The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE's last major Android upgrade is reaching users

What you need to know

• Samsung is rolling out One UI 8 for the Galaxy S21 FE in Thailand and Vietnam.
• The update will likely be the Galaxy S21 FE's last major Android OS upgrade, as its four-year update guarantee is coming to an end.
• The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE still has more than a year of monthly security patches left.

Following its debut alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 over the summer, Samsung has steadily brought One UI 8 to more devices. The operating system, based on Android 16, builds off the One UI 7 overhaul while adding new features and doubling down on Galaxy AI. Now, Samsung is bringing the One UI 8 update to the Galaxy S21 FE — and it's likely going to be its final major Android OS upgrade.

SamMobile first spotted the One UI 8 rollout for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, which began Thursday, Oct. 23 for users in Thailand and Vietnam. There's no word on when the rollout will reach other areas, but this initial update release signals that One UI 8 is on the way globally for the Galaxy S21 FE. According to the report, the update is over 2GB in size — relatively small for a major OS upgrade — and comes with version G990EXXUIHYJ2.

Samsung's rollout pace appears to be quicker than usual for the Galaxy S21 FE. Like many Galaxy phone models, the Galaxy S21 FE received Android 15 later than expected. It only received the boost to One UI 7 back in May 2025. One UI 8 now quickly replaces it as the newest software version only a few months later.

To check for the update, open the Settings app on your Galaxy S21 FE and tap the Software update tab. Then, press Download and install and Install now to load up One UI 8 when it is available. If you're not in Thailand or Vietnam, expect to wait a bit for Samsung to seed the update in more regions.

Will the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE get any more updates?

The quick One UI 8 rollout should be welcomed by Galaxy S21 FE owners, but it may be their last major Android update. Samsung first launched the Galaxy S21 FE in January 2022 with a four-year OS update promise. One UI 8 marks the fourth full Android OS upgrade the phone has received, and the Galaxy S21 FE will turn four years old in a few months. As such, we don't expect the Galaxy S21 FE to get Android 17.

However, the phone is set to receive security updates for another year after its OS upgrade guarantee ends in January 2026. Looking ahead, newer Galaxy FE phones won't lose support as quickly. Starting with the Galaxy S24 FE and continuing with the Galaxy S25 FE, these "Fan Edition" phones come with a lengthy seven-year update promise.