Samsung just launched the Galaxy S26 series with One UI 8.5, and buried in the update is a feature that actually matters: Convert motion photos.

The new feature in One UI 8.5 converts incoming motion photos from other Android brands automatically, as reported by Galaxy Techie. Motion Photos on Samsung devices work similarly to Live Photos.

However, Motion Photos on Android work differently, with the motion placed inside the JPG itself. Different manufacturers encode them differently, package them differently, and handle metadata differently.

Galaxy S26 debuts “Convert motion photos”

You turn it on once and forget about it. When someone sends you a motion photo over Bluetooth, WiFi Direct, Quick Share, or file transfer, the system recognizes it and converts it silently.

It preserves the movement, converts it to Samsung’s native format, then lets you preview, edit, and share it like you captured it yourself. The activation path is as follows: Settings, then Advanced features, then Convert motion photos.

Source – Galaxy Techie

This isn’t a flashy upgrade, just pure utility. No AI involvement, no integration with some cloud service you’ll never use, no subscription tier. You receive a file, the phone recognizes what it is, and the file gets converted so you can actually use it.

It’s expected to be available on older devices with the upcoming One UI 8.5 update.

For S25 and S24 owners, the wait will be measured in weeks, while wider rollout to older eligible devices is expected from late March 2026, with mid-range and budget models following in phases through Q2 2026 or later.

The Galaxy S26 series shipped with stable One UI 8.5, and the S25 lineup is still in Beta in March. People who actually bought last year’s flagship are still testing software.

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