Every Samsung Galaxy Ultra Owner Has Noticed This Weird S Pen Smell

The Samsung S Pen is a stylus that comes built in with all current Galaxy Ultra phones. It's helpful for note-taking, and there are even useful S Pen features that streamline how you launch or control certain apps. But have you ever noticed a weird smell coming from your S Pen? Galaxy Ultra owners have been reporting a "burning smell" ever since the S Pen was added as a feature to the Galaxy S22 Ultra phone. The issue is so prevalent that practically everyone who has owned a Galaxy Ultra phone in the last few years has noticed it at one point or another.

An official statement from Samsung in 2024 explained that "there may be a smell resembling burning emanating from the S Pen due to the new product's plastic or rubber components." A Samsung representative further explained (via Samsung Community) that the S Pen sits close to the phone's heat-generating internal components when it's in its holster. This causes the pen's plastic and rubber exterior to heat up, resulting in the notorious scent.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 series of phones was released on March 11, 2026. In the months since these latest models launched, wary users have paid close attention to the S Pen to see if that all-too-familiar odor is still around. Luckily, S26 owners have reported that the worrisome smell seems to finally be gone — and we didn't notice it when we reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra either.

The burning smell coming from the Samsung S Pen does not necessarily indicate that the peripheral has been fried. Rather, you can think of it more like the harmless scent that your car's plastic and upholstery give off after sitting in the sun. The S Pen does contain electronic components that allow it to communicate wirelessly with the phone, but reports about the pen's smell do not coincide with claims that the pen has lost any electronic functionality. In all likelihood, an unpleasant odor coming from your S Pen is just a mild inconvenience.

What is worrisome, though, is when the burning smell is coming from the phone itself. Power surges resulting from using cheap cables or charging your phone during a thunderstorm can fry the phone's internal components. You should also be cautious of any scent resembling nail polish remover, as this can be a sign that the phone's lithium-ion battery is leaking. The worst part about the constant S Pen smell is that it might mask these types of problems. It's important to never be complacent about strange odors, even if you've become desensitized to that signature S Pen smell.