Fix One UI 7 Update: Problems and Easy Fixes for Samsung Users

Samsung’s Android 15-based One UI 7 is rolling out in waves across the globe, delivering a major visual overhaul, Galaxy AI integration, and deeper personalization. After debuting on the Galaxy S25 series in January and the S24 lineup in April, the stable update has now reached a broad swath of 2021–2023 flagships, foldables, FE models, tablets—and even some A-series devices.

The One UI 7 beta program concluded last month with great success. Following the official rollout announcement in Samsung Members about the rollout schedule, many Samsung phones have started gettings stable One UI 7. You may want to check notifications on your phone for any software updates.

One of the most discussed changes in One UI 7 is the new separated notification system, which divides notifications and quick settings into two distinct panels accessed by swiping from different sides of the screen. This iOS-inspired change has been particularly divisive among long-time Android users.

Many users expressed strong opinions about this change, with comments like “The left/right separated notification pull down is horrendous” appearing frequently in discussions. Fortunately, Samsung has included an option to revert to the traditional combined panel.

There are many such changes with One UI 7 software update. But don’t worry, following are simple fixes which have been a relief for many users. Solutions like we have previously wrote tutorials on, such as:

Below, you’ll find:

How to restore the classic notification panel
Fix the Oversized Notifications
Fix Battery Icon Visibility Problems
Stop unwanted AI Features from running
Fix Severe Battery Drain
Missing AOD Charging Animation
Oversized Samsung Widgets

One UI 7 Problems and Solutions for Samsung Galaxy Users

Samsung’s latest One UI 7 update has been met with mixed reactions, with many Galaxy S24, S23, S22, and S21 users experiencing significant frustrations with the new interface and functionality changes. If you’re among those struggling with the update, you’re not alone — and more importantly, there are solutions to many of the problems you might be facing.

Let’s dive into the most common issues users are experiencing with One UI 7 and explore practical solutions to help you reclaim your Samsung experience.

The Split Notification Panel Problem

Issue: One of the most immediately noticeable changes in One UI 7 is the notification panel being split into two separate sections, which can feel disorienting if you’re used to the previous unified design.

Solution: Restore the classic notification panel:

Pull down from the upper right corner of your screen
Tap the Pencil icon (edit) in the corner
Tap “Panel settings” in the upper left
Switch the setting from “Separate” to “Together”

Additionally, you can adjust the proportion between notification panel and quick settings panel using Good Lock:

Download Good Lock from the Galaxy Store or Play Store
Open the app and use the slider to customize how much space each panel occupies

Oversized Notifications

Issue: Many users report that notifications now take up significantly more vertical space, limiting how many you can see at once (often only about 5 notifications compared to many more in previous versions).

Solutions:

Option 1 – Screen Zoom Adjustment:

Go to Settings → Display → Screen zoom
Reduce the zoom level
For even more control, enable Developer options and modify the “Minimum width” setting (a value of 450 works well for many users)

With these settings properly adjusted, you can see up to 10 notifications in split mode and 8 in together mode.

Battery Icon Visibility Problems

Issue: The redesigned battery icon in One UI 7 makes it difficult to read the remaining percentage when battery level is below 90%.

Solution – Battery Bar App:

Install “Battery Bar – Power Lines” app from the Play Store
Disable the default battery icon:

Go to Settings → Battery and turn off “Show Battery Percentage”
Open Good Lock and select QuickStar
Scroll down to Battery Icon and toggle it off

Configure Battery Bar to show either a thin line above the status bar or a circle on the status bar

The app can also display percentage and charging indicators for better visibility.

Oversized Samsung Widgets

Issue: After the update, Samsung widgets often resize themselves and take up too much screen real estate.

Solutions:

Alternative Widget Option 1 – Chronus:

Install “Chronus Information Widgets” from the Play Store
This app provides more compact widgets for date, time, and weather information

Alternative Widget Option 2 – G-CPU:

Install “G-CPU: Monitor CPU, RAM, Widget” from the Play Store
Offers widgets for battery, CPU, memory, and storage information with better size control

Unwanted AI Features Activation

Issue: One UI 7 enables various AI features by default, including changing the power button’s long-press function.

Solutions:

Go to Settings → Galaxy AI and disable all unwanted AI features
To restore the power button functionality:

Go to Settings → Advanced Features → Side Button → Long Press
Choose “Power Off Menu” instead of AI functions

Missing AOD Charging Animation

Issue: The battery charging animation overlay has been removed from the Always On Display.

Solution:
Install “Charging Animation” app from the Play Store, which provides several charging animations to choose from.

Severe Battery Drain

Issue: Many users report dramatically reduced battery life after updating to One UI 7.

Solution – Clear Cache Partition:

Plug in your phone and ensure it’s charging
Turn off the phone completely
Press and hold Volume Up + Power button until the startup logo appears
Use volume buttons to navigate to “Wipe Cache Partition”
Select it using the power button
Select “Reboot” when finished

This procedure will not delete any personal data but can significantly improve battery performance.

App Drawer Sorting Issues

Issue: The alphabetical sorting in app drawer is only available in vertical scrolling mode, while horizontal scrolling messes up the arrangement.

Solutions:

To maintain horizontal scrolling:

Change the sort to “Custom” in app drawer settings
You’ll need to manually arrange your apps, but you’ll keep horizontal scrolling

Alternative launchers:

Nova Launcher, Lawnchair, Niagara Launcher, or Smart Launcher provide more customization options
“Simple App Launcher” from the Play Store offers clean, customizable app organization

General UI Customization

For many issues not specifically addressed above, Good Lock remains an essential tool for Samsung users:

It offers modules to customize virtually every aspect of the UI
It allows you to restore many features and behaviors from previous One UI versions
It’s officially supported by Samsung

Lost Gallery Search Functionality

Issue: The ability to search for photos by years or months without using AI has been removed.

Current Status: Unfortunately, there isn’t a direct solution to restore this functionality yet. This is one of the design choices in One UI 7 that users will need to adapt to or provide feedback to Samsung about.

Final Thoughts

One UI 7 is Samsung’s most controversial Android update so far, but as with any major update, not all changes will appeal to every user. The good news is that Android’s strength lies in its customizability, and with the right tools and tweaks, you can address many of the frustrations.

Stay tuned to Android Sage for rolling coverage of One UI 7 bugs, fixes, and hidden tips.

Fix One UI 7 Software: Problems and Solutions for Samsung Galaxy Users