Samsung has released the first beta version of One UI 8.5, featuring a new “Storage Share” function for cross-device file access. This capability allows users to view files from other Samsung phones, tablets, and PCs directly within the My Files app on a Galaxy phone. It also enables access to a phone’s files from other Samsung devices, including televisions, according to the update’s changelog.
The feature appeared in testing on a Galaxy S25 Ultra running the One UI 8.5 beta. Users can enable Storage Share via a toggle, with shared storage listed under the “external storage” section in the app. During tests, colleague Paul Jones accessed files from his Galaxy Z Fold 7 using the S25 Ultra. He could view the Fold 7’s files remotely but encountered limitations in saving them to the Ultra or sharing them via Quick Share while in Storage Share mode.
Storage Share supports productivity by allowing file creation on one device and editing on another, such as preparing presentations or capturing photos. It also permits viewing phone content on a Samsung TV without requiring screen casting.
One UI 8.5 includes two updates to Quick Share. The sharing tool now identifies friends or family members in photos and prompts users to share those images directly with them. Details on whether this facial recognition uses local AI processing or cloud-based methods remain unspecified, though on-device processing would enhance user privacy.
Additionally, users can now configure Quick Share to accept files only from devices signed into their Samsung or Google accounts. Prior versions of One UI restricted incoming shares to Google account-linked devices; the beta adds the option to limit to Samsung accounts as well.
