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Privacy display in action in the Galaxy S26 Ultra. | Image by PhoneArena
Samsung has finally unveiled the Galaxy S26 series at its Galaxy Unpacked event. While all the S26 models have received some noticeable upgrades over their respective predecessors, most of you might be excited about the Ultra variant because of its new privacy display feature. Here's everything you need to know about it.
Galaxy S26 Ultra: pre-order for up to $900 off
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The Galaxy S26 Ultra has been announced, bringing a Privacy Screen feature, insanely fast processor, and multiple Galaxy AI enhancements. Right now, you can pre-order the flagship for up to $900 off with eligible trade-ins.
What is the privacy display in the Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra comes with a built-in privacy display feature that operates at the hardware level. It works similarly to third-party privacy screen protectors that some people install on their smartphones to limit screen visibility from side angles. However, the main issue with these physical privacy protectors is that they often compromise image quality.
Additionally, if they are not made of the best materials, they can interfere with the fingerprint sensor and make it difficult to unlock your device using your fingerprint. However, since the privacy display comes as a built-in feature, you don't have to worry about any of these concerns.
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Unlike physical privacy protectors, it gives you different options to configure depending on the level and type of privacy you want. In front, there are two main toggles: basic privacy display and maximum privacy protection. The first option is what you would find yourself using most of the time.
Once you enable it, the screen starts to darken as you increase your viewing angle. It is not going to make the screen completely invisible from side angles, but it would still be a bit difficult to figure out what is being displayed on the screen unless it is being looked at with full concentration.
I believe turning on the basic privacy display toggle would prove helpful in places such as subways, where you would not want passersby to see what you are viewing on your smartphone. The maximum privacy protection toggle, as the name suggests, offers the highest level of protection.
After you enable its toggle, the screen of your S26 Ultra will become completely invisible from side angles. It's worth noting that turning on the maximum protection will reduce the image quality and contrast of the screen slightly. That's why you likely won't have it enabled all the time. Instead, use it only in places like on the metro when you definitely don't want a person sitting next to you sneaking a peek at what you're watching on your device.
Interestingly, you can configure the privacy display to work only with certain apps. For instance, you can set it to protect your banking apps from prying eyes while keeping other apps visible even from side angles.
You also have the option to make only a certain part of the screen invisible to shoulder surfers. For instance, you can turn on the Notification pop-up toggle inside the "Condition for turning on" section of the privacy display window to only hide notifications from off-angle views. Similarly, switching on the PIN, pattern, password option will make only the area where you enter these credentials invisible to someone sitting next to you.
Which of the following is tempting you to buy the Galaxy S26 Ultra?
Why is it exclusive to the Galaxy S26 Ultra?
Different options of Privacy Display. | Image by PhoneArena
As mentioned above, the privacy display is a hardware-level feature rather than a capability that can be added through a software upgrade. It is powered by the Flex Magic Pixel OLED panel used in the S26 Ultra model. Since this display isn't available in other S26 models or previously released Galaxy smartphones, the feature is limited to the top model of the S26 lineup.
While it's currently unclear whether Samsung will continue implementing this feature in its flagship phones moving forward, many other brands have found it so useful that they are reportedly working on bringing something similar to their products.
Aman Kumar is a tech news writer with a long-standing passion for smartphones. Aman specializes in everything smartphones, from AI features like Pixel’s Camera Coach to understanding ideal hardware combinations. He loves breaking down complex features in a simple, clear way and hopes manufacturers bring back bold designs like the Nokia N-Gage. When he’s not writing, he’s either gaming on PUBG or talking fitness as a dedicated gym enthusiast.
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