So you bought a OnePlus 15, now what? 7 hidden features in OxygenOS

If you're reading this then you're in possession of OnePlus' 2025-6 flagship, the OnePlus 15. Or perhaps you're thinking of buying one? Either way, good going – this is a 5-star Android phone through and through.

I've been using the OnePlus 15 for many weeks, followed by the step-down OnePlus 15R – to which this tips-based feature still applies, as it runs the very same OxygenOS 16 software – and while it embodies much of Google's Android 16's goodness, it also adds a few special touches.

I'm not talking about the OnePlus 15's material design – much as I think the Sand Stone option is the best of any Android phone for many months – or its camera or AI setup. Rather more, it's those intricate, essential, yet hidden features in OxygenOS 16 software that you really need to unlock.

1. Improve battery longevity

• Settings > Battery > Charging Settings > Smart rapid charging

Now, the OnePlus 15 has one of the most capacious batteries in any phone right now. It's got a 7300mAh cell, using the latest silicon-carbon type, to deliver longevity well beyond many competitors.

No need to do anything more than just enjoy that then, right? Not quite! Tucked away within the Settings are a variety of settings. Just like with electric vehicles, which slow battery charging from 80-100% to preserve battery life, the OnePlus 15 can do the same.

To activate this, select 'Smart Charging' in the Battery Health section. You can even toggle on Custom Charging Limit to prevent the battery (in 5% intervals) charging beyond 80%, should you wish.

2. Always know how fast your connection is

• Settings > Notifications & Quick Settings > Status Bar > Real-time Network Speed

Now this is a geeky one, but I love to see it. Rather than the cursory 4G/5G 'bars' that you get, the OnePlus 15 can show your network speed in approximate real-time, to the kB/s.

There are various other icons you can activate and deactivate within the status bar, too, from Bluetooth to Silent/DND modes – but this is more standard stuff for Android.

• Settings > Wi-Fi > Wi-Fi Assistant > Dual Wi-Fi Acceleration

There's one other connectivity feature that I'm bundling in here, too, as it's easily missed. You can use the OnePlus 15 on two Wi-Fi networks concurrently to improve the speed.

For some people this might mean using home Wi-Fi paired with a SIM-based 5G router, for example, ensuring that you have an additional backup should Wi-Fi drop and your phone's signal isn't strong.

3. Give the display more pop

• Settings > Display & Brightness > Screen colour mode> Vivid

When I first started to use the OnePlus 15, I did immediately think its display colours were a little more muted than what I'm used to. Many might not spot this, depending on what they've upgraded from.

Nonetheless, there's an easy fix to give a bit of extra pep to the display. In the Display & Brightness settings, as outlined above, there are three options – Standard, Natural, Vivid – and it's the last of these which gives that bit extra.

You can further customise with a Warm/Cool offset, if Adaptive Tone is switched off, should you prefer a certain aesthetic to your visuals.

4. Get an Apple-like Dynamic Island

• Settings > Notifications & Quick Settings > Live Alerts

Remember when Apple came along with its Dynamic Island feature for iPhone? Well, Android hasn't been quite so aggressive in applying this kind of notification.

On the OnePlus 15 you can, though, meaning the area around the front-facing camera dot will 'expand' and become interactive with certain apps.

It applies to music – Spotify, VLC, etc – and you can click the little bar to pop-up a larger player with which to interact.

Its more obvious use-cases are with ride-share apps, such as Bolt, or live sports – that's where Sports from Google comes in – which you can toggle on or off as you please.

5. Get more out of the fingerprint scanner

• Settings > Accessibility & Convenience > Quick Launch

It's nowhere to be found in the 'Fingerprint' section of the OnePlus 15's settings, but your fingerprint unlock can do even more if you continue to press-and-hold it.

You'll need to activate this – see steps above – via Quick Launch, which then enables you to pick from up to five quick-access functions or selected apps.

It's a great way to dive into your most-used or, if you're savvy, some of those lesser used but key apps that you'll need from time to time.

6. Silence distractions when gaming

• Game Assistant app

Pre-installed by default is OxygenOS 16's 'Game Assistant' app. It will automatically determine which apps it thinks are games – you can tell it when it's wrong, though – and will fire up when you load them.

Why's this a good thing? Far from bloatware, it's a useful tool. After it pops up, it disappears to the screen's edge, becoming a hidden 'nub' that you can swipe back into the screen space to interact with.

The most useful feature it offers, in my view, is under 'Tools', where the Do Not Disturb can block notifications and/or calls. You can also present notifications from scrolling across your game. It's a handy feature that needs to be engaged with to get the most out of it.

7. Avoid motion sickness when travelling

• Settings > Accessibility & Convenience > Motion Cues

Last up there's a particularly useful feature you might've never heard about. It's called Motion Cues and, once activated, it initially places 10 dots to the sides of your display.

These dots respond based on motion, using the phone's gyro and accelerometer, introducing additional animated dots that follow a given trajectory in response. This can counter the sway of motion when you're, say, in a car as a passenger.

Some boffin has figured out that adding this real-time point of reference on the display helps you to swerve sensory conflict in perceived motion, and offset motion sickness. Clever stuff.