Samsung teases new privacy feature to hide your Galaxy phone screen from onlookers

Samsung has previewed a new privacy feature designed to stop people nearby from peeking at your smartphone screen and viewing its contents. While the company did not go into technical details, it said the feature will allow Galaxy phone users to control what others around them can see, depending on the level of privacy they need at a given moment.

According to Samsung, Galaxy smartphone owners will be able to customise the feature so it works only in certain situations, such as when using specific apps or while entering passcodes, PINs, patterns, or passwords. Users will also have multiple settings to adjust how visible on-screen content appears to people nearby. The feature is expected to debut with the company’s upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra.

“Our phones are our most personal space, but we use them in the least private places,” Samsung said in a newsroom post. “That’s why Samsung will soon unveil a new layer of privacy to shield your phone from shoulder surfing wherever you go. You’ll have the space to check your messages or enter a password on public transit without thinking twice about who might be watching.”

Samsung added that users will be able to hide specific parts of the screen from onlookers, including notification pop-ups. The company said the feature relies on a combination of hardware and software to limit what can be seen from certain viewing angles.

Metro cheio? Não há problema. Prepara-te para o próximo nível de privacidade.

Sabe mais: https://t.co/jr4Z8w6sPY #GalaxyAI #GalaxyUnpacked #Samsung pic.twitter.com/zppHnMPKyO — Samsung Portugal (@SamsungPortugal) January 27, 2026

Details about how the feature works began circulating after a well-known tipster, Ice Universe, shared screenshots on X. The images appear to show the notification area blanking out when viewed from an angle, meaning the phone’s owner can still see the content clearly, while someone sitting next to them cannot. If the feature performs as described, users may no longer need to rely on separate privacy screen protectors.

Exclusive！

The privacy screen on the Samsung S26 Ultra goes far beyond a global privacy mode. It also supports partial, localized privacy control.

Here is how it works.

You can apply privacy protection to only a specific part of the screen, for example a message notification… pic.twitter.com/RWJPtR0qc8 — Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) January 28, 2026

Using smartphones in public places carries clear risks, particularly when entering sensitive information such as passwords. In the past, The Wall Street Journal reported that thieves often watched people enter their passcodes and then used that information to lock victims out of their accounts. In response to similar concerns, Apple introduced a “Stolen Device Protection” feature in iOS 17 that requires Face ID or Touch ID for specific sensitive actions, including changing key settings or accessing saved payment methods.

Samsung has not announced a specific release date for the new privacy feature or for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. However, reports suggest the company is planning to hold a launch event in February, where more details are expected to be revealed.