Galaxy S26 Ultra Privacy Display: How It Will Work

• Privacy Display is confirmed to be coming to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, according to traces in One UI 8.5 and a Tips app reveal.
• The feature dims the screen when viewed off-angle, protecting sensitive content from side glances.
• Controls will appear in Settings > Display, a Quick Settings toggle, and automatic triggers based on app or incoming notifications.
• Evidence comes from One UI 8.5 code, an X (Twitter) UI toggle sighting, and an animation in Samsung’s Tips app.

What the leaks show

Multiple indicators now point to Privacy Display being built into Samsung’s next flagship. Developers found code fragments referencing the feature inside internal builds of One UI 8.5, and a UI toggle was shared on X by a user who spotted the control.

Samsung’s own Tips app — which surfaces walkthroughs for new features — contained a hidden page with an animation demonstrating Privacy Display behavior when the device is identified as a Galaxy S26 Ultra.

How Privacy Display works

The animation reveals a simple, hardware-backed privacy filter. When you view the phone straight on, the screen appears normal. But when viewed from above, below, left or right, the display visibly dims.

This off-angle dimming makes it harder for people beside you to read sensitive content such as banking apps, messages, or confidential documents. The effect appears to be directional rather than a full blackout, preserving normal usability for the device owner.

Where you’ll find the controls

According to the Tips app preview, Privacy Display will live in Settings under the Display section. Samsung also plans a Quick Settings tile so you can toggle the mode quickly.

The feature can be enabled manually or set to activate automatically based on context. Samsung’s animation shows it triggering per-app — for example when you open a banking app — and in response to certain notifications.

Sources and credibility

The evidence trail includes a teardown and report from Android Authority showing One UI 8.5 references, a public X post that uncovered a UI toggle, and the hidden Tips app walkthrough discovered by testers spoofing a Galaxy S26 Ultra.

While Samsung hasn’t officially announced a launch date for the S26 lineup, the accumulation of internal code, UI elements, and the Tips animation makes a strong case that Privacy Display will debut on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Why it matters

On-device visual privacy is increasingly important as people use phones for banking and work. A built-in Privacy Display could be a practical privacy upgrade compared with third-party screen protectors or privacy filters, since it appears to be integrated into software and display behavior.

Watch for confirmation when Samsung reveals the S26 series and One UI 8.5 details publicly.