Here’s our first real look at Samsung's new priority notifications
Leaked One UI 8.5 build shows off the AI-sorted priority notifications feature.
Following the initial leaked report that One UI 8.5 firmware would have a new "Priority notifications" feature, another leak has surfaced today that shows this feature actually working. It uses on-device processing to stack important alerts at the top.
What’s new with One UI 8.5 notifications
We’ve all got notification clutter, and Samsung is gearing up for its next attempt to fix it. A new leaked build of One UI 8.5 has been spotted in a new report, and this time, the "Priority notifications" feature is actually working. This feature was seen in a previous leak, but it was broken. Now we have our first look at how it will function.
How priority notifications will reportedly work
The feature’s description says it finds "notifications that may be important" and sticks them "above other notifications to make sure you don’t miss them." Screenshots show these alerts are highlighted with a subtle glow and a "Galaxy AI–style gradient," stacking neatly at the top of your panel.
Thankfully, you get to choose which apps can be prioritized, so it’s not an all-or-nothing system. Samsung also makes it clear that all this notification processing happens on-device, so your private alerts aren't being sent to a server.
Thankfully, you get to choose which apps can be prioritized, so it’s not an all-or-nothing system. Samsung also makes it clear that all this notification processing happens on-device, so your private alerts aren't being sent to a server.
Will this matter for Galaxy users?
One UI 8.5 Priority Notifications. | Image credit — @SandeepAdap (X)
This matters because notification overload is a universal headache. We've all missed an important message from a friend because it was buried under three game alerts, a news update, and a delivery notification.
Samsung's approach seems to be a hybrid: using AI to guess what's important while still giving you manual control. The problem? We'll have to wait. Reports had suggested a late November beta, but that now appears to be delayed. The final, stable version of One UI 8.5 isn't expected until it arrives with the Galaxy S26 series, which may also launch later than usual.
Will it work well enough?
Personally, I’m a bit skeptical. My definition of "important" rarely matches an AI's. I’m glad the per-app toggle is there, because I'll probably end up using that far more than the automated sorting.
However, I don’t want to pass judgment until I see this feature at work. It’s a nice-looking feature, but the jury is out on whether it’s a real solution or just a prettier version of the same old problem.
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