Samsung May Bring Alarms to Now Bar in One UI 8.5

Samsung’s next major Android 16-based update, One UI 8.5, will bring several meaningful improvements to its user experience. One such upgrade is the support for the Clock app’s Alarm feature within the Now Bar. This will definitely help you manage time-sensitive alerts more quickly and easily.

One UI 8.5 may make interacting with alarms more convenient thanks to Now Bar

For the uninitiated, Now Bar is a pill-shaped element that shows up at the bottom of the Lock Screen and Always On Display. It gives you an interactive space to view and control live notifications from select apps (system and third-party), including the Clock app. Right now, Now Bar supports clock features like Timers and Stopwatches. This allows you to see live and control the countdown without unlocking the phone.

Samsung now appears to be expanding the Now Bar’s functionality to include alarms (via tipster @tarunvats33). With One UI 8.5, when an alarm is about to ring or has been snoozed, it will show up directly in the Now Bar. Furthermore, you will be able to dismiss alarms quickly. This will come in handy on busy mornings, as you can manage alarms without opening the Clock app.

Apart from this functional upgrade, the Clock app may also get a visual refresh. A previous report suggests a modern design with subtle gradients and a floating pill-shaped navigation menu, replacing the older flat interface. This will make the app more visually appealing while making it easier to navigate.

Meanwhile,  Samsung is reportedly gearing up to launch the One UI 8.5 beta program this week, starting with the Galaxy S25 series. The rollout may occur in two phases: Phase 1 includes the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Germany, while Phase 2 will cover India and Poland. We’ll be sure to let you know when the company begins beta rollout. Stay tuned.