Galaxy S26 Ultra owners will have to suffer a bit longer, but the display fix is coming "soon"

What we talk about when we talk about display issues is, sure—the green line horror; but there's another screen bug that affects one of the best Android phones right now, the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Note that not all Galaxy S26 Ultra units are suffering from this; only some owners have raised the bug.

That's the red tint plague which we've covered several times now:

• Some Galaxy S26 Ultra units have developed a defect, but Samsung may turn a blind eye
• Don't replace your Galaxy S26 Ultra just yet — Samsung has a fix
• The Galaxy S26 Ultra's display red plague is actually curable by calibration

And now, Samsung is on the verge of seeding a software update that might fix this—or, better yet, prevent it from happening.

Positive X leaks

Per Tarun Vats, a well-known and usually credible tipster on X, Samsung will soon release the long-awaited fix for the red tint that's plaguing some Galaxy S26 Ultra units.

According to his information, the S26 Ultra red tint fix will be disseminated "after Samsung releases the internal ZH3 firmware on August 20". Now it's August 21 already, so definitely keep an eye out for the new software update.

How bad is it?

While the red tint isn't nearly as fatal as the green line horror, it's still pretty bad. I wouldn't say it's a showstopper kind of bug, but it's certainly a severe one. Yes, you can still use your phone to call and text your friends and relatives, but what about doomscrolling on social media? God forbid anything tampers with your TikTok session!

It's great that Samsung is coming up with a fix for this issue, but it's now the end of August. And the first reports we got about the red tint plague originated in mid July; so it's been more than a month since users started complaining about it. Not great at all.

Thankfully, it's curable

The reddish blob in the middle of the display is particularly noticeable against white or bright backgrounds.

The good news is that this apparently isn't a permanent hardware defect. Samsung has reportedly confirmed that the red tint is caused by a software problem and can be resolved through display calibration. Owners in South Korea can have the calibration performed for free at an official Samsung service center, even if the phone is out of warranty.

Do I need to replace my phone?

No, the main takeaway is—if your S26 Ultra develops the red plague, don't panic or immediately replace the phone. Samsung appears to have a fix, and a software solution is on the way.

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