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.
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.
We tried it out on the Galaxy S26 Ultra running on One UI 9 beta 2, and it indeed does so. In fact, it seems Samsung has incorporated Lockdown mode functionality directly into the power menu instead of presenting it as an option.
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On One UI 8.5, users can long-press the power button (or long-press the power and volume down buttons, depending on their settings) to open the power menu. If you exit the power menu without selecting any options, you will return to the last used app. Users can select the Lockdown mode option, which will instantly lock the phone (returning you to the lock screen when you’re done) while also disabling biometric unlock (fingerprint and face recognition), Smart Lock, and hiding notifications from your lock screen. You can unlock your phone only after entering your PIN/password, and you also need the same for powering off the phone or rebooting it.
On One UI 9, the Lockdown mode option is no longer available in the power menu. Samsung has merely removed the option for it and instead incorporated the functionality into the power menu itself. Triggering the power menu automatically invokes the Lockdown mode, instantly locking the phone and disabling biometric unlock. You also need a PIN/password to power down or restart the phone.
This is a great change to One UI, as most users wouldn’t know what Lockdown mode is or how it can help prevent unauthorized access. It helps prevent forced/unauthorized access using your biometrics, even when you are sleeping. One UI 9 lowers the friction of triggering Lockdown mode by making it easier, and while it adds some friction to the user experience by not returning users to their last-used app, it’s for their own good. Users can still access their last-used app after getting past the lock screen.
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