What you need to know
- Samsung is testing HDR screenshot support in One UI 8, and it’s looking like a serious glow-up for your screen grabs.
- Android 16 lays the groundwork by saving HDR shots as PNGs with metadata like gain maps, so colors and contrast stay true.
- It’s still in closed beta for now, but odds are looking good we’ll see it in the One UI 8 public beta.
Samsung is reportedly cooking up a visual treat with One UI 8, with the latest test baking in HDR screenshot support. That means your screen grabs will finally keep all the juicy contrast and brightness from what you actually see on your display.
With Android 16, real HDR screenshots are finally here. Now, when you snap a shot of any HDR content, it doesn’t lose that punch you see in the original image or video.
Instead of flattening the image, it now saves everything as a PNG packed with all the right metadata, including gain maps. So when you view it on a display that’s HDR-ready, what you see is exactly what was meant to be seen, not some washed-out version.
Back when most content was SDR, Android didn’t really need HDR screenshot support. But SDR has its limits, such as muted colors and weaker contrast. You’ve probably been there: you snap a shot of a super-detailed photo, only to check the screenshot and it looks flat, dull, maybe even washed out. That’s because standard screenshots default to SDR, which just can’t keep up with all the color and brightness HDR brings to the table.
HDR screenshots are (finally!) happening
According to leaker Ice Universe, the latest One UI 8 ZYF7 beta—still limited to closed testing—adds support for HDR screenshots (via SamMobile). That’s a big step up from the old SDR-only screen captures.
By the way, Samsung S25 Ultra One UI 8 ZYF7 (Android16 feature) supports screenshot HDR. This is an HDR photo of OPPO Find X8 Ultra I saw it on social media, and took a screenshot and put it in my gallery.It still retains the HDR effect of the original photo.However, it is… pic.twitter.com/ioTQoiljQwJune 20, 2025
Ice Universe even tested it out on a Galaxy S25 Ultra by snapping an HDR photo from social media, and it kept the full HDR look intact.
Since it’s already live in the closed beta, there’s a good chance HDR screenshot support will roll out with the upcoming One UI 8 public beta. If this sticks through to the final One UI 8 release, your screenshots will keep all the bold colors and deep contrast that make HDR content pop.
Given that beta features are always a bit of a gamble, there is no guarantee they’ll make it to the final build. But seeing HDR screenshot support show up in One UI 8’s closed beta is a solid sign.
