OnePlus has officially released OxygenOS 16, its latest Android 16-based software update. This is a big step toward making the user experience smarter and more personalized.
This release has a lot of important AI improvements, such as a deep integration of Google’s Gemini, a new design, and better connectivity across devices, even in Apple’s ecosystem. OnePlus calls the update a “defiant rebellion for authenticity,” and its goal is to make the phone feel more unique and responsive to the user’s needs.
OxygenOS 16 has a new level of personalization and a smoother interface
OxygenOS 16 comes with a new look that is both “airy” and more customizable. One of the most noticeable changes is to the lock screen, which gives users a lot more control. You can now pick from a number of clock styles, add mini-widgets for quick information, and even use moving photos or videos as your wallpaper.
A new depth effect uses machine learning to put things on the screen behind important parts of your wallpaper in a way that makes it look like it’s three-dimensional.
You can now change the size of app icons and folders directly on the home screen, and you can choose from new grid layouts that let you fit more on the screen. There is a new “Categories” tab at the bottom of the app drawer that automatically groups your apps.
The corners are softer and more rounded all over the system, and there is more use of Gaussian blur. This makes the interface look calmer and more see-through, which OnePlus says gives your eyes “room to breathe.”
OnePlus is using new animation technologies to make everything feel faster behind the scenes. OxygenOS 15 introduced Parallel Processing, which the new Parallel Processing 2.0 builds upon. It enables animations to begin before their completion in various areas of the user interface, such as the app drawer and three-button navigation.
The new “Flow Motion” engine adds to this by making sure that content opens and closes smoothly from the exact point you tap, which makes everyday use feel very smooth.
More intelligent AI and better connections in the ecosystem
The best part of this update is that it invests more in AI, which is most clearly shown by the addition of Google’s Gemini to the “Mind Space” feature. Mind Space, which was first available on the OnePlus 13s, is a digital locker where you can store voice memos, screenshots, and scrolling screenshots that are up to 60 seconds long.
You can now ask the AI assistant to look at the things you’ve saved and give you help based on that information thanks to Gemini integration. For instance, you can ask Gemini to make a full travel plan for you after you save screenshots of hotels and flights. This integration is built right into the phone, so you don’t have to pay for a separate subscription to Google’s AI tools.
OxygenOS 16 comes with a number of other AI tools in addition to Mind Space. An AI writer that works across the whole system can help you check for mistakes, make changes, and summarize text.
New features like AI Portrait Glow make faces clearer in any light, and AI Perfect Shot can fix awkward moments in portraits, like when someone has their eyes closed. When scanning documents, AI Scan smartly finds and fixes perspectives, taking out shadows and curves to make a perfect, flat image.
OnePlus has also made a surprising move by greatly improving its ability to connect to other devices, even those in competing ecosystems. You can now share files easily and even control Windows and Mac PCs from your OnePlus phone with the new O+ Connect app.
The new compatibility with Apple Watch is probably the most surprising addition. You can connect your Apple Watch to a OnePlus phone and get notifications, sync workout data, control the phone’s camera from afar, and use the “Find My Phone” feature by installing the OHealth app.
On October 17, 2025, OxygenOS 16 will enter an open beta phase. The stable version will first be available on the upcoming OnePlus 15, and then it will be available on older devices.
OnePlus’s official schedule says that the rollout for supported devices will start in November 2025 with newer flagships like the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 12 series. It will continue through December 2025 and into the first quarter of 2026 for models like the OnePlus 11 and other Nord devices.
