The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra looks set to get two major new privacy features

- Leaked screenshots show a 'Privacy Display' feature that might be available on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- This could ensure the screen is only visible at certain angles, so snoopers can't see it
- Samsung is also seemingly working on a 'Privacy Protection' feature to blank out sensitive data in shared images
Leaks suggest that the Samsung Galaxy S26 series might not have many spec upgrades, but rather than focusing on the cameras and batteries this year, Samsung might instead prioritize privacy tools on its upcoming flagship lineup.
The first of these tools, dubbed ‘Privacy Display’, can automatically turn on when certain conditions are met, such as when you’re using sensitive apps or when you’re in crowded areas, and once enabled, it would make it harder for people to see your screen.
This feature was seemingly found by X user @achultra (via GSMArena) in One UI 8.5 code – that is to say, the feature isn’t active in current One UI 8.5 test builds, but the relevant settings screens can seemingly be found if you dig deep enough in the code.
The next S26 Ultra will have a privacy feature that keeps people from peeking at your screen. pic.twitter.com/tFcgeFpCqGOctober 2, 2025
It’s not clear from the above screenshots exactly how this next-level privacy would be achieved, but we’ve previously heard that the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra might be able to control the pixels to make the screen less visible at certain angles – similar to what you can already achieve with privacy screen protectors, but without having to apply one of those to the phone, or have it active all the time.
It’s worth noting that the screenshots in this latest leak have several typos, which makes us wonder if they’re actually genuine, but since this isn’t the first time we’ve heard of such a feature, it may well be coming either way. Hopefully it is, because this could be a genuinely very useful software trick for avoiding screen snoopers on public transport.
Protecting your privacy in shared images
And this isn’t the only privacy feature that could be coming to the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, as SamMobile has spotted a feature called ‘Privacy Protection’ in One UI 8.5.
This tool can automatically blur or remove sensitive information from images that you share. So, for example, if you share a photo of your driver's license or passport, you can choose to have any element that you don’t want shared blanked out.
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This isn’t actually a totally new feature, as SamMobile points out, but so far it’s only available in China. With One UI 8.5, though – which isn’t expected to launch in finished form before 2026 – it’s seemingly rolling out more widely.
It’s likely that this Privacy Protection feature will work on more than just the Samsung Galaxy S26 series, but the Privacy Display feature is reportedly exclusive to Samsung’s upcoming flagship. At the very least, it probably won’t work on existing phones, as it likely needs new hardware, while blurring content in images can be achieved just with software.
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James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.
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