Samsung announces fix for the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s red tint issue, but it requires a store visit for now

Samsung has finally announced a fix for the reddish tint some Galaxy S26 Ultra users have noticed in the center of their screens. In a notice posted to the Samsung Members app in South Korea, first spotted by SamMobile, the company has revealed that the issue stems from a display calibration problem and is not a hardware defect.

Two ways to get it fixed

Samsung’s note opens with an apology and offers two paths to a fix. Owners can visit a local service center and get the calibration done immediately, free of charge. That option is available starting now.

For those who’d rather not make the trip, Samsung says it’s preparing a version of the fix that installs over the air, though the company hasn’t given any indication of when that update will land.

Samsung hasn’t revealed the underlying cause

Reports of the screen tint issue began circulating within weeks of the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s launch in March, but it wasn’t widespread, with only a limited number of devices affected. Samsung ruled out a hardware defect early on, which fueled speculation that the phone’s new Privacy Display panel might be responsible. Samsung itself had pointed to prolonged exposure to strong light at maximum brightness as a possible trigger.

The notice doesn’t weigh in on either theory and does not explain what led to the red tint. It focuses entirely on the fix, leaving the exact source of the calibration error unconfirmed. Regardless, a software fix is a better outcome than a recall for a phone that’s only been on shelves for a few months. However, the lack of a timeline for the remote update means most owners are still stuck having to make a trip to a store.