One UI 8 Watch Update: Which Galaxy Watch Models Are Eligible?

While One UI 8 is grabbing a lot of attention, Samsung’s Wear OS watches are also getting a big new update this year. It’s a significant software overhaul for the Galaxy Watch lineup, jumping from One UI 6 Watch to One UI 8 Watch, skipping version 7 entirely. While this move aims for version consistency with Galaxy phones and tablets, this update delivers far more than just a new number.

Samsung has already opened beta programs for One UI 8 Watch and launched the Galaxy Watch 8, Watch 8 Classic, and Watch Ultra (2025) with the new version out of the box. Meanwhile, some users are wondering which Galaxy Watch models are eligible for this major update. Worry not — we have the answer.

All Wear OS-powered Galaxy Watch models will get One UI 8 Watch

To recall, Samsung has committed to supporting the Galaxy Watch 4 and all subsequent models with “up to four years of One UI Watch and Wear OS” updates. Based on this official commitment made in early 2022, both the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic are eligible for the forthcoming One UI 8 Watch update. Naturally, all newer watches are eligible too. As such, the devices listed below will get One UI 8 Watch.

• Galaxy Watch 4, Watch 4 Classic
• Galaxy Watch 5, Watch 5 Pro
• Galaxy Watch 6, Watch 6 Classic
• Galaxy Watch 7
• Galaxy Watch Ultra — Updated
• Galaxy Watch FE

The following models run One UI 8 Watch out of the box:

• Galaxy Watch 8, Watch 8 Classic
• Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025)

Samsung said “four years” of updates, rather than “four generations”

While Samsung promises up to “seven generations” of Android OS updates for its phones and tablets, it commits to a timeframe rather than a specific number of versions for Wear OS watches. The company guaranteed up to “four years” of updates for the Galaxy Watch 4 and newer models, not up to “four generations” of Wear OS upgrades.

This promise support timeframe for the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic expires in August 2025 — the watches were launched in August 2021. This led to confusion about whether these watches will get One UI 8 if Samsung delays its release to September or beyond. However, the company has cleared the confusion and confirmed that the Galaxy Watch 4 series will receive its Wear OS 6-based update.

But why does Samsung have different policies for watches and phones? From what we can understand, it boils down to the complex nature of smartwatch software versions. As you know, Samsung’s One UI Watch is based on Google’s Wear OS, which is in turn based on Android. The Galaxy Watch 4 launched with Wear OS 3.0 (built on Android 11). Subsequent updates like One UI 4.5 Watch were based on Wear OS 3.5, which was still running on Android 11.

The upcoming Wear OS 6, which forms the base of One UI 8 Watch, runs Android 16 at its core. These complexities make it difficult to define what constitutes a “major” OS upgrade for watches. By committing to a timeframe, Samsung provided a clearer roadmap. And even if One UI 8 Watch is delayed beyond August 2025, the Galaxy Watch 4 series is confirmed to receive it.