Samsung News functions as a native content aggregator for Galaxy devices, evolving from earlier iterations like Samsung Free and Samsung Daily to deliver headline updates, sports scores, and financial tracking directly to the home screen. Designed exclusively for Galaxy hardware running Android 9.0 or later, the platform allows you to pin a swipe-right feed or open a dedicated application. However, Samsung has announced that the service will officially shut down on December 21, 2026, making it essential to understand its core features, setup procedures, and upcoming alternative options.
If you want to configure the interface before its sunset or explore how it operates across One UI, knowing its setup requirements helps you navigate your device. The app requires a signed-in Samsung account and minimum hardware specifications to curate customized feeds based on preferred topics, regions, and publishing sources.
Core Features and Interface Layout
The platform organizes content into distinct tabs to separate general breaking updates from followed publishers. Understanding how these features interact keeps your daily briefings organized without requiring third-party RSS aggregators.
- Home Screen Integration: Swiping right from your primary home panel opens the native media pane, which you can toggle between Samsung News and alternative feeds.
- Following Tab: Users can track specific journalistic outlets, regional news desks, and niche topic categories to filter out unwanted noise.
- Weather Integration: A toggle within settings embeds real-time local weather forecasts directly into the top banner of the feed.
- Content Filtering: Tapping the three-dot menu on any card lets you instantly hide stories or block specific publishers from appearing in future rotations.
How to Set Up and Customize Samsung News
Configuring the feed takes only a few moments if your device meets the One UI system requirements. You can activate the leftmost home screen panel or launch the application directly from your app drawer. Similar analysis regarding this has been shared by BBC.
- Open your device settings or long-press an empty space on your home screen.
- Swipe to the leftmost panel and tap the switch to activate the media page, selecting Samsung News.
- Sign in using your active Samsung account credentials when prompted.
- Tap the three-dot menu icon in the upper right corner to adjust your preferred language, region, and notification preferences.
- Navigate to the Following tab to select specific topics, sports teams, or verified news sources.
Managing Hidden Sources and Regional Settings
Personalizing your content stream prevents repetitive or unwanted stories from clogging your daily briefing. If you accidentally block a publication, you can reverse it easily.
Go to your app settings, locate the hidden sources and topics menu, and restore any publisher you want back in rotation. Similarly, changing your region settings updates the localized RSS feeds to match travel schedules or foreign language preferences. Keep in mind that features can vary slightly depending on your specific mobile carrier, country code, and One UI software version.
The Upcoming Service Shutdown
Samsung has confirmed that the Samsung News platform will terminate operations on December 21, 2026. Following this date, backend servers will stop updating widgets, and all personal user data tied to feed personalization will be permanently deleted.
Galaxy users are encouraged to remove the legacy home screen widgets and transition to alternative feed providers such as Google Discover or dedicated browser feeds to maintain home-screen news access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Samsung News on non-Galaxy Android devices?
No. The application is restricted exclusively to Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets running supported versions of One UI.
What happened to Samsung Free?
Samsung Free was the previous iteration of the content feed, which Samsung rebranded and streamlined into Samsung News to focus more heavily on journalism rather than gaming and podcasts.
How do I remove the news panel from my home screen?
Long-press your home screen, swipe to the leftmost media panel, and toggle the switch to turn off the news feed entirely.
Will my settings transfer to a replacement app?
No. Because the service is shutting down completely, personal preferences and followed sources will not migrate automatically to third-party alternatives.
