I don’t know exactly when was the last time I felt so excited about a new software update, for the past couple of years Android updates have been iterative with small minute changes, but all of a sudden things got interesting again, recently with the Samsung OneUI 8 update and Vivo’s Origin OS 6 which is now available globally for the first time which brings significant changes and now it’s time for Oxygen OS based on Android 16.

OxygenOS 16 Update Timeline

I have been using OxygenOS 16 for a while now, and if you also own a OnePlus smartphone, here are the biggest changes OxygenOS 16 will bring to your phone: the supported device list, rollout timeline, and all the latest news about OxygenOS 16.

OxygenOS 16 Latest Updates

  • Jan 2026: OnePlus has started rolling out the OxygenOS 16 update for the OnePlus Nord CE 4, OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite 5G, and OnePlus Pad.
  • November 29, 2025: OxygenOS 16 update is now rolling out to the OnePlus 12R.
  • November 25, 2025: OxygenOS 16 Update is now rolling out to OnePlus Nord CE 5.
  • November 24, 2025: OxygenOS 16 Beta is now rolling out to the OnePlus Nord 4.
  • November 24, 2025: OxygenOS 16 Beta is now rolling out to the OnePlus Nord 5.
  • November 10, 2025: OxygenOS 16 update is now rolling out to OnePlus Open (OnePlus Foldable smartphone).
  • November 7, 2025: OxygenOS 16 update is now rolling out to OnePlus Pad 3 and OnePlus Pad 2
  • November 4, 2025: OxygenOS 16 is rolling out for the OnePlus 12. Go to Settings > Software update > Tap on the three-dot menu > Beta Program > Release candidate to update.
  • November 3, 2025: OnePlus has begun rolling out OxygenOS 16 for the OnePlus 13, OnePlus 13s, and OnePlus 13R. To update, go to Settings > Software update > Tap on the three-dot menu > Beta Program > Release candidate.
  • October 16, 2025: OnePlus has officially announced OxygenOS 16 globally.

OxygenOS 16 Official Supported Device List and Rollout Timeline

OnePlus has officially announced the supported devices for OxygenOS. The OnePlus 9 series, including the latest flagship smartphone, will receive the update first, starting in November. Here is the full list of supported devices, along with the rollout timeline.

Timeline Devices
Starting November 2025 OnePlus 13, OnePlus 13R, OnePlus 13s, OnePlus Open, OnePlus 12, OnePlus 12R, OnePlus Pad 3, OnePlus Pad 2
Starting December 2025 OnePlus 11 5G, OnePlus 11R 5G, OnePlus Nord 5, OnePlus Nord CE5, OnePlus Nord 4, OnePlus Nord 3 5G
Starting Q1 2026 OnePlus 10 Pro 5G, OnePlus Nord CE4, OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite 5G, OnePlus Pad, OnePlus Pad Lite

Top 5 Biggest Changes in OnePlus OxygenOS 16

5 OxygenOS 16 Features You Should Start Using After Upgrading

New Design, Smooth Animation and Small Useful Tweaks

OnePlus Oxygen OS 16 new design

OnePlus OxygenOS 16 introduces numerous visual changes, although these aren’t as significant as Vivo’s OriginOS 6; however, most of the changes are very useful.

For instance, the update to Quick Drawer brings a search bar to the bottom, and similar to iOS, now you get independent app icons on the left and category folders on the right, and the search bar is now moved to the bottom, which is super handy to quickly access it without stretching your hands.

The quick panel now can be switched to two separate screens, one for all your quick actions and one for viewing all your notifications in one place another feature that I really loved is the now the ability to scale the app icons and add quick actions which is super useful and the best thing is it works for all the apps but only few apps currently support shortcuts.

Not just that, glass visual elements are now all over the system, and a new dark mode, which brings new light effects when you tap on the icons. This is especially noticeable in the calculator app. The settings screen has also been slightly updated with a new design and more.

New Lock Screen Customization Options

OnePlus Oxygen OS 16 new lock customization options

If you love customization, OnePlus Oxygen OS 16 brings a lot of customization options to personalize your phone, from the lock screen to the home screen.

The biggest changes in this year’s update are the new Flux theme 2.0, which introduces more wallpaper styles and effects to the lock screen. Now, you can add wallpapers to Always-On Display, add your own text to the lock screen, choose from new clock styles, and much more. Add widgets and quick actions to the lock screen.

Connect Your OnePlus Phone to the PC

OnePlus O+ connect app on Mac

This year, all major Chinese smartphone makers have decided to challenge Apple in breaking the Apple ecosystem’s walls, and that’s a welcome move. Cross-device integration is very useful, especially for individuals who use multiple platforms. For example, consider me. I use a OnePlus 13s Android phone and a MacBook Air. To sync clipboard content and share files, I use multiple apps, and a few of them stop working overnight. I need to find a new alternative.

And the biggest limitation is that if you need to sync clipboard content and to share text from Android to Mac you need to go through extra step and tap on text manually to share it on the Mac and with Oxygen OS 16, OnePlus is bringing native support for clipboard sync, sharing files, screen mirroring and more features with the new O+ Connect app which you need to install on your PC.

It is also available for Windows and works seamlessly. And the best feature is that you can easily share files between devices, share clipboard content to your Mac without needing to go through an extra step, and screencast and remote access also feel a lot smoother and better.

Improved Performance, Even Faster Now

Oxygen OS is already one of the fastest and smoothest Android skins on the market, and with Oxygen OS 16, it has become even smoother. From opening apps to closing and switching between apps, everything feels a lot smoother now.

AI features and the Mind Space

New AI features on Oxygen OS 16

OnePlus replaced the alert slider with the plus button and also introduced new Mind Space, which you can use to store your memories. Previously, it only supported screenshots, which AI then analyzes and extracts information for you, and now you can also store voice memos. Additionally, it now integrates with Google Gemini models to answer your questions, provide insights, and take action based on your memories.

For instance, you can ask AI to create a travel itinerary based on all the photos you saved in the Mind Space and much more.

More useful features: OnePlus OxygenOS 16 Full Changelog (Global)

Not just that, OnePlus Oxygen OS 16 also brings a lot more useful features, such as improved search, a new app icon layout, new rounded icons, new widgets, and new Video editing in the Photos app, among others. Here is the full changelog

Plus Mind: Your Second Brain, Perfected

  • Voice Note Integration: Long-press the Plus Key to instantly record up to 60 seconds of audio directly into Mind Space.
  • AI-Powered Intelligence: Notes are analyzed to generate tags, tasks, and link to related ideas automatically.
  • Smart Collections: Automatically groups similar notes (such as recipes, reviews, and videos) into themed collections, like Food Ideas.
  • Google Gemini Integration: Voice-based search for any saved note.
  • Gemini can now use your Mind Space data for contextual answers

AI Writer: Your Creative & Productivity Partner

  • Smart Captions: Upload a photo and get auto-generated captions tailored for platforms like Instagram, X, and more.
  • Text to Mind Map and Table: Instantly turn any project outline or text draft into a structured mind map or table for easier brainstorming and planning.
  • AI Recorder Assistant: Smarter Meetings and Lectures
  • Smart Titles & Summaries: Automatically generates concise titles and summaries after recordings.
  • AI Noise Cancellation: Enhances voice clarity by removing background noise from recordings, even in busy environments.

Seamless Ecosystem: A Truly Unified Experience

  • Phone Screen Cast to PC: Mirror and control your phone on your PC via USB or cloud. Ideal for presentations, multitasking, or app management.

Fast & Smooth: The Hallmark of OnePlus

  • Heavy-Duty Stability: Tested for extreme multitasking from gaming during video calls to social media browsing, ensuring sustained performance.
  • Seamless Parallel Animations: Unified transitions across apps and system UI for a cohesive, fluid visual experience.

Imaging & Creation: Unleash Your Inner Artist

  • AI Portrait Glow: Enhances lighting in portraits under harsh or uneven conditions for natural results.
  • Motion Photo Enhancements: Collage Mode: Create dynamic motion collages with boundary-breaking effects, Slow-mo Mode: Add cinematic slow motion to Motion Photos.
  • All-Round Video Editor: Trim, split, merge, adjust speed, add music, and convert between video and Motion Photo formats, all built in.

Design: Personalization, Reimagined

  • Flux Theme: Set Motion Photos or videos as dynamic lock screens. AI suggests smart captions for wallpapers.

Home Screen & Fluid Cloud

  • Customizable widget and icon sizes,
  • New app drawer categories.
  • Fluid Cloud now supports food delivery, travel, sports, and media apps.
  • Airy Vibes & Optical Lights: Rounded corners, Gaussian blur visuals, and Optical Light effects in Calculator and Compass apps.

Private Computing Cloud (Android-first)

  • Sensitive data processed in a secure cloud environment with CPU/GPU-level protection.
  • Uses a Trusted Execution Environment, ensuring even OnePlus cannot access your data.

Plus Lock:

  • Call to Lock: Remotely lock your lost device via the OnePlus hotline. Activates full-device lockdown and prevents flashing or forced shutdowns. (Exclusive to India)
  • SIM Lock: Automatically locks your phone if the SIM card is removed without authorization. (Exclusive to India)

Hidden Surprises

  • Discover Easter eggs within the Calculator, OnePlus Dialer, and Boot-up Wizard

Oxygen OS 16 Update Screenshots

Was this article helpful?
YesNo