Galaxy S26 Ultra Users Are Complaining Of Eye Strain, Samsung Investigates
Samsung is looking into reports of a possible issue with its Galaxy S26 Ultra that is causing some users to complain of eye fatigue. It's not yet clear if there is an actual issue with Samsung's new flagship smartphone, and if so, whether it can be addressed in a firmware or software update. For the time being, Samsung is looking into the matter on a case-by-case basis, according to a reply by a Samsung community manager in the company's support forum.
We've already gone hands-on with Galaxy S26 series, including the Galaxy S26 Ultra (see our performance preview), when the lineup was announced last month and did not notice any issues with the display. However, in light of the growing chorus of complaints, this is something we will look closely at in our review.
Hey Galaxy Fam 👀
— Tarun Vats (@tarunvats33) March 2, 2026
I noticed a huge difference between the Galaxy S26 Ultra and S25 Ultra displays. After using the S26 Ultra for a while, my eyes felt tired and slightly uncomfortable.
Note: Both phones were set to 2K resolution, and Privacy Mode was turned OFF on the S26… pic.twitter.com/XbN1DzqiyU
In a post on X, Sam Mobiles contributing writer Tarun Vats said he observed a "huge difference" between the displays on Samsung's newest flagship phone and the previous generation Galaxy S25 Ultra. He also posted some comparison shots that highlight some pixelation on the Galaxy S26 Ultra when zoomed in close to the display.
It's difficult to analyze static images, let alone display shots on the internet versus in person. Even so, he is not the only one claiming to experience eye strain on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Over on Samsung's support forum, a user posted that Samsung's new phone "strains the eyes far too much" resulting in "significant eye fatigue."
"The screen quality is very poor, and the eyes even start to feel blurry from how much it strains them. Are you going to fix this? Many users are complaining about the same issue. I hope this is not a hardware problem, because if it is, it won’t be possible to fix it," the user wrote.
His post drew a range of responses. Some users said they are not experiencing any issues with the display even after several hours of use, while others chimed in with similar complaints. One user who replied said they ended up initiating a return within an hour of using the phone due to "pixelation and weirdness" that cause them eye strain.
"I thought maybe it was just me, but I showed by buddy and he agreed as well, so I guess it's not just me," the user wrote.
Some users also report that they are experiencing eye strain even when the Privacy mode is disabled. Privacy mode is a new feature to the Galaxy S26 Ultra that limits the viewing angle. The effect is similar to any number or privacy screen protectors that darken the display when viewed from an angle, as you can see in our hands-on demonstration above.
It's possible that the underlying technology is having a side effect that induces eye strain whether the mode is enabled or disabled. Hopefully Samsung can figure out what is going on, if anything, and come up with a solution if there is an issue.
In the meantime, if you own a Galaxy S26 Ultra and are experiencing eye strain, Samsung asks that you reach out and provide a spattering of details so that it can look into it.
