The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra debuts with several new features, led by Privacy Display.
Samsung also introduced new One UI 8.5 features such as Bixby, Now Nudge, and Gemini screen automation powered by Perplexity. This will allow your assistant to take control of your app and handle tasks like ordering food or hailing a taxi.
But one feature that didn’t stand out in Galaxy Unpacked was the Galaxy S26’s upgraded audio eraser.
Samsung has improved Audio Eraser so that it now works not only with videos shot on your phone, but also across supported streaming platforms. It has truly changed the way we watch and stream videos.
If you just got a new Galaxy S26 and haven’t tried this feature yet, here’s what Audio Eraser does and how to use it on your device.
I think you’re using the privacy display on your Galaxy S26 Ultra incorrectly
This is not a set-and-forget feature.
Audio Eraser now works with third-party streaming apps like Netflix and YouTube
Third-party streaming apps can also reduce background noise.
Samsung has introduced an audio eraser feature on the Galaxy S25 series that can distinguish between different sounds in videos, allowing users to remove unwanted background noises such as wind, crowd sounds, and chatter from clips recorded in the Gallery app.
For example, if you’re recording a concert and want to reduce crowd noise while keeping the main audio from the stage clear, you can lower the background sound and focus on the speakers.
It basically works like the object eraser in the Gallery app, but for video audio.
With the Galaxy S26 series, Samsung has expanded this feature beyond the Gallery app. It now works not only with videos recorded on your phone, but also with videos played on multiple apps, including third-party platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Netflix.
For example, if you’re watching a sports game and want to reduce crowd noise and focus on what the commentators are saying, enabling Audio Eraser while the video is playing will remove most of the background noise.
There is also a voice focus option that allows you to hear audio more clearly and facilitates interaction. While some of the effects of AI processing remain, this feature is especially useful for users who are hard of hearing.
What’s even more impressive is that this feature works in real time directly on your device while the video is playing, making it more practical to use.
How to use Audio Eraser on Galaxy S26 with third-party apps
Easily access toggles directly from quick settings during playback
Please note that the audio eraser feature currently only works on the Galaxy S26 series and is limited to some apps. Samsung may expand it to other Galaxy devices with the One UI 8.5 update, but for now only to the Galaxy S26 series.
As for supported apps, Samsung says it supports YouTube, Instagram, Netflix, Prime Video, and a few others, but there’s no complete list yet.
Here’s how to use it:
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Open the app where you want to play the video and start playing.
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Swipe down to open quick settingswhere to look audio eraser tiles It’s at the top.
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Tap the tile to enable it.
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Tap and hold a tile to access detailed controls. Here you can adjust the background noise reduction level. Higher levels require more AI processing, but the vocals will be clearer.
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tap end Continue watching your videos with Audio Eraser, which works in real-time.
You can also enable audio focus in the Audio Eraser quick settings tile. This further reduces background noise and prioritizes dialogue.
Overall, Audio Eraser is a useful feature for Galaxy users who often struggle to separate audio while watching videos, especially when dealing with strong accents or noisy environments.
This is especially useful for hearing-impaired users, but equally useful for those who want to reduce background noise and focus on interactions.
Galaxy S26’s Audio Eraser is good, but not perfect
That being said, I wish Samsung would add a mode that could remove vocals instead of background noise. That will completely change the way you watch soccer on your Galaxy S26 Ultra, allowing you to hear only the crowd and stadium atmosphere without commentary.
And that’s just the beginning. Audio Eraser is just one of the new One UI 8.5 features on Galaxy S26. If you want to get more out of your Galaxy S26 Ultra, here are some other settings you should definitely change.
- SoC
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Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 5th Generation
- rum
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12GB/16GB
- storage
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256GB/512GB/1TB
- battery
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5,000mAh
- operating system
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Android 16/OneUI 8.5
- front camera
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12MP
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra delivers the highest level of performance with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and a cutting-edge privacy display that limits off-angle viewing. This year’s battery remains the same at 5,000 mAh, but the Galaxy S26 Ultra bundles faster 60W wired charging.
