One UI 8.5: The new “Priority Notifications” feature to end the chaos
Notifications have become a real nightmare for many Android users. With important messages buried under alerts from games, shopping apps, or news updates, it becomes challenging to sift through them. Samsung aims to address this issue with One UI 8.5, featuring a new function called “Priority Notifications” — and this time, it actually works.
According to a recent report, an internal test version of One UI 8.5 showcases the functionality in action.
Previously revealed in a leak (but inactive), it is now functional and illustrates how Samsung intends to prioritize notifications.
How Does “Priority Notifications” Work in One UI 8.5?
The built-in system description states: “Identifies notifications that may be important and places them above others so you don’t miss them.”
Specifically, the system:
- utilizes local AI processing (on-device) to analyze the content and source of alerts,
- highlights important notifications with a subtle glowing effect and a gradient reminiscent of Galaxy AI,
- stacks them at the top of the notification panel.
And good news: users can choose which apps can benefit from this priority processing. It is not a “one-size-fits-all” function. Samsung also emphasizes that all processing remains on the device — no personal data is sent to its servers.
Why Is It Important?
Notification overload is a universal problem. How many times have you missed a crucial message buried under three app reminders or an irrelevant promotion? Samsung is trying to strike a balance between predictive AI, which determines what matters to you, and manual control to prevent prioritization errors.
It’s a hybrid approach:
- Google Pixel already offers “Priority Conversations,” where users manually mark important contacts.
- Apple iOS prefers to mute the noise via “Focus Modes” and “Scheduled Summary.”
Samsung opts to elevate the signal rather than mute the noise.
When Will It Be Available?
Initially, a beta program was set to launch in late November, but it seems to have been postponed. The stable version of One UI 8.5 is now anticipated to arrive with the Galaxy S26, expected in early 2026. While the idea is compelling, its success will depend on the accuracy of the AI. What constitutes an “important notification” varies from person to person: something one user finds essential (e.g., Slack, WhatsApp) might be insignificant for another.
Fortunately, the ability to define priority apps is a saving grace. Without this, we might simply replace chaos with arbitrary sorting.
“Priority Notifications could turn out to be one of the most useful additions in One UI 8.5 — provided that Samsung gets the AI just right.
If the system can highlight true urgencies without false alarms, it could finally make Galaxy notifications smarter and less intrusive.
In summary: a brilliant idea… but it needs to prove it truly understands what matters to you.
