OnePlus just launched OxygenOS 16, the company’s next major software refresh as it had announced. The OxygenOS 16 centered around the philosophy of “Intelligently Yours”. The new version introduces a suite of AI-powered features, performance enhancements, a redesigned user interface, and new security protocols.
The update aims to seamlessly blend artificial intelligence with the brand’s signature “fast and smooth” user experience. I have been testing the OxygenOS 16 closed beta version for a couple of weeks now, and here are the features you need to know about.
OnePlus AI: A Personalized Core
The cornerstone of OxygenOS 16 is OnePlus AI, a system designed to understand user habits and content to provide a more personalized experience.
Plus Mind and Google Gemini Integration A central feature is Plus Mind, a unified system for capturing and organizing content like articles, photos, and schedules from various apps.
With a three-finger swipe up or a press of the dedicated Plus Key, content is saved to a central “Mind Space”. The system can summarize content and uses AI to automatically group related items into collections. Plus Mind is available in English, Hindi, and Indonesian.
OnePlus x Google Gemini partnership
In a significant partnership, OnePlus has integrated Mind Space with Google Gemini. This allows Gemini to access information saved in Mind Space and combine it with its own large language model and real-time internet access, creating what OnePlus calls the “industry’s 1st personalized AI with Gemini”.
For example, you can ask Gemini to create an itinerary based on saved locations in Mind Space while cross-referencing the current weather forecast online. You can also ask Gemini for all the content saved on Mind Space. I asked for the gym membership details I had saved on Mind Space from Instagram, and it gave all the details.
AI-Powered Productivity and Creativity OxygenOS 16 embeds AI into several productivity tools:
- AI Writer: This tool assists in writing social media posts, emails, and notes by offering suggestions and different tones (e.g., formal, casual). It can also generate captions for images and create mind maps or tables from text
- AI Scan: This feature turns the device’s camera into a document scanner that automatically corrects angles, removes glare, and produces clean PDF files.
- AI Recorder: The audio recorder now offers real-time transcription with speaker identification and can generate smart summaries of recordings.
- AI Portrait Glow & AI Perfect Shot: For photography, AI Portrait Glow feature called AI relight enhances low-light portraits with multi-skin-tone optimization, while AI Perfect Shot can fix issues like blinked eyes in photos.
- Built-in video editor: The new video editor lets you trim, split, merge, speed-adjust, add background music, and convert between video and Motion Photo formats.
AI PlayLab For enthusiasts, the AI PlayLab app provides early access to experimental AI features. These include “YumSee,” which translates foreign text-only menus and generates images of the dishes, and “Party Up,” which creates short videos from a single still image.
Fast & Smooth Performance
OnePlus continues to focus on system fluidity and responsiveness with several key upgrades.
Parallel Processing 2.0 and Flow Motion Building on a feature from OxygenOS 15, Parallel Processing 2.0 allows a new animation to begin before the previous one has finished, ensuring smoother transitions during rapid actions. This technology is now expanded to more system areas, including the App Drawer and three-button navigation controls. This foundation enables Flow Motion, an advancement in animation that creates seamless transitions across the entire user interface, from the lock screen to native apps.
Seamless Cross-Ecosystem Connectivity OxygenOS 16 enhances connectivity with other devices. By installing the O+ Connect app, users can integrate their OnePlus phone with a Mac or Windows PC to manage files wirelessly, sync notifications, and mirror the phone’s screen.
In a notable addition, the update introduces integration with the Apple Watch via a dedicated OHealth app, allowing users to view notifications, handle calls, and sync exercise data. The “Touch to Share” feature also now works between OnePlus devices and iPhones with the O+ Connect app installed.
Design Language: “Breath with You”
The update introduces a new design language called “Breath with You,” which is intended to create a light and airy visual experience. It features rounded corners, Gaussian blur effects, and live weather animations that respond to real-time conditions.
Customization and Interactivity
- Flux Theme 2.0: The lock screen has been revamped, allowing users to set Motion Photos or videos as wallpapers with depth effects, customize fonts, and add mini widgets.
- Home Screen Freedom: Users can now resize app icons, widgets, and folders, breaking from the traditional grid layout.
- Intelligent Fluid Cloud: This feature now acts as an interactive hub for real-time alerts, tracking food deliveries from apps like Zomato and Grab, and displaying live sports scores via Google Sports.
You can now mute incoming call ringtone to help maintain quiet in public places.
Security and Tablet Optimization
OxygenOS 16 bolsters security with the Private Computing Cloud, which uses advanced encryption with both GPU and CPU protection to secure sensitive data. For users in India with a OnePlus 15 or newer, Plus Lock Protection provides multiple layers of security for a lost device, including remote locking and 11 layers of data encryption.
The moment the SIM card is removed without authorization, the phone will instantly lock itself, protecting the data.
For tablets, the update brings a revamped home screen that can fit more app icons and a dock that can hold up to 18 apps. The Open Canvas multitasking feature now supports up to five apps simultaneously—three in split-view and two as floating windows.
Other hidden surprises
The Compass and Calculator apps now feature the impressive Optical Lights effect. Calling 1+ number from the dialer has a surprise. There are also easter egg in Calculator as usual, and there is a new Boot-up Wizard. Battery details have improved, and it now shows battery usage status and screen on time for 24 hours and the past 7 days clearly. You can also switch between modes easily.
Search feature in settings is better. Note app has richer editing, better visual styling and is smoother to use. When a phone connects to a Wi-Fi network, you can now share it with the OnePlus tablet you are using.
Battery life improvements
Battery life has also been improved on the OnePlus 13s compared to OxygenOS 15. I got over 8 hours of screen on time, with 2 and half days of use, compared to 6 hours with 2 days of use. OnePlus changelog mentions that battery-saving strategies have been enhanced for network usage in specific apps or scenarios to extend battery life.
Conclusion
OxygenOS 16 represents a clear strategic shift for OnePlus, placing intelligent and personalized AI at the forefront of the user experience. The deep integration with Google Gemini, coupled with a host of in-house AI productivity tools, signals a move towards a more proactive and assistive operating system.
While retaining its core focus on performance and a clean design, the latest update’s emphasis on cross-platform connectivity and robust customization suggests a comprehensive approach to refining the smartphone experience.
Availability
OnePlus 15 that will launch globally later this year will be the first device to come with the latest OxygenOS 16 right out of the box.
OxygenOS 16 will roll out starting from November 2025 and will continue till Q1 2026. OnePlus has already started open beta program for the OnePlus 13, OnePlus 13R, OnePlus 13s, OnePlus Open, OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 12R in India.
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
Commenting on this, Arthur Lam, Director of OxygenOS and AI Strategy at OnePlus, said:
OxygenOS 16 marks a paradigm shifts in how smartphones interact with users. Our ‘Intelligently Yours’ philosophy represents our commitment to creating technology that doesn’t just respond to commands, but truly understands and adapts to each individual user. By combining groundbreaking AI with our industry-leading performance, we’re delivering an experience that is both profoundly personal and incredibly powerful.