Enable or Disable USB Tethering
If your laptop or PC shows no internet connection after plugging in the USB cable, USB tethering on your OnePlus is probably still switched off or fighting with another active connection. Some OxygenOS versions also pop up a prompt asking which network connection to share, and picking the wrong one leaves the computer offline. This is different from a broken cable or driver issue, since the phone controls the tethering toggle itself.
Enable or Disable Screen Rotation
When you tilt your OnePlus sideways, the whole screen content flips with it, which helps when you are browsing a website or watching a video in landscape. The same behavior gets in the way when a photo, a game, or a fixed app layout rotates on its own at the wrong moment. If Auto-rotate keeps flipping your display unexpectedly, or refuses to rotate when you actually want it to, the setting controlling this behavior lives in the display options.
Enable or Disable Location Data in Photos and Videos
If your photos and videos do not show where they were taken in the gallery app, the camera is not tagging them with location data. This can happen after a system update or a fresh camera app install, when location tagging quietly resets to off. Turning geotagging back on lets you see the exact spot of every shot later, which is useful for travel photos or documenting a job site.
Enable Parallel Apps for Dual Messenger Accounts
Running two WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook or Instagram accounts on one OnePlus phone usually fails because the app only supports a single login at a time. OxygenOS solves this with a built-in cloning feature that creates a separate, independent copy of the app. Without it, you are stuck switching accounts manually every time you need the other profile.
Assign a Custom Ringtone to a Contact
When your phone rings, you often can't tell who's calling until you glance at the screen. OnePlus lets you assign a distinct ringtone to individual contacts, including your own MP3 files, so specific callers stand out just by the sound.
Import Contacts from SIM or VCF File
Contacts stored only on a SIM card or in a .vcf backup file stay invisible to your OnePlus phone until you actively pull them into the Contacts app. That gap shows up right after switching SIM cards or setting up a new phone, when calls and messages suddenly miss names you know exist. Where you save the imported data - device storage or your Google account - also decides whether those contacts survive a factory reset or a phone swap.
Remove the Google Search Bar from the Home Screen
After setting up a OnePlus phone, the Google search bar sits fixed at the top of the home screen and takes up space you might want for apps or widgets. It behaves like a widget rather than a system element, so it can be taken off without touching any search functions on the phone. If it keeps coming back after a restart, a launcher setting is usually the reason.
Enable or Disable Large Mouse Pointer
Connecting a mouse via USB or Bluetooth to your OnePlus phone often leaves the pointer too small to track on a touchscreen-sized display. This setting controls how large the cursor appears when you navigate with an external mouse instead of your finger.
Change Default Apps
If tapping a link or asking for voice assistance keeps opening the wrong app on your OnePlus phone, a default app assignment is pinned to a tool you no longer want. This happens after installing a new browser, messaging app or voice assistant that never took over the role automatically. The system keeps using the old default until you switch it manually.
Show Device Certification Labels
Looking for the FCC ID or HAC rating on your OnePlus phone but cannot find a physical sticker anywhere on the device? OnePlus stores these regulatory certifications digitally instead of printing them on the back cover. Which labels appear depends on your exact device model and sales region.
Edit Quick Responses in the Phone App
Rejecting a call with a text reply on your OnePlus phone often sends a generic message like 'I will call you back later' that does not fit the situation. The Phone app stores a fixed set of quick responses that rarely match how you actually communicate. Until you edit them, every caller you decline gets the same default text.
Rename SIM Card
When both SIM slots run cards from the same mobile carrier, the phone shows an identical label for each and calls or data usage become hard to tell apart. OxygenOS displays this carrier name by default instead of a custom label. Renaming each SIM card fixes the mix-up without needing to swap slots or restart the phone.
Delete Access Point Name (APN)
A wrong or outdated APN entry on your OnePlus phone can block mobile data or MMS even though your SIM card works fine elsewhere. This often happens after switching providers, since the old carrier's APN stays saved and OxygenOS keeps using it by default. Removing the leftover entry clears the conflict without touching your other network settings.
Add a New Home Screen Page
When every app and folder sits crammed onto one home screen, finding a single icon turns into a scroll-and-squint exercise. OnePlus phones let you spread apps across separate pages instead of piling everything onto one screen. This helps when you want a dedicated page just for messaging apps, games, or work tools.
Show Detailed Battery Usage
If your OnePlus battery screen only lists a few apps since you unplugged the charger, you are not seeing the full picture of what drained your battery. Oxygen OS keeps a more detailed breakdown that covers every app and background process since your last full charge, but it is tucked away from the main battery screen.
Change Alarm Volume
If your OnePlus phone barely wakes you up, the alarm might still be tied to your media volume level. OnePlus lets you adjust the alarm tone on its own scale with seven volume steps, independent of whatever you last set for music or games. That means a quiet media setting from the night before won't leave you oversleeping in the morning.
Enable or Disable Speak Passwords in TalkBack
If TalkBack reads your password out loud while you type it on your OnePlus, anyone standing nearby can hear it, from a bus seat to a shared office. This happens because the Speak passwords option makes TalkBack announce each character as confirmation for people who cannot see the screen. Depending on where and how you use your phone, you may want this feature active or completely switched off.
Show or Hide Calendar Week Number
When you book a meeting or deadline, you often need the calendar week number, and the OnePlus Calendar app does not show it by default. That forces you to count weeks manually every time you check a date. The Show week number setting controls whether week numbers appear next to the days in your calendar view.
Disable TalkBack
If TalkBack turns every tap into a double-tap and swipes now switch between items instead of scrolling, the accessibility service is still running in the background. Reaching the toggle to stop it feels different from a regular settings visit, since TalkBack itself changes how you interact with menus while it is active.
Set Date Manually
If your OnePlus phone keeps resetting the date to the network value, the automatic time sync is still active in the background. This function pulls the date directly from your carrier and overwrites any manual change you make. You need to disable it before a custom date will actually stick.
Change Media Volume for Apps, Games and Videos
If Netflix, YouTube or a game suddenly blast out sound while your ringtone stays quiet, you are running into OnePlus's separate media volume control. This slider governs all in-app audio, including games, streaming apps and even played WhatsApp voice messages, independent from calls and notifications. Turning up the wrong slider in Quick Settings often leaves the actual media level untouched.
Power Button for Quick SOS
If your OnePlus suddenly dials the emergency number after you press the power button several times in a row, the quick SOS option in Security & Privacy is active. This shortcut is meant to speed up emergency calls, but it can trigger by accident in a pocket or bag. Knowing where this setting lives helps you switch between three or five presses, or turn it off completely.
Set Dark or Light Theme for the Messages App
If the Messages app on your OnePlus phone still opens in a bright white layout at night, the built-in theme option is likely set to Light or System default instead of Dark. This app-level 'Choose theme' setting works independently from your phone's overall system theme, so changing one does not automatically change the other. Left on the wrong setting, this means unnecessary eye strain in dark rooms and slightly higher battery drain on an AMOLED screen.
Pocket Mode: Enable or Disable
If your OnePlus phone keeps launching apps, dialing numbers, or waking the screen while it sits in your pocket, the built-in touch protection might be switched off. Pocket mode is meant to lock the display and fingerprint scanner whenever the phone detects it's stowed away, but the toggle can slip back to its default state after an update or reset. Here's what controls the behavior and how to check the current setting.