Samsung One UI 9 update leaves some phones stuck in setup mode or with a drained battery
Which models are affected?
Image by Nwz | Shutterstock
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- Some Galaxy S26 Ultra buyers cannot complete setup after installing the One UI 9 update.
- Galaxy S24 and S25 users report worse battery life after the update, including faster idle drain.
- Samsung suggests fixes for affected phones and advises service appointments if battery problems continue.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
Some Samsung users are reporting their phones getting stuck right after unboxing, while others are blaming the One UI 9 update for poor battery life.
Samsung released a new software update, One UI 9, based on Android 17 last month, rolling it out in stages.
The first smartphones to get it were the Samsung Galaxy S26 series. Later, the owners of the Galaxy S25 series, Galaxy Z Fold 7, and Galaxy Z Flip 7 received the update.
This month, Samsung pushed the update for its older-generation smartphones, such as the Galaxy S24 and S23 series, and the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 foldables.
However, not all smartphones handled the update the same, with some users reporting bricked or drained devices.
Bricking the Galaxy S26 Ultra
Some Galaxy S26 Ultra users reported that a bug related to the One UI 9 update left them unable to set up their new smartphones.
The company addressed the issue on its South Korean forum, stating that it stems from the device UI 9.0 update.
“The development team has confirmed that this issue occurs when using an unstable system WebView on certain networks,” shared Samsung.
The company then provided a step-by-step guide on how to bring the device back. These included updating the Android system WebView version, switching to a WiFi network instead of a mobile network, or logging in to a Samsung account.
It’s not yet known how many buyers have been affected by the issue.
Is a drained battery the norm?
Users of Samsung smartphones released a few years ago have noticed that the new update is draining their battery life. The users most often affected were owners of the Samsung Galaxy S24 and S25 models.
“I used to get 6-7 hours of screen time with my usage. [...] It went half the number. The main problem that I notice is that the battery is draining more, even when the phone is idle or not used,” wrote one Redditor.
The post confirmed that several other users were experiencing the same issue.
“Absolutely the same thing happened on my S25. You're not alone,” wrote another user.
A sudden drop in battery performance is somewhat considered normal after an upgrade.
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It could take around 2 weeks for the software update to optimize, noted Sammy Fans, so it’s worth giving the device a few days to adjust.
However, if the issue continues and a user notices sudden drops in battery performance, Samsung advises contacting them for further assistance.
A user on X shared that their S24 Ultra battery has been draining since the software update.
Samsung replied by advising that a service appointment be booked with the company.
