Samsung Refined the Camera App in One UI 8.5 — Nothing More

Samsung’s One UI 8.5 Beta recently sparked a wave of concern after Single Take and Dual Recording features disappeared from the camera app. While both features are now back via Camera Assistant, some chatter claimed the change nearly ruined the camera experience. That narrative, however, misses the point. Samsung never planned to remove these features. The shift was intentional, aimed at streamlining the camera interface rather than cutting functionality.

Single Take and Dual Recording remain fully functional in One UI 8.5

The initial One UI 8.5 beta release removed Single Take and Dual Recording features from the camera app’s More tab. While it never appeared that Samsung was cutting these features permanently, the change did trigger concern among some users. Thankfully, the company reinstated both tools with Beta 2, relocating them to Camera Assistant.

Now, to use Single Take and Dual Recording, users first need to enable them from Camera Assistant, a Good Lock module designed to give users deeper control over how the camera app behaves. Once toggled on, both features reappear in the More tab of the main camera app, exactly where users expect them. The setup adds a couple of extra steps, but it’s a one-time process. After that, the features remain readily accessible, just as before.

By shifting less frequently used features like Single Take and Dual Recording into Camera Assistant, Samsung gives users the choice. Those who rely on these modes can enable them with a toggle, while others can enjoy a cleaner, more streamlined More menu. That’s not a downgrade. It’s customization.

Calling this approach a threat to the camera experience ignores Samsung’s long-standing philosophy of offering optional depth rather than forcing complexity on every user. The features still exist, they work exactly as before, and they’re only a few taps away. In fact, Camera Assistant in One UI 8.5 expands user control even further, adding options like manual autofocus and exposure during video recording, customizable focus peaking, saved Pro mode presets, and a cleaner shooting interface.

It’s also worth noting that this change aligns perfectly with how Samsung has been evolving One UI: powerful by default, but configurable for those who want more. Good Lock has always been the place where Samsung experiments with modular control, and One UI 8.5 simply extends that idea to the camera. So no, the company didn’t almost mess up the camera app in One UI 8.5. It refined it.