We Tested OxygenOS 16 on the OnePlus 13s: What’s New and What’s Better

Note: This is a beta build, so some features and visuals may change or improve before the stable release.

OxygenOS 16 is finally official, and we at Gizbot have been testing it on the OnePlus 13s for about a week now. The short version? It’s not a radical redesign, but it definitely feels different. OnePlus is doubling down on smoothness, adding a layer of AI, and—let’s be honest—borrowing a few tricks from Apple’s iOS 26.

The update feels familiar yet new, polished in some areas and a bit experimental in others. So let’s break it down — what’s changed, what’s improved, and what still feels half-baked.

A Touch of iOS 26 in the Design

The moment you unlock the phone, you’ll notice OxygenOS 16 looks a little shinier than before. There’s this “liquid glass” effect everywhere—on app icons, buttons, toggles, even inside the calculator and camera app.

OnePlus clearly took cues from iOS 26’s dynamic UI. Tap an icon and it ripples softly, like light moving across water. It’s subtle and adds a bit of flair. The only problem? It’s inconsistent. The effect appears in some apps but vanishes in others like the dialer or clock. It feels like OnePlus started something cool but didn’t finish it yet. Hopefully, the stable release fixes that.

Smoother Animations, More Flow

OnePlus already had one of the smoothest Android skins, but OxygenOS 16 takes that up a notch. Animations are faster and more natural. Swiping through the app drawer or pulling down the notification bar feels incredibly fluid.

The secret is something OnePlus calls Flow Motion and parallel processing — basically, the next animation starts before the last one finishes. That overlap makes everything look more seamless. There’s also a new swipe-back gesture, which looks great, though right now it only works in system apps.

Full-Screen Always-On Display Looks Clean

The Always-On Display finally goes full-screen, and it looks great. You get a cleaner layout with the time, wallpaper, and battery percentage all in view. It’s brighter, easier to read, and makes the lock screen feel more alive.

But there’s a catch — once you enable the full-screen AOD, edge lighting gets disabled. So you’ll have to pick one.

Customization Gets an Upgrade

OnePlus didn’t forget about personalization. OxygenOS 16 introduces a new Flux icon pack with softer, uniform visuals that change based on your wallpaper or system colors. You can now resize app icons directly from the home screen, use a 5x7 grid layout, and even hide app names for a cleaner look.

You can also create custom shortcuts for certain apps. For example, tapping on Instagram can now give you quick access to your DMs or Reels. It’s practical and feels very “OnePlus”—simple but thoughtful.

Lock Screen Widgets Finally Arrive

Lock screen widgets are here, and they’re surprisingly good. You can add up to four widgets or mix different sizes for variety. There are built-in options for calendar, alarm, step counter, and calculator, and they all look great with OxygenOS 16’s clean aesthetic.

Third-party widgets aren’t supported yet, which limits things a bit. But even in this early version, the lock screen feels way more functional and less static.

AI That Actually Feels Useful

AI isn’t just a buzzword here. OxygenOS 16 brings Google Gemini integration, connecting with your Mind Space to pull stored notes, recordings, or text whenever you need them.

The AI Writer tool can rewrite or proofread text and even turn your notes into ready-to-post social captions. We found it handy for quick edits or brainstorming content ideas. The AI Notes app can now automatically create mind maps and tables, which is a huge win for students or professionals who take a lot of notes.

AI VoiceScribe can record and transcribe calls (yes, even WhatsApp calls). It’s still hit or miss with accuracy, but when it works, it’s brilliant. And AI Relight in the gallery brightens dim portraits automatically, saving you a round of editing.

Small But Smart System Tweaks

The battery section now shows how long each mode will last, and it finally includes a Battery Health readout with capacity info. Power saving and performance modes are easier to toggle, and if you’re in light mode, switching on power saving automatically flips to dark mode.

Quick Settings have grown too — you get more tiles, color customization, and full edit control, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth toggles that were locked before. Even the sound sliders have a thicker, more tactile look.

Eligible Devices for OxygenOS 16

Here’s the confirmed list of phones getting OxygenOS 16:

• Flagship Series: OnePlus 11, 11R, 12, 12R, Open, 13, 13R, 13s, 15
• Nord Series: Nord 3, Nord 4, Nord 5
• Nord CE Series: CE4, CE4 Lite, CE5
• Pad Series: Pad, Pad 2, Pad 3

The rollout starts October 16, with newer flagships getting it first. OnePlus says it’ll be a gradual rollout depending on the region, but India should be among the first to receive it.