Got a Galaxy Watch 5 or FE? Samsung has a free upgrade for you

Choosing a workout to track on Samsung's Galaxy Watch FE.
(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

  • Samsung is continuing its Wear OS 5 rollout
  • One Watch UI 6 is starting to appear for Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch FE users
  • Scattered reports indicate the rollout is proceeding slowly in various territories and models gradually

After rolling out Wear OS 5 to the Galaxy Watch 6 last month, Samsung is finally rolling out the latest version of its wearable software to two older budget models: the Galaxy Watch 5 and the Watch FE.

According to various reports across the web, largely on Reddit, users of the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch FE are starting to see the software update in Europe, Korea, Malaysia, and more.

As reported by 9to5Google, One UI 6 Watch (Samsung's own package for Wear OS 5) is finally arriving after months of waiting. Wear OS 5 has been on Samsung's best Android smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra, since July.

Samsung finally rolls out Wear OS 5 to older gen watches

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 hands on home screen

(Image credit: Future / Basil Kronfli)

Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 was unveiled in 2022, it's two years old and has since been supplanted by the Galaxy Watch 6 and 7, but this weeks new rollout indicates users can expect at least another year of software support.

The Watch FE was released earlier this year, and is the company's cheap smartwatch akin to the similarly-named Apple Watch SE 2.

Per today's report, Redditors are seeing Wear OS 5 roll out to the Galaxy Watch 5 throughout Europe, Malaysia, and more, even in some territories where Watch 6 hasn't yet received it.

9to5 notes the FE rollout appears "limited to Europe" at this stage.

Wear OS 5 brings users new health tracking metrics including Energy Score and Sleep Analysis, as well as power efficiency improvements.

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Stephen Warwick
Fitness & Wearables writer

Stephen Warwick is TechRadar's Fitness & Wearables writer with nearly a decade of experience covering technology, including five years as the News Editor of iMore. He's a keen fitness enthusiast and is never far from the local gym, Apple Watch at the ready, to record his latest workout. Stephen has experience writing about every facet of technology including products, services, hardware, and software. He's covered breaking news and developing stories regarding supply chains, patents and litigation, competition, politics and lobbying, the environment, and more. He's conducted interviews with industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. Outside of work, he's a massive tech and history buff with a passion for Rome Total War, reading, and music. 

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