OxygenOS 12.1 comes to the stable track for 7- & 7T-series

Full ZIP links are available, so you can update ASAP. Rollback instructions are towards the end.
Adhiraj S. Chauhan

EDITS

Indian devices have received a second stable build: H.30 for 7-series; F.17 for 7T-series. Nothing for other regions yet. Changelog:

  • System
    • Improves system stability
  •  Network
    • Optimizes communication stability

OnePlus 7-series went on sale on 14th May 2019, and came with OxygenOS 9 out-of-the-box. 7T-series launched with OxygenOS 10 on 28th September later that year. OxygenOS 12 is now on the stable track for Indian devices, and carries the H.<number> version. Complete timeline for 7- & 7T-series' OxygenOS 12 builds:

Closed Beta program for both was announced on 14th March 2022, meaning it took them ~3.5 months to bring Open Beta 1. This is the longest gap between OOS12 Closed & Open Beta for any device (for context, Nord 2 got a CB at the same time, but received OB ~2 months back). Along with the Nord CE, it is the seventh set of OnePlus devices to receive an update to OxygenOS 12 (9RT was the sixth, Nord 2 was the fifth, original Nord was the fourth, 8-series & 8T were the third, 9R was the second; 9 & 9 Pro the first). All these devices — with the exception of 9RT — have received stable OOS12 builds.

  • 14th March: Closed Beta program starts
  • 1st July: Open Beta 1
  • 10th August: Open Beta 2
  • 7th October: first Indian stable build (H.28 for 7-series, F.16 for 7T-series)
  • 18th October: second Indian stable (H.30 for 7-series, F.17 for 7T-series)
  • 26th October: first EU stable (H.30/F.17)
  • 30th October: first global stable (H.31/F.17)

What's disappointing is that these devices are the last to receive stable OOS12, despite their beta programs starting earlier than a lot of other devices. For context, Nord CE got its first OOS12 Open Beta build at the same time as these devices, but it received OOS12 stable ~1.5 months earlier than 7- & 7T-series on 25th July 2022. This pattern holds true for the massive gap between Closed Beta and Open Beta too: Nord 2 got CB at the same time, but received OB ~2 months before 7- & 7T-series).

Hopefully this means there won't be too many bugs, but honestly we doubt it. This is OnePlus after all. With every new device receiving a major Android update, we always advise our users to be patient and not jump into it without thinking. Every "first build" — even stable — is usually quite buggy and is almost always met with general disappointment. For example, 9-series got the first stable OOS12 build on 6th December 2021, which was pulled shortly after rollout. All OOS12 devices have received many bugfix releases, but users are still complaining about bugs; few of them are major ones. For example, my 8T is on the latest release for it (C.35), but none of these issues are still fixed. Other devices also have some of these bugs:

  • Android Auto shows a "searching for GPS" warning; makes it very difficult to navigate unfamiliar roads (e.g. on a trip)
  • Gmail notifications don't always get through, despite there being more than enough free space on the device
  • Double tapping on the lockscreen doesn't always turn screen off
  • USB choice dialog pops up every single time, even though I've already set a default
  • Going to the home/recents screen from an app that supports Material You's dynamic colour lags a lot, regardless of using gestures or buttons

Anyway, if you wish to update to OOS12 stable, you can do so via the app itself, since full ZIPs are available. Rollback instructions are at the end of this article.

Note: 7-series devices throughout their lifespan have only had EU & global (basically everything except EU) regional builds. That is, before OxygenOS 12 7-series devices never had any distinction between global & India. However, OxygenOS 12 onwards OnePlus has changed this. Make sure you select the correct device in the app's settings.

Changelog for OOS12 H.28/F.16 (first stable for 7-series/7T-series)

  • System
    • Newly added Smart Battery Engine, a feature that prolongs your battery life based on smart algorithms and biomimetic self-restoration technology
    • Redesigns app icons using new materials to give more depth and a greater sense of space and texture to the icons
    • Revamps the page layout based on the principle of reducing visual noise and optimizes the presentation of text and color to make key information stand out
    • Optimized desktop icons with improved textures, by using a design inspired by brand-new materials and uniting lights and layers
    • Optimized spam block rules: Adds a rule for blocking MMS messages
  • Games
    • Newly added the HyperBoost end-to-end frame rate stabilizer
    • Newly added Voice effect preview to allow you to record your voice effect or check your voice effect in real time
  • 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 access to OnePlus Scout in Shelf, allowing you to search multiple contents on your phone, including Apps, Settings, Media Data, etc
  • 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
  • Accessibility
    • Optimized categorization of functions by grouping them into vision, hearing, interactive actions, and general
    • TalkBack supports more system apps including Photos, Phone, Mail, and Calendar

You'll notice that this changelog is the exact same as Open Beta 1's. OnePlus tends to use the exact same changelog for the first major release, regardless of device or it being stable/beta.

Where can I install stable OxygenOS 12?

If you're currently on the stable track, you should have already received a notification from the app about the H.30 (7-series) or F.17 (7T-series) update. Please ensure you've selected either of the stable update methods in the app's settings, since the beta track doesn't receive updates separately from stable anymore (post Oppo-merger). Beta track is now meant only for the first few major Android builds, nothing more. Disable advanced mode as well, in case it's turned on for whatever reason. The stable track will continue to receive updates until the device is marked EOL (End-of-Life).

Once you're on the main screen of the app, simply download the update presented to you and follow the installation guide.

Can I rollback to OxygenOS 11?

Yes, go through the community posts (7-series, 7T-series) for detailed instructions. Rolling back will completely wipe all your data, so please take a backup before proceeding.

Make sure you choose the correct rollback package for your device & 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, if you're on an EU/Indian build, open Settings -> About device -> Version and tap "Build number" 7 times. This will enable Android's built-in "developer mode" (you might have to enter your phone's PIN/password too). Once this is done, "Local install" will once again be visible in Settings -> About device -> Up to date -> top-right button. If you're on a global/NA build, you need to use this APK instead: https://oxygenos.oneplus.net/OPLocalUpdate_For_Android12.apk. Find it in your app drawer after installing, it should be labelled “System update”.

Rollback packages

The following packages will rollback your device to OxygenOS 11.0.5.1, and will wipe all your data.

Remember: these are rollback packages — they're not the packages you should download if you're looking to update to the latest stable version. For that, close this news article and ensure you've selected either of the "Stable" update methods in the app's settings.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can either join our Discord server, or email us at [email protected].