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

It has been agreed upon by the ZDNET workforce that the OnePlus 13 is that this 12 months’s sleeper hit. At a beginning worth of $899, the flagship telephone can compete towards costlier telephones just like the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. And we’ve got OnePlus’ clear but extremely customizable software program expertise to thank for that.

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If you happen to switched to a OnePlus telephone just lately or have been utilizing one since its startup days, there is a good likelihood you are not utilizing the telephone to its full potential. In truth, over time, 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 here 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 function that allows you to launch apps from the lock display screen with only a press-and-swipe. With Fingerprint Fast Launch, you may add as much as 5 apps or actions to launch with no need to elevate your finger after unlocking the telephone. 

As an illustration, I’ve added Gmail, Chrome, Video and Portrait on my OnePlus 13. I can place my finger and swipe it in the direction of the app/motion that I need to launch. It turns out to be useful once I must report a fast video or hear my Gmail ping for an necessary electronic 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 function 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 appropriate edge (customizable) which you could 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 function. You may drag and drop objects to the File Dock, which might be accessed anytime sooner or later. I steadily use it to pull objects from Instagram or Chrome and drop them into WhatsApp chats. To allow File Dock, that you must go to Settings > Accessibility and Comfort > Sensible Sidebar > Toggle on File Dock. You may additional modify the Sensible Sidebar place, capabilities, and extra. 

3. Use XPAN mode for landscapes

XPAN is without doubt one of the most underrated digicam options, for my part. I first used it on the Oppo Discover N2 Flip to capture Costa Brava surroundings, and I am glad it has made its method to OnePlus telephones. It’s impressed by Hasselblad’s XPan function, which lets you seize panoramic pictures in a singular 65:24 side ratio. 

OnePlus first added the XPAN Mode on OnePlus 9 sequence nevertheless it hasn’t gained traction as a result of for the longest time, it did not enable customers so as to add XPAN to their Viewfinder. Because of this, 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 Photographs

Earlier final 12 months, I wrote about how a lot I like Dwell Photographs on my iPhone, and extra Android telephones ought to have this function. To my nice shock, nearly each 2025 smartphone now has a Dwell Photograph or comparable function, which captures a 3-second video if you click on a photograph. I adore it as a result of it tends to seize the feelings behind a photograph. 

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It is available in particularly useful once I’m snapping pictures of my dad and mom. They will by no means get each of their eyes open in a shot without delay. It takes a couple of tries, and within the meantime, Dwell Photograph captures quick and humorous behind-the-scenes footage. To allow Dwell Photographs on a OnePlus telephone, go to Digital camera and faucet on the third icon on the highest row.

5. AI Edits to enhance your pictures

Current OnePlus telephones have a number 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 Photographs app and can be utilized to erase mirror reflections in your photographs. 

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

6. Change the show decision

When you have a flagship OnePlus telephone, just like the OnePlus 13, ensure you’re utilizing the show at its highest decision. In any case, you paid for QHD+. Most telephones that assist QHD decision haven’t got it enabled by default. 

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I like to recommend altering it to the sharpest decision out there as a result of OnePlus telephones have dependable battery life, and a pointy display screen will not damage it. It will 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 just lately added a worldwide 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 certainly one of them is a swipe-down gesture on the house display screen. If you happen to’re coming from an iPhone, this could be your go-to gesture. 

Nevertheless, for individuals 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 own home 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 will discover your self utilizing Fast Search steadily. 

So as to add Fast Search to the house display screen, go to Settings > Residence 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 telephone higher. You may add a black-and-white picture sketch with Canvas, a Bitmoji, or just a picture and textual content. Furthermore, you may select what you need 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 info 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 can be delivered at a look. I hope Uber extends assist for this function as a result of I might like to see the ETA for my driver with no need to unlock my telephone.

Moreover, you may modify the clock fashion, change to informational AoDs like Perception and Carbon footprint, and extra. You will 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 function is till you employ it. When on the house display screen, you may double-tap to lock your telephone. That is helpful when your telephone is mendacity unlocked on a desk and also you need to lock it, however urgent the ability button is not probably the most handy possibility. 

Equally, in the event you don’t love AoD however nonetheless want info at a look, double-tap to wake your telephone is an effective possibility. To allow, go to Settings > Residence 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 once I transfer from a OnePlus telephone to assessment one other telephone. These embody –

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

• Increase to wake: If you need your telephone display screen to activate as quickly as you decide it up, it’s best to activate Increase to wake by going to Go to Settings > Residence display screen & Lock display screen > Toggle on Increase to wake.

• Dwell Alerts: Like Dwell Actions on iPhone, OnePlus has a Dwell Alerts function that exhibits glanceable info from sure apps with no need 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 if you put your telephone 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 occurring, allow this function by going to Settings > Residence display screen & Lock display screen > Toggle on Pocket mistouch prevention.

• Fast Settings traditional view: If you happen to’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 appropriate aspect) and Notifications (swipe down from the left aspect) like iOS. Whereas OnePlus makes you select between Cut up and Traditional when organising the telephone, you may change your fashion by going to Settings > Notification & Fast Settings > Fast Settings > Traditional.