Is the Galaxy Z Fold 8 getting S Pen support? Here's what we know
There are rumors that Samsung could include stylus support on at least one foldable this year
📆 Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy Z Fold 8 on July 22
📱 The phone is rumored to have a new design and two rear cameras
⚙️ The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will stick with a familiar design and better performance
✍️ Rumors have suggested one or both of the phones will ship with S Pen support, but we haven’t heard anything concrete
🪦 It would mark the return of the feature since Samsung killed it on the Fold 7 last year
👂 Here’s what we’ve heard about it potentially coming back in 2026
Samsung did the unthinkable last year: it killed the S Pen.
Well, at least on its foldable phones. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 was so thin and light that Samsung couldn’t fit the digitizer it needed to make the S Pen work on the screen, so it removed the feature entirely. But the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra might change that.
This year’s Galaxy Z Fold is said to be thicker than the Fold 7 was. It won’t be a night and day difference, but there will be a marginal difference that could mean S Pen support comes back. We’ve heard the extra room will almost certainly be used for a bigger 5,000mAh battery (also welcome news), but the larger question is whether stylus support will make its return to Samsung’s foldable lineup.
Here’s what we’ve heard about S Pen support coming back to the Galaxy Z Fold this year.
✍️ Will the Galaxy Z Fold 8 support the S Pen?
Samsung might include support for the S Pen on one version of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 - emphasis on might.
The regular Fold 8 is likely out of the question. That device will focus solely on being an Android-powered iPhone Fold alternative, complete with a similar passport-like shape and a lower starting price. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will offer every flagship feature Samsung can cram into a foldable at this point, and that could include S Pen support.
Early on, we heard that the Fold 8 Ultra would be getting thicker to accommodate the digitizer Samsung needs to make a stylus work on the screen. Afterwards, we learned that the added thickness would be to fit a bigger battery, not necessarily a thicker screen. However, that hasn’t stopped speculation and other outlets claiming S Pen support is on the way.
PhoneArena seems to be very confident the S Pen will come to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra (all while not citing a source whatsoever), as is Phandroid. There’s also been some chatter in online forums and references in “leaked specsheets” (quoted because a lot of these sheets are virtually impossible to pin a source to) that S Pen support is included on the Ultra, but thus far, we haven’t heard anything concrete from a notable leaker or news outlet.
❌ My bet is no, but I could be wrong
Given that a vast majority of leakers say the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra isn’t getting S Pen support, I’d say that Samsung is once again skipping the feature on its foldables. If you want to use a stylus on your next folding phone, you’ll have to resort to the surprisingly good Motorola Razr Fold.
That being said, I could be wrong. While rumors have pointed to no S Pen support this year, there hasn’t been much chatter on the subject in a while. Leaks have also been vague and scattered, which is usually a sign that no one really knows what’s going to happen. It certainly hasn’t been reported on nearly as much as, say, the regular Fold 8’s new passport-shaped design.
At this point, it seems like anything could happen. Maybe the Fold 8 series will support the S Pen, maybe it won’t. We’ll find out soon enough when Samsung unveils the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra at Unpacked, which is reportedly happening on July 22 in London.
Until then, we’ll be following more Galaxy Z Fold 8 leaks, so subscribe so you don’t miss any of our coverage.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.