New customization options in the One UI 5 beta.
Image: Samsung

The US, Germany, and South Korea are the countries where the OneUI 5 open alpha is currently being rolled out. The update is just a few weeks ahead of the expected release of the next iteration of the operating system, and just a few days before a major event. Like the operating system it's powered by, the OneUI 5 is a relatively small update that adds some customization options, tweaks to notifications, and new accessibility and security settings.

Up to 16 preset color themes based on your wallpaper and 12 additional color options for your home screen, icons, and quick panels are offered by OneUI 5. There is a way to stack similar-sized widgets on top of one another that is supposed to help create a less cluttered look.

The One UI 5 beta lets you stack widgets on top of each other.
Image: Samsung

The new accessibility features include a Magnifier tool that uses the phone's camera to zoom in on real-life objects and text, as well as the option to have your phone read your keyboard input aloud.

New notification settings that require app developers to ask for your permission before sending you notifications are one of the features that OneUI 5 has adopted. You can set your preferred language on an app-by-app basis, as well as get a new security dashboard that scans your phone for potential issues.

One UI 5’s new security dashboard is adopted from Android 13.
Image: Samsung

Last year, when the OneUI 4beta was released, it highlighted how it was getting updates earlier each year. The gap between its previous update and the OneUI 4 launch date was widened even more this time around. You can register for the OneUI 5 update through the members app.

It is only available on S22 devices in the US, Germany, and South Korea, but there will be more to come. We might hear more about what OneUI 5 has to offer at the Unpacked event on August 10th.