Some Galaxy S26 Ultra Phone Displays Are Reportedly Developing a Red Tint

S26 Ultra owners have claimed on Reddit that they've noticed discoloration.

Mike Sorrentino Senior Editor

Mike Sorrentino is a Senior Editor for Mobile, covering phones, texting apps and smartwatches -- obsessing about how we can make the most of them. Mike also keeps an eye out on the movie and toy industry, and outside of work enjoys biking and pizza making.

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Samsung's $1,300 Galaxy S26 Ultra phones may be experiencing a slight display discoloration over time. According to Korean news outlet Newsway, several reports on Reddit and Samsung's community forum, some of the phones are developing a reddish tint.

The reports show discoloration on the Galaxy S26 Ultra display, often with a reddish hue developing toward the center. In some cases, it's visible as a "rectangular red mark" that "appears after two to three months of use."

We've reached out to Samsung for comment. Newsway reports that the company is currently investigating the issue.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is best known for its built-in Privacy Display, a feature that works at the pixel level to make specific notifications harder to see when not looking directly at the phone or restrict visibility of the entire screen from side angles. Some reports claim the issue is more noticeable when Privacy Display is enabled. Others speculate that it could result from environmental triggers or from a manufacturing or software problem.

While it's not yet clear what's causing the strange tint, anyone affected by it on their phone should have repair options. Samsung offers a one-year warranty for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, covering repairs during that period. The Galaxy S26 Ultra went on sale on March 11, so any defective devices should be well within their warranty period.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra received high marks in Abrar Al-Heeti's review. It also won a CNET Lab Award for the fastest wired charging speed among the 33 other phones we reviewed in 2025 and 2026.

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MIKE SORRENTINO

Senior Editor

Mike Sorrentino is a Senior Editor for Mobile, covering phones, texting apps and smartwatches -- obsessing about how we can make the most of them. Mike also keeps an eye out on the movie and toy industry, and outside of work enjoys biking and pizza making. See full bio