A first look at Samsung's new priority notification system is available.

A recent leak reveals the "Priority notifications" feature in Samsung's upcoming One UI 8.5 firmware is now functional, following an earlier report of its existence. The feature uses on-device processing to prioritize important alerts by stacking them at the top of the notification panel.

Samsung is working to address notification clutter. The new One UI 8.5 build shows the "Priority notifications" feature in action, after a previous leak showed it as non-functional. This provides a first look at how the feature will operate.

According to the feature's description, it identifies potentially important notifications and places them above others to ensure they are not missed. Screenshots illustrate that these alerts are highlighted with a subtle glow and a "Galaxy AI–style gradient," arranged at the top of the panel.

Users can select which apps are prioritized, offering a customizable experience. Samsung confirms that all notification processing occurs locally on the device, maintaining user privacy.

Notification overload is a common issue, where important messages can be overlooked.

Samsung is implementing its own AI-powered version of a feature already available on other devices. Google Pixel phones have "Priority conversations," which allow users to manually prioritize specific contacts in messaging apps. Apple's iOS uses Focus Modes and the "Scheduled Summary" to manage notifications, focusing more on filtering distractions.

Samsung's approach combines AI-driven prioritization with user control. However, the release is delayed. While reports suggested a late November beta, this now seems unlikely. The stable version of One UI 8.5 is expected with the Galaxy S26 series, which may also be delayed.

The automated sorting may not align with individual preferences. The per-app toggle offers more control over which notifications are prioritized.