Samsung has officially opened the One UI 8 Beta program for the Galaxy A36, following other mid-range models such as the Galaxy A54 and Galaxy A35. A36 users in supported markets can register directly via the Samsung Members app to experience Android 16 early before the official release.

The first beta has now been launched in India and will quickly expand to Korea, the US, and the UK. After successfully registering via Samsung Members, users just need to go to Settings > Software update > Download and install to download the One UI 8 Beta update like regular updates.

The first test build of the Galaxy A36 has the model number A366EXXU4ZYHD, and is about 2.1GB in size. This size is smaller than the update for flagships, as mid-range smartphones often do not receive all the premium features on the new One UI. However, the beta still brings many improvements in interface, performance, and security.

Notably, the Galaxy A56 - the model launched at the same time as the A36 - is not on the list of devices eligible to participate in the One UI 8 Beta. Samsung has not given a reason for this absence.

With the new move, the Galaxy A36 becomes one of the first mid-range devices to experience Android 16 through One UI 8, showing Samsung's efforts to shorten the update gap between flagships and the A-series.