OnePlus has officially rolled out OxygenOS 16, its latest software update for phones like the OnePlus 13 series, and we’ve been testing it on the OnePlus 13s for the past few days. The update continues OnePlus’s tradition of clean, fast software but adds a thoughtful layer of artificial intelligence and personalisation. Built around the theme “Intelligently Yours,” it aims to make the phone understand your habits and context better, and for the most part, it succeeds.
However, OxygenOS 16 doesn’t completely break new ground. It’s more of an evolution, one that smooths, polishes, and enhances the familiar OxygenOS experience, while introducing enough useful AI touches to keep things interesting.
Design: Calm And Personal
Visually, OxygenOS 16 refines the OnePlus identity rather than reinventing it. The new design brings gentle curves, subtle blur effects, and ambient lighting transitions that shift with the environment. The live weather animations are particularly alive without being distracting.
The Flux Theme 2.0 makes the lock screen more interactive, supporting motion photos, mini widgets, and even videos as wallpapers. Meanwhile, the new Fluid Cloud system, which shows live sports scores, delivery updates, and commute info, cleverly integrates practical data into the interface. It’s like a minimal notification centre that breathes with real-world motion.
OnePlus’s design language still feels cohesive and fast. That said, a few elements, like the slightly inconsistent blur intensity across menus and some non-adaptive icons, could benefit from finer polish.
Performance
Performance has always been a OnePlus hallmark, and OxygenOS 16 continues that tradition. The upgraded Parallel Processing 2.0 and new Flow Motion animations give the entire OS a sense of continuity. App transitions begin before the last animation ends, making everything feel instantaneous. On the OnePlus 13s, the system never stuttered, even under heavy multitasking or long gaming sessions.
The refinement extends to cross-ecosystem connectivity. The new O+ Connect app makes file transfers between phone and PC pretty easy like you could view, drag, and drop photos wirelessly, and even mirror the phone’s screen on a laptop for presentations or multitasking. The fact that OxygenOS 16 now also supports Apple Watch integration, albeit with a few setup steps, shows OnePlus’s commitment to making its ecosystem more open and flexible.
Our only gripe? Some new transitions feel slightly over-animated. While visually impressive, they occasionally make quick gestures (like jumping between apps) feel a split-second longer than before.
Plus Mind and Gemini: The Real Intelligence
At the centre of OxygenOS 16’s AI push is Plus Mind, a unified space for saving information – links, screenshots, voice notes, or anything you need later. A three-finger swipe or press of the Plus Key instantly saves content into Mind Space, where AI organises, tags, and even summarises it. It’s one of those features that quietly transforms how you use your phone, less about flash, more about practicality.
The Google Gemini integration takes that further. Once activated, Gemini can access saved data inside Mind Space and combine it with web information for contextual answers. When we asked, “Which restaurants near me have I bookmarked?” it pulled from saved notes and Google Maps to suggest relevant places. It feels futuristic, almost like having your own knowledge graph.
However, this feature’s potential depends heavily on how you use it. If you’re not regularly saving notes or links to Mind Space, it won’t feel revolutionary. Also, the integration currently works best in English; multi-language support is limited.
AI Tools:
OxygenOS 16 bundles several new AI productivity tools, each designed to assist without overstepping.
AI Writer: Helps rephrase text, adjust tone, or summarise long paragraphs. It’s great for captions, emails, or short notes, though it’s still basic compared to standalone AI writing tools.
AI Scan: Turns the camera into a professional-grade scanner, automatically correcting angles and glare.
AI Recorder: Transcribes and summarises conversations accurately, even identifying speakers. It works brilliantly indoors, though the AI Clear Voice filter still struggles in crowded environments.
AI Portrait Glow and Perfect Shot enhance low-light selfies and correct blinked eyes. While results are often impressive, the AI occasionally over-brightens faces, making them appear too processed.
OnePlus has also opened AI PlayLab, a sandbox where users can test experimental AI tools like YumSee (which visualises foreign menu dishes) and Party Up (which generates videos from photos). It’s a fun, early peek at what OnePlus might bring next.
Everyday Use
What stands out about OxygenOS 16 is how natural it feels. Despite the influx of AI features, it never feels cluttered. The animations, Gestures, and app drawer remain snappy, the Shelf still feels handy, and the OnePlus launcher retains its minimal appeal. Even features like Touch to Connect between OnePlus devices work seamlessly, we used it to transfer photos instantly between phones without touching menus.
That said, not all features feel equally mature. Fluid Cloud occasionally lags behind live events, and AI Writer doesn’t always preserve tone accurately. But these are small flaws in an otherwise remarkably cohesive update.
Verdict
OxygenOS 16 represents OnePlus at its most balanced, it doesn’t chase flashy gimmicks or overload users with unnecessary AI. Instead, it focuses on small, meaningful refinements that genuinely make everyday use smoother and smarter.
From the thoughtful new design language to Plus Mind and Gemini integration, it’s clear that OnePlus wants AI to feel personal, not performative. The fluid animations, cross-device convenience, and privacy-first architecture make it one of the most user-friendly Android skins available today.
If we had to nitpick, we’d say the AI features still need a little more polish to feel fully integrated, and certain animations could be snappier. But overall, OxygenOS 16 delivers what it promises, a cleaner, more intelligent, and more intuitive version of Android.
