The Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra have turned 4 years old since their launch in January 2021. When they hit the shelves, the trio came pre-installed with Android 11 and One UI 3, with a commitment to support 4 major OS updates and 5 years of security patches. And in 2025, users will officially receive the final update in that roadmap, One UI 7, based on Android 15.

According to Samsung's official roadmap, the Galaxy S21 series will start receiving One UI 7 in May. However, like previous updates, the rollout will be regional and device-by-device, so the exact timing may vary by country and carrier.

The Galaxy S21 FE is also on the list to receive One UI 7 in May. However, unlike the rest of the S21 series, the S21 FE is still eligible to receive one more OS upgrade: One UI 8 (Android 16), due to its one-year delay and pre-installed Android 12.

Although not in the group of devices favored to integrate Galaxy AI, the Galaxy S21 series will still benefit from many notable improvements from One UI 7. New features include a smoother interface, refined performance, and enhanced personalization, giving users a more modern user experience.

Samsung has also started testing One UI 8 internally on a number of devices and is expected to officially launch in Q3/2025. The Galaxy S21 FE series will most likely be in the first group to be updated when One UI 8 is ready. Meanwhile, One UI 7 will be the final "upgrade" for the rest of the Galaxy S21 series.