The Android 11 update has now arrived for Samsung‘s Galaxy A51 in the US. The unlocked units (SM-A515U1) of this popular Galaxy mid-ranger are currently receiving the latest iteration of the Android OS, with Samsung’s One UI 3.1 on top. Carrier versions should also follow the suit soon. The new update comes with firmware version A515U1UEU5CUF1 and also bundles the June 2021 security patch.
One UI 3.1 brings tons of new features and enhancements to Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones. It includes all the goodies that are part and parcel of Android 11. Samsung has refreshed the interface with minor design changes throughout the system. The Blue Light Filter feature has been replaced with an improved Eye Comfort Shield feature.
The latest update also brings improved and newer camera features, improved Dark Mode, vibration patterns, custom call backgrounds, portrait videos, and video call effects. Samsung has improved its stock apps as well.
An improved Samsung Keyboard, dedicated conversations section in the notifications panel, one-time permissions, the ability to remove location data from images before sharing them with others or uploading them on social media, improved Parental Controls and Digital Wellbeing, and additional lock screen customization options are some other new features.
Galaxy A51 finally gets the Android 11 update in the US
Galaxy A51 arrived with Android-based One UI 2.0 back in December 2019. International variants of this phone received their first major OS update to Android 11-based One UI 3.0 in February this year. Samsung then followed it with the One UI 3.1 update in March.
And while the US-bound Galaxy A51 units continued to receive security updates regularly all this while, users have been kept waiting for the Android 11 update. The wait is finally over, at least for those using an unlocked model of the phone. Galaxy A51 is eligible for Android 12 and Android 13 updates as well.
If you are using an unlocked Galaxy A51 unit in the US, a notification should arrive anytime now prompting you to download the new update over the air (OTA). You can also manually trigger the update from your phone’s Settings app. Navigate to the Software update menu and tap Download and install. If an OTA update is available, you’ll be prompted to download it on the next screen. If there’s no update available, it should arrive within a few days.
Since it’s a major OS update, we recommend you connect your phone to a stable Wi-Fi network before downloading the OTA file. You might also want to back up your important files to avoid any unwanted data loss.