While many are eagerly anticipating the upcoming launch of the Galaxy S23 series, Samsung is hard at work supporting its existing slate of phones with the newest security patch. A large chunk of Galaxy phones and tablets are already receiving the January 2023 Android security update — here’s the full list.
Samsung January 2023 security update – here’s what’s new:
For each month’s Android update, first Google and its partners release a generalized Android security bulletin publicly revealing the newly fixed issues that affected core portions of the OS. The latest Galaxy update is based on the January 1, 2023, and December 5, 2022, bulletins and includes over 50 “High” severity fixes.
Samsung then builds on that update with security improvements of its own, specific to Galaxy devices. One such issue that’s now been fixed allowed an attacker “to get sensitive information” through a “telecom application.” In total, Samsung disclosed 12 flaws that have been patched in the January 2023 update, only one of which is “High” severity.
Broadly speaking, the January 2023 update is focused on security improvements and likely won’t include any noticeable new features or tweaks for your phone.
Table of contents
Devices with the Samsung January 2023 security update
The exact sequence in which Samsung updates phones seems to vary from month to month, but generally speaking, there’s a loose pattern that the company often follows. Typically, each month’s new security patch will arrive for premium devices like the Galaxy S flagships or Galaxy Z foldables before launching on more affordable ones, like the Galaxy A series. Similarly, Samsung typically updates newer devices before older ones.
That said, this is just a loose guideline that doesn’t always hold true, so be sure to check the full list below for your own device(s).
This list will include a note on where the update first debuted and if it is also available in the United States. As usual, the latest additions will be marked in bold.
Galaxy S series
For many, the epitome of Android flagships, Samsung’s line of Galaxy S phones, consistently receive the best update support, no doubt also thanks to their mass appeal. While we’re already eagerly anticipating the launch of the Galaxy S23 series this month, existing Galaxy S owners can already begin to enjoy the security benefits of the January 2023 patch.
Things kicked off for Galaxy S owners, with the full (Exynos) Galaxy S21 series gaining this security patch on January 3. Going a bit out of order, the newer Galaxy S22 series was next in line, with US models picking up the update on January 6.
After a (possibly CES-related) lull, Samsung’s update schedule picked back up on January 17, with the Galaxy S10 series getting what may be its last quarterly update, potentially bumping down to biannual status. Those phones’ 5G variant didn’t get patched until January 20. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S10 Lite (which is a year newer) is still getting monthly updates for now, having been patched on January 18.
Fans of Samsung’s “Fan Edition” phones had something to be excited about this month. With its latest monthly patch on January 20, the Galaxy S20 FE was brought up to Android 13 and the accompanying One UI 5.0. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S21 FE (which was already running Android 13) got this month’s update on January 18. The full-fat Galaxy S20 series got its patch on January 25.
- Galaxy S22 / S22+ / S22 Ultra — S90xU1UES2BVL4 (Released first in the US)
- US: Available on unlocked devices
- Galaxy S21 / S21+ / S22 Ultra — G99xBXXS5DVL3 (Released first in Switzerland)
- US: Available on locked and unlocked devices
- Galaxy S21 FE — G990EXXS3DWA6 (Released first in South America)
- Galaxy S20 / S20+ / S20 Ultra — G98xUSQS3GWA2 (Released first in the US)
- US: Available on carrier-locked devices
- Galaxy S20 FE — G780GXXS3DWA3 (Released first in Europe)
- Galaxy S10 5G — G977BXXSDHWA3 (Released first in Europe)
- Galaxy S10 / S10+ / S10e — G97xFXXSGHWA3 (Released first in Europe)
- Galaxy S10 Lite — G770FXXS6HWA2 (Released first in Spain)
Galaxy Z foldables
Where the Galaxy Note series had once been the apex of Samsung’s Android lineup, attention has shifted to the Galaxy Z series of foldables. As these foldables command a premium cost, Samsung tends to give them rapid and consistent update support, right in line (and sometimes faster) than the Galaxy S flagships.
Thus far, the only Galaxy foldable that Samsung has updated is the original Galaxy Z Flip, which got its patch on January 4. Next up was the Galaxy Z Fold 3, which didn’t see its update until January 19. Both the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 got patched on that same day, keeping a significant chunk of Samsung’s foldables on the same update.
- Galaxy Z Fold 4 — F936U1UES1BWA2 (Released first in the US)
- US: Available on unlocked devices
- Galaxy Z Flip 4 — F721U1UES1BWA2 (Released first in the US)
- US: Available on unlocked devices
- Galaxy Z Fold 3 — F926BXXS2DWA3 (Released first in South America)
- Galaxy Z Flip — F700FXXSAIVL3 (Released first in Italy)
- US: Available on carrier-locked devices
Galaxy Note series
Sadly, the days of the Galaxy Note are now behind us, with both the Galaxy S series and the Galaxy Z Fold lineup gaining support for the signature S Pen stylus. For the time being, Samsung is still keeping the Galaxy Note series phones updated as promised, though owners are surely prime for an upgrade in the near future.
Interestingly, the Galaxy Note 10 was actually the first phone for which Samsung released this month’s patch on January 2. A similar update rolled out for owners of the Galaxy Note 20 series just a few days later. However, the 5G variants of the Galaxy Note series didn’t see an update until January 18.
- Galaxy Note 20 / Note 20 Ultra — N98xU1UES3GVL1 (Released first in the US)
- US: Available on locked and unlocked phones
- Galaxy Note 20 5G / Note 20 5G — N98xBXXS5GWA8 (Released first in Brazil)
- Galaxy Note 10 / Note 10+ — N970FXXS8HVL3 (Released first in Switzerland)
Galaxy A/M/F series
Just like its flagship phones, Samsung has been dutifully patching its more affordable phones, including those in its midrange Galaxy A series all the way down to the Flipkart-exclusive Galaxy F lineup. Many of these phones have even been brought up to the latest Android 13 already, though the January update is set to be far less exciting.
Starting on January 3, the Galaxy A73 5G was the first of Samsung’s midrange phones to get this month’s security patch. Shortly thereafter, on January 5, the older Galaxy A10 got a similar update.
Things slowed down after the start of the month, then picked back up on January 16, with a limited rollout for the Galaxy A52 5G. Meanwhile, the Galaxy A50 (which still runs Android 11) got this month’s patch as its latest quarterly update, on January 18 in many countries.
After having just picked up its Android 13 update, the Galaxy A72 got this month’s patch on January 19. That same day, the Galaxy A31 got its latest biannual update, bringing the steadily aging phone up to date.
Another phone on a biannual schedule, the Galaxy A41 was brought up to date on January 20. Similarly, the Galaxy A12 — which just recently moved from quarterly updates to biannual ones — got patched on January 25. That same day also saw the Galaxy A30 pick up its latest twice-yearly patch. Following that release schedule, these biannually updated phones will likely go ignored until the July 2023 patch comes around.
This security patch brought a meaningful new feature to the Galaxy A52s 5G on January 20, with the introduction of Samsung’s Maintenance Mode — used to protect your data while your phone is at a repair shop. The newer Galaxy A53 followed close behind, getting the patch on January 21.
Samsung began bringing the Galaxy M series up to the latest patch on January 19, starting with the Galaxy M42 5G. This streak continued on January 20, with the biannually-updated Galaxy M31. After that, the next device in the series to get patched was the Galaxy M51 on January 24.
The affordable and supremely durable Galaxy XCover Pro and XCover 5 lagged a bit behind other series, with the two phones getting updated on January 20.
- Galaxy A73 5G — A736BXXS2BVL3 (Released first in Malaysia)
- Galaxy A72 — A725FXXU4CWA2 (Released first in Russia)
- Galaxy A53 — A536EXXS4BWA4 (Released first in Brazil)
- Galaxy A52s 5G — A528BXXU1DWA4 (Released first in Europe)
- Galaxy A52 5G — A526BXXU1DWA6 (Released first in Australia)
- Galaxy A50 — A505GUBS9CWA2 (Released first in South America)
- Galaxy A41 — A415FXXS2DWA2 (Released first in Europe)
- Galaxy A31 — A315FXXS2DWA2 (Released first in India)
- Galaxy A30 — A305FDDS6CWA3 (Released first in India)
- Galaxy A12 — A125U1UES5CWA2 (Released first in the US)
- US: Available on unlocked devices
- Galaxy A10 — A105MUBS8CVL1 (Released first in South America)
- Galaxy M51 — M515FXXS4DWA3 (Released first in South America)
- Galaxy M42 5G — M426BXXU4CWA2 (Released first in India)
- Galaxy M31 — M315FXXU3CWA2 (Released first in Panama)
- Galaxy XCover Pro — G715U1UESFDWA2 (Released first in the US)
- US: Available on unlocked devices
- Galaxy XCover 5 — G525FXXS5CWA2 (Released first in South America)
How to check for the latest OTA on your Galaxy device
If your Samsung device is slated to have been updated already, but the January patch hasn’t arrived for you personally, you can try updating manually. Simply open the Settings app, tap “Software update,” and choose “Download and install.”
This article was first published on January 10 and most recently updated on January 25.
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