OnePlus 12R Starts Receiving OxygenOS 16: What’s New And What To Expect

OnePlus has begun rolling out OxygenOS 16—its Android 16-based update—and the OnePlus 12R is one of the first devices on the list. This rollout begins in India and will expand globally over the next few weeks. With this update, the 12R gets OnePlus’s latest design language, faster animations, improved stability and the company’s new AI-focused features.

OxygenOS 16 Begins Rolling Out to OnePlus 12R

In the global schedule, OnePlus announced that the OxygenOS 16 will first arrive for the OnePlus 12R by November 2025. Indian users have started to receive the update via the over-the-air (OTA) push, with plans to make it available to a wider audience planned for future upgrades.

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OxygenOS 16 offers a significant visual refresh. OnePlus calls this look "Liquid Glass", with smoother animations and updated icons in line with system apps for an aesthetically consistent experience. Navigation feels tighter due to enhanced haptics and an updated animation engine that powers smoother transitions.

What’s New in the Update

Multitasking gets a noticeable lift. The Smart Sidebar is more flexible, letting users launch floating windows, jump into split-screen, or pull up quick tools without breaking flow. Apps resize and switch contexts more cleanly, which is great for messaging, browsing or anything that needs rapid switching.

There are also deep system-level improvements. Memory management has been tuned, background activity is better controlled and sustained performance under heavy load is more stable. Privacy controls inherit Android 16’s new granular permission system, giving users clearer oversight of location, media and app access.

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OxygenOS 16 also brings with it a refreshed camera interface. Mode transitions are now quicker, and OnePlus has updated their processing pipeline. Although no specific 12R camera features have been mentioned as part of this OS update, major OS updates usually bring algorithmic refinements that improve colour handling, HDR behaviour and low-light consistency.

Final Thoughts

OxygenOS 16 brings the OnePlus 12R back into focus with smoother performance, improved visuals and more capable multitasking tools. India will see this update first, but global rollout should follow shortly thereafter – for 12R users, this upgrade represents a significant upgrade that modernises their software experience while preparing it for the AI-led roadmap of OnePlus.