Skip to main content
Tech Radar TechRadar the technology experts
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
RSS
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
  • Phones
  • Computing
  • TVs
  • AI
  • Streaming
  • Health
  • Audio
  • VPN
  • More
    • Cameras
    • Home
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Opinion
    • How to
    • Versus
    • Deals
    • Coupons
    • Best
Tech Radar Pro
Tech Radar Gaming
Trending
  • Amazon Prime Day
  • Back to school
  • Nintendo Switch 2
  • Best VPN
  • ChatGPT
  • NYT Wordle today
  • Best laptop
  • Best web hosting
Recommended reading
The OnePlus 13T being held in the hand on an orange background
OnePlus Phones ‘It’s not a removal, it’s an evolution’: OnePlus backs decision to ditch the Alert Slider on the OnePlus 13T and future models
New OnePlus products on a blue background
OnePlus Phones Exclusive: OnePlus reveals the OnePlus Nord 5 series, OnePlus Buds 4, OnePlus Pad Lite, and a new OnePlus Watch
The OnePlus 13s, showcasing the Plus Key
OnePlus Phones OnePlus' new Plus Key gives users a hardware link to AI, replacing the fan-favorite Alert Slider
A OnePlus phone being camera-tested next to a test mannequin
OnePlus Phones Hyper-realistic dolls and a fake KFC: I toured the bizarre China facility where OnePlus tests its phone cameras
OnePlus AI Plus Mind
Artificial Intelligence OnePlus unveils AI Plus Mind, and I think this might be the best use of AI in a smartphone yet
Android Photography
Phones Supercharge your Android phone photography with my 5 easy tips
The Nothing Phone 3 being held in the hand
Nothing Phones I went hands-on with the Nothing Phone 3, and it might just be the most interesting phone of the year – here's why
  1. Phones
  2. OnePlus Phones

OnePlus 3 tips and tricks

How-to
By James Rogerson published 14 June 2016

OnePlus 3 = fun

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Introducing the OnePlus 3

Introducing the OnePlus 3

The OnePlus 3 is set to bring you flagship power without the price tag, just like the OnePlus 2 before it. However, there's a lot more to the phone than just raw specs, with OxygenOS giving access to a range of tweaks and advanced functions that you won't find on most rival handsets.

So whether you've already got one ordered and want to get ahead of the game or are just wondering what the software has to offer we've got you covered, with a guide to its less obvious features.

From custom LED notifications to proximity sensor smarts and a whole lot more, here are eight tips and tricks to get the most out of the OnePlus 3.

Page 1 of 9
Page 1 of 9
1. Turn the lights down with dark mode

1. Turn the lights down with dark mode

If you're anything like us you're probably tapping away at your phone deep into the night, but the blindingly bright colors on a smartphone screen aren't a good match for a darkened room, which is why the OnePlus 3 has a Dark mode.

Simply head into Settings > Customization > Dark mode and the menus will switch to a classy black color. With less of a stark contrast between your phone screen and the night time world around you it should be easier on your eyes and, you never know, you might even get some sleep.

Page 2 of 9
Page 2 of 9
2. See rainbows with custom LED notifications

2. See rainbows with custom LED notifications

The notification light on your phone is a great way of knowing at a glance whether you have any messages or missed calls. But when it's the same color for reminders, texts and everything else you still invariably have to turn on the screen to see exactly what you've missed.

The OnePlus 3 solves that problem with eight different notification colors which you can attach to different things. So you'll know whether you've got a text or just a Facebook alert and can even set a color to flash specifically when your battery is lower than 5% and needs an emergency charge. To customize these to your liking just go to Settings > Customization > LED notifications.

Page 3 of 9
Page 3 of 9
3. Swap the buttons

3. Swap the buttons

Always hitting back when you want to head to recent apps? On the OnePlus 3 you can just swap them around, with Settings > Buttons allowing you to switch the functions of the recent apps and back buttons, whether you're using hardware or software keys, so you'll always find your way to the screen you intended.

Bonus tip: If other people use your phone, periodically swap the buttons around just to confuse them. They might start to think they're going mad, but it'll be worth it for the mild amusement it provides.

  • 10 tips to keep your phone safe and secure
Page 4 of 9
Page 4 of 9
4. Turn the screen on with a wave

4. Turn the screen on with a wave

The OnePlus 3 has a proximity sensor, which allows you to do clever things like activate the display by waving your hand in front of the camera or just by taking the phone out of your pocket.

But, useful as this feature is, it's disabled by default, so to turn it on head to Settings > Display and toggle 'Ambient Display' on.

Not only can this save time, but also wow any very easily impressed friends. Bonus points if you can convince them that it's magic.

Page 5 of 9
Page 5 of 9
5. Manage your apps with a tap

5. Manage your apps with a tap

The recent apps screen on the OnePlus 3 isn't just for jumping between apps, it also has an option at the bottom to clear all of them so you don't have to manually swipe them all shut.

And there's more: there's also a similar tool for clearing all background processes and a shortcut to the screen for managing individual apps. As with the proximity sensor this is all about saving time, so you can get back to the important things like live streaming your cat.

Page 6 of 9
Page 6 of 9
6. Fill up your Shelf

6. Fill up your Shelf

One of the tweaks OxygenOS brings to Android is a 'Shelf', which adds an extra home screen full of widgets, reminders, recent apps and frequent contacts, which you can get to by swiping right on the main home screen.

Left to its own devices it could become a no-mans-land of seemingly random content, but you can take control, by adding widgets of your own, sticking memos and reminders in and prioritizing the order that things appear on the screen.

You can also remove widgets by long pressing them and swiping right or remove the whole shelf by long pressing on the home screen and selecting the 'Customize' option.

  • How to fix any Android problem
Page 7 of 9
Page 7 of 9
7. Custom notification menu and status bar

7. Custom notification menu and status bar

The notification menu and status bar on phones are designed to be a quick way to toggle settings and see what you've missed, but they can often become cluttered with icons and shortcuts you never use.

That doesn't have to be a problem on the OnePlus 3, as you can remove any icons that you don't want on the status bar and rearrange or hide the icons and shortcuts on the notification screen.

Page 8 of 9
Page 8 of 9
8. Customize the search bar

8. Customize the search bar

By now you've probably gathered that OxygenOS on the OnePlus 3 gives you a lot of power to customize the look and feel of your phone, and one more small but significant way you can do that is by customizing the Google search bar.

By default, this will sit at the top of your home screen, meaning it's something you'll be looking at a lot, so you might as well make it look good by long pressing the home screen and selecting 'Customize.'

Or, if you don't want the Google search bar at all you can use the same Customize screen to completely remove it.

  • Advanced Google search tips and tricks
Page 9 of 9
Page 9 of 9
James Rogerson
Social Links Navigation

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

See more Phone How Tos
Read more
The OnePlus 13T being held in the hand on an orange background
‘It’s not a removal, it’s an evolution’: OnePlus backs decision to ditch the Alert Slider on the OnePlus 13T and future models
New OnePlus products on a blue background
Exclusive: OnePlus reveals the OnePlus Nord 5 series, OnePlus Buds 4, OnePlus Pad Lite, and a new OnePlus Watch
The OnePlus 13s, showcasing the Plus Key
OnePlus' new Plus Key gives users a hardware link to AI, replacing the fan-favorite Alert Slider
A OnePlus phone being camera-tested next to a test mannequin
Hyper-realistic dolls and a fake KFC: I toured the bizarre China facility where OnePlus tests its phone cameras
OnePlus AI Plus Mind
OnePlus unveils AI Plus Mind, and I think this might be the best use of AI in a smartphone yet
Android Photography
Supercharge your Android phone photography with my 5 easy tips
Latest in OnePlus Phones
OnePlus Nord 5 and OnePlus Nord 4
OnePlus ditched metal on the new Nord 5 because its buyers 'prefer styles that are brief, simple, and elegant'
New OnePlus products on a blue background
Exclusive: OnePlus reveals the OnePlus Nord 5 series, OnePlus Buds 4, OnePlus Pad Lite, and a new OnePlus Watch
The OnePlus 13s, showcasing the Plus Key
OnePlus' new Plus Key gives users a hardware link to AI, replacing the fan-favorite Alert Slider
OnePlus 13R from the back
No iPhone, no problem – the O+ Connect app from OnePlus gives UK users Airdrop-style file sharing
A OnePlus phone being camera-tested next to a test mannequin
Hyper-realistic dolls and a fake KFC: I toured the bizarre China facility where OnePlus tests its phone cameras
The OnePlus 13T being held in the hand on an orange background
‘It’s not a removal, it’s an evolution’: OnePlus backs decision to ditch the Alert Slider on the OnePlus 13T and future models
Latest in How Tos
Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar sprint to the finish line at Stage 12 of the 2024 Tour de France.
How to watch Tour de France 2025 on ITVX for FREE
Henry Lloyd-Hughes as DS Nathan Rose in Ragdoll
How to watch Ragdoll on BBC iPlayer (it's free)
Finn Russell of British & Irish Lions makes a break in the lead up to his side's third try, scored by Elliot Daly, left, during the tour match between Western Force and the British & Irish Lions at Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia.
Waratahs vs Lions FREE streams: How to watch British & Irish Lions tour live online from anywhere
England players singing national anthem
Argentina vs England FREE streams: How to watch 1st Test 2025 rugby live online from anywhere
Novak Djokovic plays a forehand at Wimbledon 2025
How to watch Evans vs Djokovic online: live stream Wimbledon 2025 tennis FREE
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell go head-to-head at the Austrian GP.
How to watch British Grand Prix F1 on Channel 4 (it's free)
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    Get the best of both worlds with Ninja's hot-and-cold DualBrew Pro, now at the lowest price I've seen in years of deal hunting for Prime Day
  2. 2
    Rare AMD CPU powers this just-announced NAS offering, not only 2 USB4 ports but also one OCuLink connector - I'd love to use it as a mini PC
  3. 3
    Superman cast and character guide: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, and everyone else you'll see in the DC movie
  4. 4
    Thanks to this Oral-B electric toothbrush, my teeth have never felt cleaner – and right now, it's half price in early Prime Day deals
  5. 5
    After 30 hours with Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fighters Edition, the Nintendo Switch 2 version has almost become my preferred way to play

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...