With two One UI 7 beta updates released for the Galaxy S24 series, Samsung is finally turning its attention towards the usual monthly updates for other Galaxy devices. This week, the December 2024 security update was released for the Galaxy S23 lineup, and it is now rolling out to the 2021 Galaxy S flagship models as well.
USA is the first market to get Galaxy S21 December 2024 update
The Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra are receiving the latest security update in the US. The update is available for some carrier-locked units at the time of writing. The Galaxy S21 FE is still stuck on the November patch, but fingers crossed that will not be the case for long.
There doesn't appear to be a changelog available for the update yet, but the build number—G99xUSQSEGXK3—suggests it only brings security enhancements. The December 2024 security patch fixes several high and critical-risk vulnerabilities in Android and eight that affect only Galaxy smartphones and tablets. It also addresses vulnerabilities affecting some Exynos chips, including the Galaxy S21 series' Exynos 2100.
You can download the update on your Galaxy S21-series phone from its Settings » Software update menu. Alternatively, head over to the SamMobile firmware library to download the full-sized firmware that can be installed on the phone using a Windows PC and a USB connection.
