Best of One Plus 3 Tips & Tricks
One Plus 3 is one of the powerful, or I should say most powerful flagship phone in today's smartphone market. Yes, I am saying this because i own it. This is my latest smartphone entry after Samsung Galaxy S4. At Rs 27,999 you get a solid AMOLED display, Snapdragon 820 processor, 6GB RAM, 16MP camera, premium metal hardware, a decently sized 3000mAh battery with super fast charging, and one of our favorite software experiences.
So this post is for those who had recently bought this giant. The OnePlus 3 has a lot going for it out of the box, but there are a few features and settings you should acquaint yourself with early in order to get the most out of the phone.
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 if you are one like me, who had just bought it, just go through below tips and tricks to get the best out of your One Plus 3 flagship smartphone.
1. Dark mode and Night mode:
Despite similar-sounding names, these two settings work differently. 'Night mode' dims the blue hue of the screen to avoid disturbing users' sleep, while 'Dark mode' changes the background color from white to black.
'Night mode' can be activated directly from the shortcuts menu by sliding two fingers down from the status bar. From there, the moon symbol can be used to activate it. You can also access it by going to Settings > Display; from here you can also adjust the intensity.
To activate the 'Dark mode' and customize the color of the icons go to Settings > Personalization. From here, you will be able to activate the mode and choose an accent color to contrast with the dark background.
2. Customize the switch:
The Alert Slider is the mechanical slider switch located on the left side of the OnePlus 3, and like the one fitted on the OnePlus 2, it’s used to change the alert status on the phone. Here’s how it works, and how to customize it.
The positions are:
To set up Priority alerts, go to Settings > Alert Slider > Priority Settings. Here, toggle the switches for the alerts you want to receive when in Priority mode, including events and reminders. Another option changes the notification settings for calls. By default, it’s set to starred contacts only, but this can be changed to have any contacts or no-one at all.
3. Disable capacitive buttons while gaming:
When you play games, you always get those capacitive buttons on the screen and you always touch it accidentally. You don't this when you are playing the game very interestingly. So this is what you have to do.
Go to Settings > Buttons and touch on the first paragraph where it says Navigation bar on the screen. When you enable this option, capacitive buttons stop working and disappear while you play.
4. Customize button functions:
One Plus 3 has buttons on the sides which can be used for various actions. The three buttons have extra functions that can be accessed via a long press or double tap.
But now you can assign 7 different actions for each type of press: Search Assistant, Turn Off Screen, Open Camera, Voice Search, Open Last Used App, or Open Shelf.
5. View notifications just by waving your hand over the OnePlus 3:
Ambient display is one of the better features Google introduced in Android back in Lollipop. There’s also a touchless wake feature that allows you to quickly peek at notifications in the Ambient display mode just by waving your hand over the front of the OnePlus 3.
Go to Settings > Display > Turn on Ambient display then > Turn on Proximity wake.
6. Close all application on one click:
We many times open so many apps that runs in behind which eats lots of battery. So this was something that was needed the most in closing all application at once. Thanks to Oxygen OS which lets you close all the application at once.
Click the multitasking button, all applications that you've used appear in chronological order. Just scroll down (or move all the apps upward), three icons appear from left to right: Manage applications, Clear the cache and Close all applications.
7. Activate and Deactivate the Shelf:
Shelf is a handy shortcut and quick access panel that lives to the left of the main home screen. It shows information on frequently used apps, has a memo feature, and can hold all your Android widgets so they don’t crowd the home screen. It should be activated by default.
Press and hold on an empty space on the home screen. Now, of the three options listed choose Customize. You should now see an option called Enable Shelf. Simply slide the toggle to the left to disable it.
8. Customize the colors of the notification LED light:
The LED notification on the light on the OnePlus 3 tells you when you have a notification waiting for you. The light can even be customized so you can pick and choose which colors it displays when you have a notification, the phone is charging, or just when the battery is low.
Under Settings > Customization, there is a section called LED Notifications. Here you can change the color for the LED notifications warning you of lower battery. You can also access applications to enable or disable the notification LED on case-by-case basis.
9. Customize the Status Bar:
You can customize all the options that are displayed in Status Bar.
At the bottom of the Customization menu, you can modify the information shown in the status bar. By default, everything is enabled but you can disable any icons you don't want.
10. Quick Gestures:
You find many apps that lets you use gesture to open the apps of some of the mostly used features of the smartphone. But Oxygen OS comes equipped with a series of gesture modes.
To enable these, go to Settings > Gestures and select On before checking the gestures that you want to use. There are four options: Double tap to wake, draw a circle on the screen to open the camera, a V gesture to turn on the flash and several more gestures to control the music.
11. Activate Manual Mode on the Camera:
Camera is always the important part of the every smartphone. After One Plus 2 they have improved the camera and regardless of its apparent low-light expertise, there are times when only a few manual adjustments will do the job. Believe me, you get good photos in Manual Mode compared to Auto, mainly in low light.
Open Camera > Click on the menu key in the top left of the screen > Click on the Manual Mode and there you go. The viewfinder will reappear and you’ll see a selection of adjustable settings spread across the bottom of the screen. Get the best photos to click.
12. Taking screenshot on the One Plus 3:
You may need to take screenshot of you screen many times. This can be for various reason. Unlike many other features or process, here also you have to combine buttons to click the screenshot.
To take a screenshot, simply press and hold the power and + volume down buttons for 2 seconds. You’ll see the screenshot animation letting you know it’s been saved to your device.
While the phone is awake, you can also bring up the Power menu by holding the power button. From there, you’ll see the Screenshot option. Just tap on it and the menu will disappear and take a screenshot of wherever you’re at in the UI.
13. Use home screen gesture to access notification and search:
The OnePlus Launcher is the default home screen app that comes on the OnePlus 3. For instance, built-in gestures allow you to quickly access the notification panel by swiping DOWN anywhere on the home screen, or UP to access a quick Google Search.
Both gestures can be turned off if you feel like they’re getting in the way, just long press a blank area of the home screen and select Customize to pull up the toggles for Gesture.
14. Change your default icons:
If by any means you get bored with your default icons and what a whole new set of icons you can do it by just a click. Luckily, the stock OnePlus Launcher supports icon packs, so all you have to do is find your favorites in the Google Play Store.
Just long press on a blank area of the home screen > Tap on Customize > Swipe on the cards displayed at the bottom until you reach Icons and select the one you want.
15. Alarm Ring Feature when phone is OFF:
Many times you have to switch off your phone while sleeping. But then the alarm feature will not work, but the OnePlus 3 can do just that. When setting an alarm it has a unique “Wake if device is powered off” feature not found on many other devices.
Just expand the alarm options in the app by swiping over to the Alarm tab, and when creating a new alarm (look for the “+” icon at the bottom), you’ll find the option listed among the rest. If you’ve already created an alarm, just tap on the dropdown arrow, to show the available options.
16. Customize which app and game can send you notification:
If you are a user who likes to install many apps and games then this feature is for you guys. You will get many notification for the apps or games. Sometimes this is very annoying and you don't have to do anything with that.
The quickest way to control an app’s notifications is when you actually receive said notification from the app. At that point, simply long press on the notification to see the name of the app that generated it, then press the “i” icon to be taken to the app’s notifications options. There you can control the notifications.
If you are unable to do the above step, jump into Settings > Sound & notification > App notifications and select desired app and edit the notification.
17. Swap the buttons:
This is something very interesting. As mentioned in the starting, I was using Samsung Galaxy S4. So the buttons were like, Back button on the Right side and here One Plus 3 has Back button on the Left side. This can be sometimes a bit difficult to access in the starting but get use to it later. But still if you want it the way you want you can swap the buttons anytimes you want.
Just go to 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.
Hope all this tips help you to get the best out of your One Plus 3. There can be more in the list. Just stick around to this post and i will keep updating on this. Also, if there is anything that you want to know about this phone, just comment below and I'll try my best to answer it.
Cheers!!!
So this post is for those who had recently bought this giant. The OnePlus 3 has a lot going for it out of the box, but there are a few features and settings you should acquaint yourself with early in order to get the most out of the phone.
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 if you are one like me, who had just bought it, just go through below tips and tricks to get the best out of your One Plus 3 flagship smartphone.
1. Dark mode and Night mode:
Despite similar-sounding names, these two settings work differently. 'Night mode' dims the blue hue of the screen to avoid disturbing users' sleep, while 'Dark mode' changes the background color from white to black.
'Night mode' can be activated directly from the shortcuts menu by sliding two fingers down from the status bar. From there, the moon symbol can be used to activate it. You can also access it by going to Settings > Display; from here you can also adjust the intensity.
To activate the 'Dark mode' and customize the color of the icons go to Settings > Personalization. From here, you will be able to activate the mode and choose an accent color to contrast with the dark background.
2. Customize the switch:
The Alert Slider is the mechanical slider switch located on the left side of the OnePlus 3, and like the one fitted on the OnePlus 2, it’s used to change the alert status on the phone. Here’s how it works, and how to customize it.
The positions are:
- Down for all notifications;
- Center for priority notifications;
- Up for silent.
To set up Priority alerts, go to Settings > Alert Slider > Priority Settings. Here, toggle the switches for the alerts you want to receive when in Priority mode, including events and reminders. Another option changes the notification settings for calls. By default, it’s set to starred contacts only, but this can be changed to have any contacts or no-one at all.
3. Disable capacitive buttons while gaming:
When you play games, you always get those capacitive buttons on the screen and you always touch it accidentally. You don't this when you are playing the game very interestingly. So this is what you have to do.
Go to Settings > Buttons and touch on the first paragraph where it says Navigation bar on the screen. When you enable this option, capacitive buttons stop working and disappear while you play.
4. Customize button functions:
One Plus 3 has buttons on the sides which can be used for various actions. The three buttons have extra functions that can be accessed via a long press or double tap.
But now you can assign 7 different actions for each type of press: Search Assistant, Turn Off Screen, Open Camera, Voice Search, Open Last Used App, or Open Shelf.
5. View notifications just by waving your hand over the OnePlus 3:
Ambient display is one of the better features Google introduced in Android back in Lollipop. There’s also a touchless wake feature that allows you to quickly peek at notifications in the Ambient display mode just by waving your hand over the front of the OnePlus 3.
Go to Settings > Display > Turn on Ambient display then > Turn on Proximity wake.
6. Close all application on one click:
We many times open so many apps that runs in behind which eats lots of battery. So this was something that was needed the most in closing all application at once. Thanks to Oxygen OS which lets you close all the application at once.
Click the multitasking button, all applications that you've used appear in chronological order. Just scroll down (or move all the apps upward), three icons appear from left to right: Manage applications, Clear the cache and Close all applications.
7. Activate and Deactivate the Shelf:
Shelf is a handy shortcut and quick access panel that lives to the left of the main home screen. It shows information on frequently used apps, has a memo feature, and can hold all your Android widgets so they don’t crowd the home screen. It should be activated by default.
Press and hold on an empty space on the home screen. Now, of the three options listed choose Customize. You should now see an option called Enable Shelf. Simply slide the toggle to the left to disable it.
8. Customize the colors of the notification LED light:
The LED notification on the light on the OnePlus 3 tells you when you have a notification waiting for you. The light can even be customized so you can pick and choose which colors it displays when you have a notification, the phone is charging, or just when the battery is low.
Under Settings > Customization, there is a section called LED Notifications. Here you can change the color for the LED notifications warning you of lower battery. You can also access applications to enable or disable the notification LED on case-by-case basis.
9. Customize the Status Bar:
You can customize all the options that are displayed in Status Bar.
At the bottom of the Customization menu, you can modify the information shown in the status bar. By default, everything is enabled but you can disable any icons you don't want.
10. Quick Gestures:
You find many apps that lets you use gesture to open the apps of some of the mostly used features of the smartphone. But Oxygen OS comes equipped with a series of gesture modes.
To enable these, go to Settings > Gestures and select On before checking the gestures that you want to use. There are four options: Double tap to wake, draw a circle on the screen to open the camera, a V gesture to turn on the flash and several more gestures to control the music.
11. Activate Manual Mode on the Camera:
Camera is always the important part of the every smartphone. After One Plus 2 they have improved the camera and regardless of its apparent low-light expertise, there are times when only a few manual adjustments will do the job. Believe me, you get good photos in Manual Mode compared to Auto, mainly in low light.
Open Camera > Click on the menu key in the top left of the screen > Click on the Manual Mode and there you go. The viewfinder will reappear and you’ll see a selection of adjustable settings spread across the bottom of the screen. Get the best photos to click.
12. Taking screenshot on the One Plus 3:
You may need to take screenshot of you screen many times. This can be for various reason. Unlike many other features or process, here also you have to combine buttons to click the screenshot.
To take a screenshot, simply press and hold the power and + volume down buttons for 2 seconds. You’ll see the screenshot animation letting you know it’s been saved to your device.
While the phone is awake, you can also bring up the Power menu by holding the power button. From there, you’ll see the Screenshot option. Just tap on it and the menu will disappear and take a screenshot of wherever you’re at in the UI.
13. Use home screen gesture to access notification and search:
The OnePlus Launcher is the default home screen app that comes on the OnePlus 3. For instance, built-in gestures allow you to quickly access the notification panel by swiping DOWN anywhere on the home screen, or UP to access a quick Google Search.
Both gestures can be turned off if you feel like they’re getting in the way, just long press a blank area of the home screen and select Customize to pull up the toggles for Gesture.
14. Change your default icons:
If by any means you get bored with your default icons and what a whole new set of icons you can do it by just a click. Luckily, the stock OnePlus Launcher supports icon packs, so all you have to do is find your favorites in the Google Play Store.
Just long press on a blank area of the home screen > Tap on Customize > Swipe on the cards displayed at the bottom until you reach Icons and select the one you want.
15. Alarm Ring Feature when phone is OFF:
Many times you have to switch off your phone while sleeping. But then the alarm feature will not work, but the OnePlus 3 can do just that. When setting an alarm it has a unique “Wake if device is powered off” feature not found on many other devices.
Just expand the alarm options in the app by swiping over to the Alarm tab, and when creating a new alarm (look for the “+” icon at the bottom), you’ll find the option listed among the rest. If you’ve already created an alarm, just tap on the dropdown arrow, to show the available options.
16. Customize which app and game can send you notification:
If you are a user who likes to install many apps and games then this feature is for you guys. You will get many notification for the apps or games. Sometimes this is very annoying and you don't have to do anything with that.
The quickest way to control an app’s notifications is when you actually receive said notification from the app. At that point, simply long press on the notification to see the name of the app that generated it, then press the “i” icon to be taken to the app’s notifications options. There you can control the notifications.
If you are unable to do the above step, jump into Settings > Sound & notification > App notifications and select desired app and edit the notification.
17. Swap the buttons:
This is something very interesting. As mentioned in the starting, I was using Samsung Galaxy S4. So the buttons were like, Back button on the Right side and here One Plus 3 has Back button on the Left side. This can be sometimes a bit difficult to access in the starting but get use to it later. But still if you want it the way you want you can swap the buttons anytimes you want.
Just go to 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.
Hope all this tips help you to get the best out of your One Plus 3. There can be more in the list. Just stick around to this post and i will keep updating on this. Also, if there is anything that you want to know about this phone, just comment below and I'll try my best to answer it.
Cheers!!!
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