First OxygenOS 12 Open Beta for 8-series & 8T is out

To install, choose one of the "Open Beta" update method, and enable advanced mode as well
Adhiraj S. Chauhan

EDIT 2022-04-21 13:56 IST:

Added links to EU rollback ZIPs (source: 8-series, 8T). Weirdly, these files don't end with ".zip" so you'll need to manually rename to add them at the end.

The OnePlus 8-series devices were released in April 2020 (came with OxygenOS 10 out-of-the-box), and the 8T launched in October later that year (came with OOS11). It is the third set of OnePlus devices to receive an update to OxygenOS 12 (9R was the second; 9 & 9 Pro the first: Open Beta on October 5th, 2021, and stable from December 2021 onwards). OxygenOS 12 Closed Beta programs for the 8-series & 8T were announced on 12th November 2021 — making Open Beta 1 just shy of 4 months later.

If this tweet from a Closed Beta member is anything to go by, you should expect a lot of bugs and missing features in this build. EDIT: ignore; this user was part of the OOS11 Closed Beta, not 12. Regardless, here's the changelog (respective forum posts: 8-series, 8T):

Open Beta 1 changelog

  • System
    • Optimized desktop icons with improved textures, by using a design inspired by brand-new materials and uniting lights and layers
  • Dark mode
    • Dark mode now supports three adjustable levels, bringing a more personalized and comfortable user experience
  • Shelf
    • New additional style options for Cards, making data contents more visual and easier to read
    • Newly added Earphone Control Card with Bluetooth earphone one-click adjustment
    • Newly added access to OnePlus Scout in Shelf, allowing you to search multiple contents on your phone, including Apps, Settings, Media Data, etc
    • Newly added OnePlus Watch Card in Shelf, to easily glance at your health stats
  • Work Life Balance
    • Work Life Balance feature is now available to all users, allowing you to effortlessly switch between Work and Life mode via quick settings
    • WLB 2.0 now supports automatic Work/Life mode switching, based on specific locations, Wi-Fi network, and time, also bringing customized App notification profiles according to the personalization
  • Gallery
    • Gallery now allows you to switch between different layouts with a two-finger pinch gesture, intelligently recognizing the best-quality pictures, and cropping the thumbnail based on the content, making the gallery layout more pleasing
  • Canvas AOD
    • Canvas AOD brings you new diverse styles of lines and colors, for a more personalized lock screen experience with inspiring visuals
    • Newly added multiple brushes and strokes and support for color adjustment
    • Optimized software algorithm and improved face recognition to better identify the features and skin color of different figures

There are also known issues in this build, which we have reproduced below for your convenience:

  1. Some third-party apps haven't been adapted to the latest Android version and may not function properly
  2. The clock might be missing the dial display when AOD function is on

Although you may be hyped by OxygenOS 12 now being available for your device, do remember that this is beta software (as proven by known issues list) and that as such, you accept any risks by installing this update. Furthermore, you're expected to report bugs to OnePlus directly via community app. Do also mind that switching back to stable OxygenOS 11 at any point will require a full data wipe, so don't get excited and jump into OB1 without considering all its pros and cons.

Note that there's no link for EU yet. If you don't want to wait, you can crossflash to global from the app itself (just select the non-EU/India device). However, we advise patience.

How can I install OB1?

This is meant only for 8-series & 8T - it WILL NOT WORK for other devices. Since this is a beta update, make sure to backup all important data before your proceed as it may not be stable!

Before installing, please ensure your battery level is at least 30% and you have at least 3GB space left on your device. If you encounter any bugs in OB1, make sure you report them to OnePlus.

You can install the beta using this app itself: close this article, open the app's settings, and switch to one of the "Open Beta" update method - you might have to enable "Advanced mode" as well. Then go back to the main screen of the app, and you'll be able to download OB1. You can check the forum thread listed below for more information:

Can I revert to the stable version of OxygenOS?

Yes, please read the forum thread of your device as linked above for detailed instructions. Rolling back will completely wipe all your data, so please take a backup before proceeding.

Below is the rollback/downgrade packages for the OnePlus 8-series & 8T. Make sure you choose the correct rollback package for your device and region. We are providing these links purely for your convenience, as rolling back isn't natively supported by our app. After downloading the correct rollback package, move the file from the "Downloads" directory to the topmost directory of internal storage (the same directory that the "Downloads" folder is in). Then, install this APK, open the app (OP Local Update) -> cog icon in the top right and choose the rollback package.

Rollback packages

The following packages will rollback your device to OxygenOS 11, and will wipe all your data. Ensure the downloaded file ends with ".zip".

Remember: these are rollback packages - they're not the packages you should download if you're looking to switch to Open Beta. For that, close this news article and change your update method to "Open Beta (full)" in the app's settings, and enable advanced mode as well.