Credit: Paul Jones / Android Authority
TL;DR
- One UI 9 beta integrates Lockdown mode directly into the power menu, instantly locking the phone and disabling biometrics upon triggering.
- Samsung removed the explicit “Lockdown mode” option from One UI 8.5, making the protective feature the default instead.
- While closing the power menu without choosing an option no longer returns you to your last-used app, automatically triggering lockdown mode prevents forced or unauthorized biometric access and requires a PIN or password to unlock, power down, or reboot the device.
One UI 9 is on its second beta release, and we’ve been spotting new features it will bring to Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets. For instance, One UI 9 brings a unified call log, and also gives users control over Android 17’s Audio Hardening feature. Another new feature has been spotted, and it’s a small but important security change.
Reddit user Aruun_16 spotted that invoking the power menu on One UI 9 beta returns users to the lock screen instead of the previous app.
