Samsung’s One UI 6.1 update slows down charging, causing heat

According to user reports, One UI 6.1 appears to be slowing down the charging rate on some Samsung Galaxy devices, as well as leaving devices running a bit warm.

The big One UI 6.1 update on top of Android 14 rolled out last week to select 2023 Galaxy devices including Galaxy S23, Fold 5, Flip 5, and more. The update brings AI features and other changes, but it also seems to have some negative side effects.

Some Galaxy users have noticed that, since installing the update, their phones are running hotter and also charging more slowly.

Reports of slower charging were first noticed on Samsung’s community forums, where users report up to 40% slower charging on Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy S23, and other devices updated to One UI 6.1. Charging was noted as dropping to as low as around 15W, well below the usual charging rate of these devices.

Notably, though, SamMobile found that a Galaxy S23 updated to One UI 6.1 still managed roughly 20W charging, just shy of the 25W maximum (which the charging cycle actually rarely hits). So, at the least, this isn’t an issue affecting all users. But it’s widespread enough to suggest there’s some kind of error in Samsung’s update.

Beyond that, some users have also found that their devices are running warm since installing the update. This is more of an anecdotal finding, so your results may vary. That said, given that One UI 6.1 introduces new AI features, it’s plausible that the CPU could be dealing with a bit more load when running these new tasks. That said, some affected users note that the device is running warm even when the device is just idle, so this could be another bug in the update.

One UI 6.1 is now widely rolling out to several 2023 Galaxy devices. Are you seeing any issues? Let us know in the comments below.

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