OxygenOS 16 Brings Android 16 Features, Smarter AI, and a New Design to OnePlus Phones

It has been a few months since Google released Android 16 to the public. However, as is the case with all Android updates, unless you’re using a Google Pixel phone, you’ll have to wait for your phone maker to release the update for your device. But OnePlus users won’t have to wait much longer. The company has announced the launch of OxygenOS 16, so here’s what you can expect from it.

OnePlus launches OxygenOS 16 update

Now, since this is a massive update as it essentially brings eligible OnePlus phones up to Android 16, there are a lot of changes. Mishaal Rahman at Android Authority has very kindly broken down all the upcoming changes. So, if you own an eligible OnePlus phone, here are some of the changes you can look forward to.

Fresh Look with Liquid Glass-Like Effects

OxygenOS 16 introduces a refreshed design that feels lighter and more polished. The update adds Gaussian blur throughout the interface, creating a Liquid Glass-like effect that’s especially noticeable on elements like the home screen search bar and recent apps screen. Additionally, the Quick Settings panel gets a major upgrade with better customization options. Users can now arrange tiles more freely, with larger 2×1 tiles at the top and smaller 1×1 options below, and even remove default elements like media controls if they prefer a cleaner layout.

Deeper Customization Options

Customization is another focus in OxygenOS 16. The new Flux icon pack automatically themes icons system-wide for a more cohesive look across your home screen, app drawer, and settings. Meanwhile, the home screen launcher now lets you directly scale icons and folders using a resizing handle. The revamped app drawer adds a search bar and automatic Categories tab. Flux Themes 2.0 also expands lock screen personalization, allowing clocks and word art to interact dynamically with wallpaper subjects, plus support for mini-widgets and video wallpapers.

Smarter AI Integration

Artificial intelligence also plays a bigger role in OxygenOS 16. AI Portrait Glow brightens photos with intelligent lighting adjustments, while experimental features add motion effects to still images. The camera app now includes improved document scanning tools for cleaner photos and PDFs. OnePlus also enhanced its AI Writer to generate mind maps, charts, and social media captions, making content creation faster. The Recorder app gained real-time transcription with AI summaries and background noise reduction, plus shareable recording links for easier collaboration.

Cross-Device Connectivity Hub

The update also consolidates device syncing into a single Cross-Device Connectivity menu. This hub allows users to manage connections between their OnePlus phones, tablets, Windows and macOS computers, TVs, and Android Auto. This means you get to access features such as screen casting, internet sharing, file transfers, notification sync, and clipboard sharing. There’s even Apple Watch integration for camera control and health data syncing.

Performance Improvements

Last but not least, users can look forward to overall performance improvements. Under the hood, Parallel Processing 2.0 makes animations smoother by handling app transitions simultaneously in more areas. There’s a new Flow Motion framework that creates fluid opening and closing effects throughout the system, from the Notes app to Quick Settings.

Availability

So, when will you get the OxygenOS 16 update? According to a post on X by Abhishek Yadav, OnePlus is planning to roll out the update starting in November into the first quarter of 2026. The rollout will be in stages covering different devices. Eligible devices include the OnePlus 13, OnePlus 13R, OnePlus 13s, OnePlus Open, OnePlus 12, OnePlus 12R, OnePlus 11 5G, OnePlus 11R 5G, OnePlus 10 Pro 5G, OnePlus Nord 5, OnePlus Nord 4, OnePlus Nord 3 5G, OnePlus Nord CE5, OnePlus Nord CE4, OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite 5G, OnePlus Pad 3, OnePlus Pad 2, OnePlus Pad, and OnePlus Pad Lite.