Galaxy S26 Stuck After One UI 9 Update: XML Error Fix

If your Galaxy S26 shows an XML "Access Denied" screen after the One UI 9 update, the update has usually installed fine and the error is in the post-update setup screens. Owners have got past it by force restarting, booting into Safe mode, or finishing setup with Wi-Fi and mobile data off. As of October 27, 2026, we found no Samsung statement confirming a cause or a fix for this error, so treat these steps as workarounds.

Last reviewed: October 27, 2026.

Galaxy S26 Stuck After One UI 9 Update: XML Error Fix

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Why it happens

The Galaxy S26 series launched with One UI 8.5 on Android 16 (Android Authority), so going straight to One UI 9.0 (Android 17) is the normal upgrade path. Per SamMobile, it reached Korea and the US in September 2026, with other countries from around September 30.

On October 12, 2026, Android Authority covered Reddit reports of phones that install One UI 9, reboot into Samsung's post-update setup, and then show an XML "Access Denied" error that blocks the home screen. Reports mentioned the Galaxy S26, S25 and S24 series and a foldable, and the full list of affected models was unclear. Android Authority said the phones did not appear to be bricked. The same day, SamMobile reported the error on the Galaxy A57, and Android Headlines followed on October 15.

The cause is unknown. Tipster Fahad Ali Javed suggested, via Android Authority, that a Samsung server-side change aimed at firmware leaks could be behind it; Samsung has not confirmed this. Android Authority added that later restarts working for some owners may point to a change on Samsung's side, which is also unconfirmed.

Status as of October 27, 2026

None of the XML error reports we checked quote a Samsung response. A Samsung moderator did reply on Samsung's Korean community forum, but about a different bug. Sammy Fans reported it on October 20, 9to5Google and Notebookcheck on October 22, and Android Central on October 23. That bug shows "The webpage is unavailable" on a Samsung account page during setup, often after a factory reset. Samsung's development team linked it to "an unstable system WebView on certain networks." None of these reports tie the reply to the XML "Access Denied" error. Sammy Fans later reported the BZJB update for the S26 series on October 26, with a "stabilization" changelog that does not mention either bug.

{tip}Check your screen's wording first. An XML document or "Access Denied" message points to the error covered in Fixes 1 to 3. "The webpage is unavailable" on a Samsung account page is the separate WebView bug in Fix 4.

Fixes

Only the last fix erases data. Samsung documents these tools but has not endorsed any of them as an XML error fix.

1. Force restart the phone

This follows Samsung's frozen device guide. Samsung notes that key locations vary by model.

Press and hold the Side (power) key and the Volume down key together.
Keep holding for more than 7 seconds, until the phone restarts.
See whether setup now completes. Some owners said a later restart was enough (user report via Android Authority).

2. Take the phone offline before setup runs (unofficial workaround)

These steps come from owners, not Samsung, and results vary.

Turn off your Wi-Fi router, or move out of range of saved networks (user report via Android Authority).
If your phone uses a physical SIM, power it off and remove the SIM tray (user reports via Android Authority and Android Central).
Force restart as in Fix 1 and try to finish setup offline. Android Authority suggests staying offline until post-update setup is done.
Once you reach the home screen, put the SIM back and reconnect.

3. Boot into Safe mode, then restart offline (unofficial workaround)

Safe mode is an official Samsung feature, and the button steps below come from Samsung's Safe mode guide. Using it to clear the XML error is a user workaround. SamMobile said A57 owners seemed to need it only once.

Power the phone off. If the screen won't respond, hold Side key and Volume down until it shuts down or restarts.
Turn it on. When the Samsung logo appears, press and hold Volume down (Samsung's Safe mode guide).
Check for "Safe mode" in the bottom-left corner. If it's missing, repeat steps 1 and 2.
If you can reach the power menu instead, touch and hold Power off, then tap Safe mode (Samsung's guide; owners describe this route to SamMobile).
From the home screen, go to Settings > Connections and turn on Airplane mode, per the AT&T Galaxy S26 guide. Keep Wi-Fi off. Going offline is a user workaround (Android Authority).
Restart normally to leave Safe mode and finish setup offline.
Afterwards, turn Airplane mode off in Settings > Connections.

Leaving Safe mode can reset wallpapers and themes, Samsung notes.

4. If you see "The webpage is unavailable" instead

This is the separate S26 Ultra bug that Samsung acknowledged. Android Central and Notebookcheck reported these Samsung steps:

Update your browser, such as Google Chrome.
Switch from mobile data to Wi-Fi.
Sign in to your Samsung account, or sign out and retry setup.
If that fails, sign in on the Samsung Account website from another device and accept the latest terms (Notebookcheck).

9to5Google described the opposite switch, from Wi-Fi to mobile data, and said results vary. Sammy Fans reported that Samsung plans a fix in a future update and advised against resetting until then.

5. Factory reset from recovery mode (last resort)

{warning}A factory reset erases all personal data. Samsung's factory reset guide says you need your Samsung account password to complete it, and that Google's Factory Reset Protection may ask you to verify your Google account, because a recovery reset happens outside Settings. On the S26 Ultra, the WebView bug in Fix 4 appears during setup after a reset, so a reset could lead into that bug.

These steps follow AT&T's recovery mode guide for the Galaxy S26+:

Make sure the battery is at least 30%.
Hold Side key and Volume down, then select Power off. If the menu doesn't appear, keep holding until the phone shuts down.
With the phone off, hold Volume up and the Side key until the screen lights up.
Press Volume down to highlight Wipe data/factory reset, then press the Side key.
Press Volume down to highlight Factory data reset, then press the Side key.
Set the phone up again. Consider doing it offline, as in Fix 2.

Do these buttons work on other affected models?

Model	Safe mode steps	Recovery steps above
Galaxy S24	Samsung generic guide	Same (AT&T S24)
Galaxy S25	Samsung generic guide	Same (AT&T S25)
Galaxy S26 series	Samsung generic guide	Same (AT&T S26+)
Galaxy Z Fold8 (foldable)	Samsung generic guide	Same (AT&T Z Fold8)
Galaxy A57	Power menu route reported	No model-specific guide found

Samsung's Safe mode guide covers Galaxy phones generally. For the A57, the nearest guide we found, AT&T's Galaxy A56 page, uses the same buttons. If recovery mode doesn't appear, contact Samsung support.

When to contact support

Reports so far describe a software problem after the update, not a hardware fault, though the exact cause is unconfirmed. Contact Samsung support or an authorized service center if:

The phone won't boot into Safe mode or recovery mode at all.
The error returns after a factory reset, even offline.
You can't pass Google account verification after a reset. Samsung's factory reset guide recommends a service center in that case.
The phone restarts by itself, overheats or looks damaged, which points to a separate fault.

See also our Galaxy S25 Ultra review and our look at the Galaxy A56's update support.

FAQ

Is my Galaxy S26 bricked after the One UI 9 update?

Probably not. Android Authority said phones with the XML error did not appear to be bricked, and many owners recovered without a reset.

Should I wait before installing One UI 9?

SamMobile advised A57 owners to wait for more information or a fix. If you install it now, Android Authority suggests staying offline during post-update setup.

Has Samsung fixed the XML error?

Not that we could confirm as of October 27, 2026. The Samsung reply reported by Sammy Fans concerns the separate "webpage is unavailable" bug, and the October 26 BZJB changelog mentions neither bug.