OnePlus 6 and 6T turn it up to 11 with stable OxygenOS 11 release

OnePlus 6T India review
OnePlus 6T India review (Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

What you need to know

  • OnePlus is releasing OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11 to the OnePlus 6 and 6T.
  • This comes about a month after the first Android 11 Open Beta was released for these devices.
  • The company confirmed the OTA update is part of a staged rollout before it's released to everyone.

On the same day that we get Android 12 Beta 4, OnePlus finally releases the stable version of Android 11 for the OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T. This comes after the first Open Beta for Android 11 was released at the beginning of last month. And with it, expect to see a lot of changes.

The changelog provided by OnePlus is pretty long, but that's not unsurprising given that the OnePlus 6 and 6T are taking things up to 11 with this release. Here's a list of some of the biggest features included with OxygenOS 11:

  • Redesigned user interface.
  • UI enhancements to the Stock Camera app.
  • Canvas feature that draws a wireframe picture to be used on the Ambient Display.
  • Overhauled Game Space including better notification controls and quick replies that come in a small window.
  • Dark Mode shortcut can now be added to the Quick Settings panel. It can also be set to turn on automatically in Settings.
  • Shelf interface has been redesigned, along with adding a weather widget.

Chances are that if you've checked out one of the best Android phones of 2021, like the OnePlus 9 Pro, then these changes may be somewhat familiar. However, considering that the OnePlus 6 and 6T were released way back in 2018, we're still happy to see Android 11 arrive. Of course, it's been almost a year since Android 11 was introduced by Google, but hey, we'll take what we can get for three-year-old phones.

OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11

Source: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central (Image credit: Source: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

OnePlus confirmed that although the rollout is beginning today, the OTA is part of a "staged rollout," meaning the update is rolling out to a select number of OnePlus 6 and 6T users today, before the company broadens the release spectrum over the coming days. The goal of this is to ensure that no crticial bugs make their way out to device owners that managed to slip through undetected.

OnePlus also stated that if you happen to be using a VPN to try and download this latest built, you might not have much luck. This is because the OTA rollout it not based on regions and is "randomly pushed out to a limited number of devices."

Andrew Myrick
Senior Editor — Smartphones (North America), Chromebooks & Tablets

Andrew Myrick is a Senior Editor at Android Central. He enjoys everything to do with technology, including tablets, smartphones, and everything in between. Perhaps his favorite past-time is collecting different headphones, even if they all end up in the same drawer.