AI features, and visual tweaks may change during the beta—some options could be refined, moved, or even removed before stable release.

Again, none of this is formally confirmed for One UI 8.5 yet, but it matches how recent One UI betas were handled.

What this means going into 2026

As of November 28, 2025, the picture is clear:

Multiple leaks and outlets agree that Samsung is actively testing forced dark‑themed icons in One UI 8.5, finally solving a long‑standing pain point for Dark Mode fans. ^[27]
A December 8 beta launch for the Galaxy S25 series looks increasingly likely, even though Samsung has remained publicly silent. ^[28]
The update is expected to roll into a broader redesign of icons and UI depth, and to ship widely with the Galaxy S26 lineup early next year. ^[29]

If you’ve been tolerating mismatched icons on your Galaxy for years, One UI 8.5 could finally deliver the “real” dark mode you always wanted: cohesive, comfortable, and distinctly Samsung.

One UI | Dark Mode | Samsung

Watch this video on YouTube.

References