Your phone apps may be accessing more personal information than they need. Samsung’s One UI 9 introduces Privacy Alerts, a feature designed to flag potentially unnecessary access to sensitive data before it goes unnoticed.
The feature uses on-device AI to identify questionable app permission activity, including excessive location access and unnecessary background permissions. Samsung began expanding One UI 9 on September 16, 2026, bringing the update to more Galaxy phones, foldables, and tablets.
Getting One UI 9 doesn’t necessarily mean getting Privacy Alerts. Samsung’s compatibility lists differ across regions, and some phones receiving the update are missing from its published feature documentation.
How One UI 9 spots questionable app activity
According to Samsung’s One UI 9 documentation, Privacy Alerts can identify apps that appear to access precise location excessively or attempt to use unnecessary permissions in the background. The system also monitors potentially risky access to personal information and recommends limiting what sensitive data apps can use.
An app accessing location more frequently than necessary could warrant closer inspection. Privacy Alerts aims to highlight such behavior without requiring users to regularly check permission histories.
Galaxy phones already offer privacy controls for managing location, camera, microphone, and other sensitive permissions. Privacy Alerts adds automated warnings to those existing tools.
An alert doesn’t automatically mean an app is malicious. Some applications legitimately require background access, and Samsung acknowledges that its AI-based detection may not consider every relevant factor. Users should review an app’s permissions before deciding whether to restrict access or uninstall it.
One UI 9 also introduces Security Brief, which brings malware warnings, unknown-source apps, and unnecessary permissions into Now Brief. These protections complement regular security patches, including Samsung’s October 2026 security update, which addressed nine critical Android vulnerabilities.
Other One UI 9 additions include a Warranty and Care hub offering diagnostics, warranty checks, and repair support on Samsung’s latest Galaxy foldables.
Which Galaxy phones and tablets get Privacy Alerts?
Samsung’s US rollout announcement identifies these compatible devices:
| Galaxy device category | Models supporting Privacy Alerts |
|---|---|
| Galaxy S phones | Galaxy S26, S26 Ultra, S25, S25 FE, S24, S24 FE, S23, S23 FE |
| Galaxy foldables | Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Z Fold8, Z Flip8, Z Fold7, Z Flip7, Z Fold6, Z Flip6, Z Fold5, Z Flip5 |
| Galaxy tablets | Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, Tab S11, Tab S10 Ultra, Tab S10 Plus, Tab S9 Ultra, Tab S9 Plus, Tab S9 |
The Galaxy S26+ is missing from that list, although Samsung includes it among the first phones receiving One UI 9. Its omission does not confirm that Privacy Alerts is unavailable on the device.
Regional documentation differs, too. Samsung’s Philippine announcement additionally lists the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and Tab S12 Plus.
To check for One UI 9, open Settings, select Software update, and tap Download and install. Update timing varies by device and region, while receiving the update does not guarantee access to every AI feature.
Owners of older devices can also check which Galaxy phones may miss Android 17 before expecting the latest One UI features.
Privacy Alerts gives Galaxy owners another opportunity to catch questionable permission activity. When a warning appears, reviewing the affected app and restricting access it doesn’t need is more useful than assuming the alert proves the app is dangerous.
Also read: For a closer look at Samsung’s latest tablets, the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra vs. iPad Pro M5 comparison explores performance, productivity features, pricing, and software support.