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Samsung is testing a nifty new feature that gives Galaxy users more control over their phones. The latest version of One UI 6.0 beta for the Galaxy S23 series lets users select which apps to update after installing the system update. Older One UI versions automatically update pre-installed apps on Galaxy devices.
Samsung Galaxy devices will give users more control over app updates
Android phones are known for their high level of customization and control features. Samsung’s Android-based One UI custom software for Galaxy devices adds to those abilities. However, one aspect of the One UI experience that users currently can’t control is their phones automatically updating the system apps when installing OS updates.
Galaxy phones update all preinstalled Samsung apps to the latest version following a system software update. You can’t turn off this behavior, nor can you make the phone automatically update apps downloaded from the Google Play Store, Galaxy Store, or sideloaded from other sources. We understand that the company does this to ensure compatibility of apps with the latest OS version. However, the lack of control is a little annoying.
Thankfully, One UI 6.0 will address this problem. As spotted by Android Police, the software update screen now has a new “Choose apps to update” option under the App updates section, which states that “some apps can be updated along with this software update.” It takes you to a new page where you can select which Samsung app to update following the system update.
A screenshot shared by the publication shows that you can individually select/unselect apps from the list, either by scrolling through the list or manually searching their names. You can also completely opt out of app updates by toggling the “All apps” button off. This will prevent your Galaxy phone from automatically updating the apps once the OS update is complete. This may speed up the whole update process.
This feature can come in handy in many situations. For example, if you have a daily data limit, you can opt out of app updates and manually update them the next day. While you’ll find many Samsung apps on the Google Play Store, some are exclusive to the Galaxy Store. Both platforms support auto-updates.
Samsung is testing this feature with One UI 6.0
Samsung is currently testing the new feature with One UI 6.0 beta. The new One UI version, which is based on Android 14, is available for the Galaxy S23, Galaxy A54, and Galaxy A34 in various countries. The Korean firm will likely begin a stable rollout of the big update in late October. Along with this control over app updates, One UI 6.0 brings a host of new features and improvements to Galaxy devices.
