5 Samsung Galaxy Features Worth Trying After Updating to One UI 9

Samsung's One UI 9 update brings a new set of features to Galaxy smartphones, combining Android 17 with changes designed to make everyday phone use more convenient. Rather than focusing entirely on flashy artificial intelligence tools, this release includes practical additions for video editing, document scanning, customization, and security.

After testing One UI 9 on the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Ultra, several features stand out as particularly useful. Not every AI function delivers equally impressive results, and some, such as Now Nudge, may feel less helpful in everyday use than expected. However, other additions offer clear benefits without requiring users to change how they use their phones.

Here are five Samsung Galaxy features worth exploring after installing One UI 9.

1. My FanCam Turns Wide Videos Into Tracking Shots

Samsung's My FanCam feature makes it easier to create focused video clips from wider recordings. It uses AI to follow a selected person throughout a video, automatically adjusting the crop to keep that subject in view.

Imagine recording a concert with the entire band in the frame. With My FanCam, you can select the guitarist and create a closer view that follows their movements. The same approach can work well for dance videos, social media clips, and children's sports events.

One advantage is that you do not need to record the original video using a special camera mode. Instead, open an existing recording in Samsung Gallery, tap the Galaxy AI icon, and access the feature from there.

Tools such as CapCut have offered similar subject-tracking capabilities, but having the function built directly into Samsung's software makes it more convenient. Manual tracking in desktop editing programs can also take considerable time, particularly when a subject moves frequently.

Privacy is another useful consideration. In the testing described by Engadget, My FanCam worked on the device without an internet connection, including in airplane mode. A Samsung account login is still required. The feature was tested on the Galaxy S26 Ultra and S25 Ultra, while support for older models depends on the One UI 9 rollout and device compatibility.

For Galaxy owners who regularly create videos, My FanCam could be one of the update's most practical additions.

2. One UI 9 Gives You More Control Over the Quick Panel

The Quick Panel provides shortcuts to frequently used settings, including brightness, volume, connectivity, and dark mode. Samsung has gradually expanded its customization options over recent One UI releases, and version 9 continues that work.

One of the most noticeable changes involves the brightness and volume sliders. Previously, these controls were linked to shortcuts such as the dark mode toggle and ringer mute. One UI 9 allows users to remove those additional buttons, leaving cleaner, standalone sliders.

The interface also looks more minimal, with less visual padding around certain controls and no borders around tiles. These adjustments are subtle, but they can make the panel feel less cluttered.

The music player receives a smaller visual improvement as well. Its playback waveform now reflects the current album artwork, adding a little more visual consistency to the music controls displayed in the Quick Panel and related notification areas.

These changes will not transform how a Galaxy phone works, but they make the interface easier to tailor to individual preferences. Users who frequently adjust their settings may appreciate having more control over both the layout and appearance.

3. The Document Scanner Handles Curved and Folded Pages Better

Samsung's built-in document scanner has long provided a convenient way to digitize receipts, printed pages, signs, and other paper materials. However, scanning something that does not lie flat, such as a page in a bound book, can be difficult. Curved edges and folded corners may appear distorted in the final image.

One UI 9 improves the scanner's ability to compensate for these problems. It can automatically correct the appearance of curved pages and folded corners, helping scanned documents look closer to flat digital copies.

The update also improves the finger-removal tool, which can erase a thumb from an image when someone holds a document in place during scanning. Additional adjustments address glare and moiré patterns, while a new home screen shortcut makes the scanner easier to open without navigating through the camera interface.

Testing reported by Engadget found that the scanner handled some issues, including removing a thumb and correcting a folded corner, reasonably well. However, scanning a full two-page book spread still presented difficulties. The feature is useful, but it should not be expected to correct every complicated image perfectly.

For students, professionals, and anyone who frequently digitizes paperwork, these improvements can save time. Instead of retaking a photo because a page looks slightly warped, users may be able to rely on the scanner's automatic corrections.

Keep Your Scanned Documents Organized During a Phone Upgrade

Document scanning often goes hand in hand with managing files on a phone. Receipts, study notes, work documents, and other scanned images can accumulate quickly, making it helpful to organize important content before switching devices.

Smart Transfer can help move compatible files between supported devices, which may be useful when transferring personal documents and other content to a new phone. A contact transfer process can also be part of preparing for an upgrade, but contacts and documents may require different transfer steps depending on the devices involved. If you are exploring contacts files transfer options or looking into wifi files sharing, check which content types are supported and whether both devices are compatible before starting.

Keeping important files organized before changing phones makes it easier to identify what needs to move and confirm that the necessary content is available on the new device.

4. Customizable Now Brief Cards Make Daily Information More Relevant

Samsung introduced Now Brief with the Galaxy S25 series and One UI 7. The feature was designed to use AI to surface useful information through the phone's lock screen and Now Bar. In practice, however, its automatically generated suggestions have not always felt relevant.

One UI 9 takes a more user-directed approach. Instead of relying entirely on the system to decide what information matters, users can create personalized cards that display selected information at a chosen time.

The cards can draw from supported apps, including Samsung Health, Samsung Weather, and YouTube. For example, someone might configure a card to show their daily step count and calories burned at 9 PM.

Setting up these cards involves a prompt-based creation process. Users describe the information they want, and the system generates a card around that request. This gives people more control over what appears and when they see it.

There are limitations, though. The source reports a daily cap on how often users can generate or edit these cards. The feature also relies on personal data and processes some information off the device, which may be a consideration for privacy-conscious users.

Even with those drawbacks, customizable cards represent a more practical direction for AI-powered phone features. Their usefulness depends on whether the available apps and information sources match a person's daily routine.

5. Security Brief Can Alert You to Suspicious Apps

Security Brief is another addition to the Now Bar experience, but it focuses on device safety rather than daily updates. When the relevant Security and Privacy option is enabled in Now Brief settings, the phone can display an alert if it detects an app that may be malicious or behaving unusually.

For example, an application that repeatedly requests location access in the background may raise concerns. If an alert appears, users can follow the notification to review the issue and take appropriate action.

This feature may be particularly relevant for people who install applications from sources outside the Google Play Store. Apps distributed online can sometimes trigger false positives, especially if they are unsigned or unfamiliar to the device's security systems. As a result, an alert should be treated as a reason to investigate rather than automatic proof that an app is malicious.

In Engadget's testing, a warning did not appear during normal use. The publication also noted reports of false positives involving apps installed from outside the Play Store. Samsung lists support for Security Brief as far back as the Galaxy S23 series, although availability can depend on the device and software version.

Security Brief is not a replacement for careful app selection or broader security practices. Still, proactive warnings can help users notice unusual behavior sooner and decide whether an application needs further review.

The feature also gives the Now Bar a more useful role. Although Samsung's live information interface initially had limited app support, additions such as Security Brief show how it can provide alerts that matter beyond media playback or general notifications.

Which One UI 9 Features Should You Try First?

The most useful One UI 9 additions will depend on how you use your Galaxy phone. My FanCam is worth exploring for anyone who creates videos, while the Quick Panel changes offer everyday convenience without requiring much effort. The upgraded document scanner is especially relevant for students and professionals, and personalized Now Brief cards may appeal to users who want scheduled updates.

Security Brief is also worth enabling if it is supported on your device. Its alerts may not always indicate a genuine threat, but they can provide another opportunity to review suspicious app behavior.

One UI 9's biggest strength is that some of its most useful changes focus on ordinary tasks rather than complicated AI demonstrations. The update makes video editing more accessible, gives users greater control over the interface, improves document scanning, and adds more targeted information and security alerts.

If your Galaxy phone has received One UI 9, start with the features that fit your routine. They may not all become daily essentials, but a few could make your phone noticeably more convenient to use.