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🌊 Samsung has confirmed that Ocean Mode will be available to all Galaxy S26 Ultra users
📅 The feature has been around for a couple of years, but was never released to the public
📸 It’ll roll out through the Expert RAW camera app
📲 Here’s what Ocean Mode can do to turn your underwater photos into masterpieces - all without special equipment
Samsung has made a number of improvements to the Galaxy S26 Ultra camera system to give you better nighttime photos, stabilization, and versatility. One feature that’s quietly become one of the most interesting is Ocean Mode, a special feature for taking pictures underwater. It’s technically been around since the days of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but Samsung only made it available to those helping to maintain and restore coral reefs.
Now, the feature is going to roll out to the public, and it could be a game-changer if you want to take killer photos below the surface of your pool or the ocean this summer.
Originally developed to help researchers and communities restore and study coral reefs in places like Fiji and Indonesia, Ocean Mode utilizes special settings for Galaxy smartphone cameras to reduce motion blur and optimize the camera’s white balance to take clearer photos underwater. It can mitigate any sort of distortion or off-kilter saturation to ensure everything looks crystal clear, almost as if you’re taking pictures on land.
In Samsung’s example photos from Galaxy Unpacked, Ocean Mode seems to make a huge difference in how it reproduces what it sees underwater. The Galaxy S26 Ultra was able to capture colors and detail a lot easier, while avoiding an overcast blue hue from the water.
Thus far, no other manufacturer has introduced a feature quite like this. If you try to take a picture like this with an iPhone 17 Pro, for example, you’ll be leaning on Apple’s default processing algorithm, which will likely produce poor results. It seems that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will become the phones to buy if you want good-looking pictures during shallow dives, which could make for a fun Instagram post while you’re on summer vacation.
If you want to use Ocean Mode, you’ll need to preorder the Galaxy S26 Ultra. That’s the only phone Samsung is supporting with the feature. It’s also technically still available on the Galaxy S24 Ultra from 2024, but you’ll need to be part of a special conservation program to gain access to it.
Samsung says it’ll roll out Ocean Mode in an update to the Expert RAW camera app, which is available through the Galaxy Store. We don’t know when the update will actually roll out, but it’s likely it’ll be aligned with the Galaxy S26 Ultra launch date, which is scheduled for March 11.
That’s the other thing: you’ll need to seal your Galaxy S26 Ultra in a waterproof case to use Ocean Mode. The phone itself comes with an IP68 rating, which means you can submerge it in 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes, but you don’t want to run the risk of diving too far with the phone and breaking it. We found a few on Amazon that can survive deep dives into the ocean, for those interested.
Eivitrevy Underwater Phone Case: $37.04
TELESIN Underwater Snorkeling Diving Phone Waterproof Case: $75.05
Are you planning to use Ocean Mode on the Galaxy S26 Ultra? Let us know in the comments!
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.
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