Own a OnePlus phone? I changed 10 settings to significantly improve the user experience

It has been agreed upon by the ZDNET staff that the OnePlus 13 is that this yr’s sleeper hit. At a beginning worth of $899, the flagship cellphone can compete in opposition to costlier telephones just like the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. And we’ve OnePlus’ clear but extremely customizable software program expertise to thank for that.

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For those who switched to a OnePlus cellphone not too long ago or have been utilizing one since its startup days, there is a good probability you are not utilizing the cellphone to its full potential. Actually, through the years, OxygenOS, which has since been transformed to ColorOS, has acquired quite a few updates that make the telephones extra productive and simple to make use of. 

Listed below are 10 of them that I like to recommend enabling or altering to attain probably the most intuitive person expertise.

1. Allow Fingerprint Fast Launch

OnePlus telephones have a characteristic that allows you to launch apps from the lock display screen with only a press-and-swipe. With Fingerprint Fast Launch, you possibly can add as much as 5 apps or actions to launch while not having to raise your finger after unlocking the cellphone. 

As an illustration, I’ve added Gmail, Chrome, Video and Portrait on my OnePlus 13. I can place my finger and swipe it in direction of the app/motion that I wish to launch. It is useful after I must file a fast video or hear my Gmail ping for an necessary e mail. You may allow it by going to Settings > Safety and Privateness > Finger and Face Unlock > Fingerprint > Fast Launch.

2. Use the Sensible Sidebar to your benefit

Samsung launched a sidebar-like characteristic on the Galaxy Word Edge, and it has developed since to be extra customizable and helpful. On OnePlus telephones, the Sensible Sidebar is a small space on the proper edge (customizable) that you may entry with a swipe. It’s helpful for rapidly accessing your most-used instruments (like voice recorder or display screen recorder) and apps. You may allow/disable it by going to Settings > Accessibility and Comfort > Sensible Sidebar.

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The Sensible Sidebar can also be helpful as a productive characteristic. You may drag and drop gadgets to the File Dock, which could be accessed anytime sooner or later. I steadily use it to pull gadgets from Instagram or Chrome and drop them into WhatsApp chats. To allow File Dock, it’s essential to go to Settings > Accessibility and Comfort > Sensible Sidebar > Toggle on File Dock. You may additional regulate the Sensible Sidebar place, features, and extra. 

3. Use XPAN mode for landscapes

XPAN is likely one of the most underrated digital camera options, in my view. I first used it on the Oppo Discover N2 Flip to capture Costa Brava surroundings, and I am glad it has made its technique to OnePlus telephones. It’s impressed by Hasselblad’s XPan characteristic, which lets you seize panoramic photographs in a singular 65:24 facet ratio. 

OnePlus first added the XPAN Mode on OnePlus 9 collection however it hasn’t gained traction as a result of for the longest time, it did not permit customers so as to add XPAN to their Viewfinder. In consequence, it was hidden beneath Extra within the Digital camera app. You may add it and use it by going to Digital camera > Extra > faucet and maintain XPAN > after which including it to the viewfinder. 

4. Allow Dwell Pictures

Earlier final yr, I wrote about how a lot I like Dwell Pictures on my iPhone, and extra Android telephones ought to have this characteristic. To my nice shock, nearly each 2025 smartphone now has a Dwell Picture or related characteristic, which captures a 3-second video while you click on a photograph. I like it as a result of it tends to seize the feelings behind a photograph. 

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It is available in particularly useful after I’m snapping images of my mother and father. They will by no means get each of their eyes open in a shot directly. It takes a couple of tries, and within the meantime, Dwell Picture captures quick and humorous behind-the-scenes footage. To allow Dwell Pictures on a OnePlus cellphone, go to Digital camera and faucet on the third icon on the highest row.

5. AI Edits to enhance your images

Latest OnePlus telephones have a variety of AI options that may be helpful in sure conditions. One in every of my favourite AI options on the OnePlus 13 is AI Reflection Eraser. It resides within the Pictures app and can be utilized to erase mirror reflections in your pictures. 

AI Eraser and AI Unblur are two different options that come in useful when there’s an undesirable topic within the background or after I seize a photograph, however it seems to be blurry. To make use of these options, it’s essential to go to the picture you wish to edit > faucet on Edit > AI Editor.

6. Change the show decision

If in case you have a flagship OnePlus cellphone, just like the OnePlus 13, be sure you’re utilizing the show at its highest decision. In spite of everything, you paid for QHD+. Most telephones that help QHD decision do not have it enabled by default. 

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I like to recommend altering it to the sharpest decision obtainable as a result of OnePlus telephones have dependable battery life, and a pointy display screen will not harm it. This may allow you to work together with a sharper and extra pleasing show. To allow QHD+, go to Settings > Show & brightness > Display screen decision > Excessive.

7. Add Fast Search shortcut

OnePlus not too long ago added a world search to its telephones, permitting you to seek for contacts, settings, recordsdata, and extra by merely writing their names within the Fast Search field. There are a number of methods to entry it, and one in every of them is a swipe-down gesture on the house display screen. For those who’re coming from an iPhone, this is likely to be your go-to gesture. 

Nonetheless, for many who have used an Android and like having Notifications and Fast Settings on a swipe down on the house display screen, you should not need to miss out on Fast Search. You may add it to your house display screen above the house display screen apps to nonetheless have it at your fingertips. I like to recommend doing so as a result of over time, you may discover your self utilizing Fast Search steadily. 

So as to add Fast Search to the house display screen, go to Settings > House display screen & Lock display screen > Toggle on Present search on the backside.

8. Customise At all times on Show

OnePlus gives a number of customization choices for At all times on Show (AOD) to assist personalize your cellphone higher. You may add a black-and-white picture sketch with Canvas, a Bitmoji, or just a picture and textual content. Furthermore, you possibly can select what you wish to see in your AoD–it goes additional than merely selecting notification icons.

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You may select to show the same old data like Time, Date, Battery, and Notifications, in addition to Contextual data from Dwell Alerts and music playback. I’ve it enabled for my meals supply apps, Swiggy and Zomato, so I can see when my order will likely be delivered at a look. I hope Uber extends help for this characteristic as a result of I would like to see the ETA for my driver while not having to unlock my cellphone.

Moreover, you possibly can regulate the clock type, change to informational AoDs like Perception and Carbon footprint, and extra. You may discover all these choices beneath Settings > Wallpapers & kinds > At all times On Show.

9. Double faucet to show the display screen on/off

You’ll not understand how helpful this characteristic is till you employ it. When on the house display screen, you possibly can double-tap to lock your cellphone. That is helpful when your cellphone is mendacity unlocked on a desk and also you wish to lock it, however urgent the ability button is not probably the most handy possibility. 

Equally, when you don’t love AoD however nonetheless want data at a look, double-tap to wake your cellphone is an efficient possibility. To allow, go to Settings > House display screen & Lock display screen and toggle on these two choices:

1. Double faucet to lock
2. Double faucet to show the display screen on/off

Bonus: Allow these OnePlus gestures and settings

There are a number of shortcuts that I miss after I transfer from a OnePlus cellphone to overview one other cellphone. These embrace –

• Icon pull-down: OnePlus lets you make its big-screen telephones extra manageable by swiping from the underside left or proper to drag down the display screen. Go to Settings > House display screen & Lock display screen > Icon pull-down gesture > Toggle on Icon pull-down gesture.

• Elevate to wake: If you need your cellphone display screen to activate as quickly as you choose it up, it’s best to activate Elevate to wake by going to Go to Settings > House display screen & Lock display screen > Toggle on Elevate to wake.

• Dwell Alerts: Like Dwell Actions on iPhone, OnePlus has a Dwell Alerts characteristic that exhibits glanceable data from sure apps while not having to open them. Go to Settings > Notification & Fast Settings > Dwell Alerts > flip it on/off for the apps you want.

• Pocket mistouch prevention: There are occasions while you put your cellphone in your pocket with out turning off the display screen. Butt dial is a most well-known instance of pocket mistouch. To stop it from taking place, allow this characteristic by going to Settings > House display screen & Lock display screen > Toggle on Pocket mistouch prevention.

• Fast Settings basic view: For those who’re used to the default Fast Settings view, the latest Android 15 updates throughout producers could possibly be annoying as a result of it splits Fast Settings (swipe down from the proper aspect) and Notifications (swipe down from the left aspect) like iOS. Whereas OnePlus makes you select between Cut up and Traditional when organising the cellphone, you possibly can change your type by going to Settings > Notification & Fast Settings > Fast Settings > Traditional.