Author: Richard

The Galaxy S26 series is arriving in the hands of consumers, and as we continue our testing of the devices here at Android Central, we find ourselves impressed by a variety of its features. Some of these are quite familiar, like the Privacy Display on the Ultra, while others are gradually being introduced, such as screen automation with Gemini. Nonetheless, one aspect that I believe has gone unnoticed is the enhanced Audio Eraser, which was already remarkable from the start.

At the Galaxy S26 launch, Samsung revealed that Audio Eraser would now be compatible with third-party apps, allowing you to modify the audio while watching a show or scrolling through reels on Instagram. I’ve been experimenting with this feature on the Galaxy S26 Plus, and I must say it’s becoming my favorite new capability in Samsung’s latest flagship devices!

Audio Eraser and the One UI 8.5 update

Samsung’s Audio Eraser may ring a bell for anyone with a more recent Pixel smartphone, and rightfully so. This feature debuted with the Galaxy S25 series, and similar to the Pixel, certain Samsung phones can evaluate videos and distinguish the audio into various segments, such as voices, music, noise, and crowd. After a video is assessed, you can modify each audio segment for the desired outcome, whether it’s to muffle the sounds of a crowd to better hear the main speaker or to enhance the background music so that voices are less prominent.

The outcomes are quite impressive, and devices like the Galaxy S26 can even perform this on videos not originally recorded on the phone, like those saved to the device.

However, with One UI 8.5 on the Galaxy S26 series, Samsung elevates this with support for third-party apps. When using applications like YouTube, Netflix, Instagram, and more, you can modify the audio so that the speaker is clearer, effectively muting any background noise or music for better comprehension.

The features aren’t as detailed as those available in the Gallery app, but the core function operates exceptionally well across third-party apps.

How to use Audio Eraser in the Gallery app

1. Choose a video in your Gallery app.
2. Tap the Galaxy AI sparkle icon. Wait for the app to analyze the video.
3. Adjust the audio categories to your preference, or tap the Auto button for the app to make adjustments automatically. You may also tap Hear original at the top to compare the original audio with the modified audio.
4. Tap Save edits once you are satisfied.

How to use Audio Eraser in third-party apps

1. Launch an app such as YouTube, Netflix, Instagram, Prime Video, etc., and start playing a video.
2. Swipe down to access the quick settings menu. Tap Audio eraser at the top.
3. Enable Audio eraser and adjust the intensity of Audio eraser to minimize background noise in the video.
4. If you’re listening to music and aim to amplify the main vocals while decreasing the music volume, set the strength to the maximum level, then activate Voice focus. This option will be greyed out and inaccessible until the strength is maximized.
5. When finished, tap Done.

One of Samsung’s most useful AI features

Many of Samsung’s Galaxy AI capabilities are entertaining to use, like generating stickers or editing images, but Audio Eraser has become one of those features I find indispensable. I often notice that for various reasons, I have difficulty hearing properly while watching TV shows. Consequently, I frequently enable captions to fully grasp the dialogue, particularly when viewing “The Expanse,” which includes a lot of action and instances where characters speak over crowds.

In the example mentioned, I struggle to hear Colm McGuinness’s voice distinctly in his exceptional performance of Ed Sheeran’s “Nancy Mulligan.” By activating Audio Eraser, his words come across much more clearly and are easier to comprehend (my only challenge then being his strong Irish accent).

That being said, Audio Eraser isn’t flawless in this aspect, especially when Voice Focus is turned on. Yes, it provides a nice lift to voices, making them much easier to hear, but occasionally the voices can become unclear as the AI attempts to keep pace, and sometimes it can have the opposite effect, making voices more difficult to understand. Therefore, this specific feature might be best utilized sparingly.

Still, I can see how this feature could also serve as a great accessibility tool, benefiting those who are hard of hearing. Some of the alterations may seem subtle, but they can significantly impact the difference between hearing something clearly and not. Even though Voice Focus has its imperfections, it dramatically enhances the experience when watching videos or listening to music, and I hope Samsung extends this to music applications like YouTube Music.

For now, Audio Eraser has

As of March 11, the Galaxy S26 series is available in stores and has reached consumers. According to Samsung, preorders for the Galaxy S26 series have increased compared to the S25, which is promising news. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is especially favored, despite its steep price. With reviews now published and users having had the opportunity to explore the devices, we want to hear your thoughts on the newest features of the Galaxy S26.

Not all features are brand new, but Samsung has made significant enhancements to existing features that give them a fresh feel. Naturally, there are numerous alterations and additions to the Galaxy S26 series, so we aim to highlight the most significant ones that you, as a consumer, will engage with.

Key features of the Galaxy S26 series

One of the standout new additions to the Galaxy S26 series is the Privacy Display, which has become a central point of Samsung’s marketing. This feature enables users to conceal the information on their display from onlookers by disabling the pixels that project light towards the sides of the screen while keeping those that display light forward active. Thus, you can still view your screen’s content.

It is also customizable, allowing you to configure it to activate only when certain apps are opened or when notifications arrive on your device. However, this display is regrettably exclusive to the premium Galaxy S26 Ultra, yet it remains an impressive piece of technology.

Gemini received significant enhancements in the Galaxy S26 series, thanks to screen automation. This allows the AI assistant to handle tasks for you, launching apps and performing actions to order an Uber or request food delivery. We recently tested Gemini screen automation ourselves, and despite some limitations and restricted app compatibility, it impressed us by accurately selecting the right food or drink options and halting when you’re set to finalize the order.

You can manually intervene in the process if you need to tweak anything, or Gemini will pause if extra details are required, such as your preferred size for a meal or drink.

This feature is being rolled out for the Galaxy S26 series but will likely be available on the Pixel 10 series shortly.

Other notable new features on the Galaxy S26 include an enhanced Photo Assist, which allows you to use natural language to instruct the AI to edit a photo or incorporate elements from one image into another, like garments. It operates similarly to Help Me Edit on Google Photos, which is also accessible on the Galaxy S26 series if you prefer that method.

Now Nudge is Samsung’s equivalent of Google’s Magic Cue found on the Pixel 10. This utilizes contextual information to highlight relevant items, such as dates, phone numbers, and even images, so you don’t have to hunt for them yourself. It’s another instance of AI becoming increasingly proactive and useful.

In terms of AI, Bixby has also been upgraded. You can now communicate with the AI assistant using more natural language, and it will assist you in navigating your device to locate or modify features. For example, if you mention that your eyes are fatigued from staring at the screen, it may recommend activating the Eye Comfort shield feature.

In addition, there are a variety of other new and improved features, including Call Screening, Document Scan, Ocean Mode photography, a more capable DeX, an enhanced Audio Eraser, and much more. Share your thoughts in the comments about which Galaxy S26 feature you find the most impressive!