Nothing Phone (3) Update History

Nothing OS 5.0

You’re now upgrading to the official release of Nothing OS 5.0, powered by Android 17. Please back up your data, including photos, call logs, and contacts, before upgrading. Here's what's new:

New Features

• 🔮 Introduced the Glyph app, designed specifically for the Glyph Interface, offering quicker access and a refreshed interactive experience. Find it in the app drawer.
• 🗄️ Quick Settings and the notification panel now support split, giving you a cleaner layout and easier access. Enable it in Settings > Notifications > General > Notifications and Quick Settings.
• ✅ Arranging home screen icons in bulk is now available. Try it out via long-pressing the home screen and tapping on "Arrange."
• 🚥 Introduced a new three-colour status bar indicator for scenes of sensitive access, location, AI processing, letting you know device activity instantly.

Visual Enhancements

• 🫧 Introduced the new Translucent theme for Launcher, featuring an elegant frosted-glass style and subtle accent colours inspired by the wallpaper. Set it up in Customisation > Theme & Style > Translucent.
• 🎨 Lock screen customisation now supports setting up a colour for your clock face.
• 🕰️ Added two new lock screen clock faces.
• 🎴 Updated the wallpaper gallery with a new style wallpaper.
• 🛜 Refined the status bar icons with a clearer and more consistent style and subtle animations.
• 🖋️ Refined the system design with the newly introduced Geist typeface and refreshed the Settings UI for clearer readability and a more cohesive look.
• 🌌 Improved interactions and transition animations across various scenarios for a more fluid experience.

Fresh Widgets

• 🪆 Introduced Collector widgets, a playful new way to turn your photos into different-style decorations on your home screen.
• ⏱️ Away Time widgets are now available, effortlessly tracking your time away from the screen to help you gain better insights into your daily habits.
• ⏳ Glyph Timer is now supported in the widget drawer, offering you a handy interaction on your home screen.

Camera Enhancements

• 🎛️ Introduced Tuning with seven adjustable effects and a reset option.
• 🎞️ Upgraded Presets with easier editing, richer cards, Playground integration, and a new 2×2 widget.
• 🎥 Enhanced video creation with support for Filters and Tuning, added Dual-view Video, and H.265 encoding.
• ✨ Improved recording, zoom, close-up shooting, QR scanning, Google Lens, and Motion Photo playback.
• 📷 Refreshed the Camera UI, controls, feedback, and animations.

General Improvements and Bug Fixes

• 🌑 Expanded Dark theme is now available, automatically applying the Dark theme to most apps that don't support it natively. Adjust it anytime in Settings > Display > Dark theme > Use Expanded Dark theme.
• 🔆 Enhanced HDR brightness is now available, allowing you to customize HDR intensity for a comfortable viewing experience. Set it up in Settings > Display > Enhanced HDR brightness.
• 👆 Depth (Beta) wallpapers now support pinching to shrink, giving more flexibility for your operation.
• 💊 Refined Live Updates with an enhanced status bar experience for ongoing activities.
• 👻 Introduced Noto 3D Emoji in Gboard for a more vivid look and expression.
• 🎙️ Essential Voice transcriptions now appear faster with reduced latency.
• 🏠 Improved interaction with the lock screen shortcuts for a more natural experience.
• 🎧 The Bluetooth in Quick Settings now supports instant connection or disconnection with a single tap of the device icon.

Notes:

The device may temporarily heat up and increase power consumption during the update and will quickly return to normal after the process is complete.

What's New in This Update

Essential Voice Enhancements

• 🔡 You can now customise whether a long-press or a double-click of the Essential Key triggers translation or transcription while typing. Set it up in Settings > Intelligence toolkit > Essential Voice > Customise Essential Key.
• ⌨️ Quick switch between translation and transcription is now available by long-pressing the icon on the keyboard.
• 🎧 Essential Voice can now be triggered via the Ear (3) Super Mic while using the keyboard.
• 🎙️ Optimised Essential Voice for a smoother performance.

General Improvements and Bug Fixes

• ✨ Gallery image editing now supports AI Eraser, helping instantly remove unwanted objects, pedestrians, or reflections with one tap.
• 🎚️ Optimised the volume slider animation effect at minimum volume for a more fluid feel.
• 🔗 Improved Bluetooth connection reliability during phone calls.
• ⚙️ Enhanced overall system stability.
• 🛡️ Updated to August 2026 security patch.

Notes:

Your device may use more power and feel warmer during installation. Performance will return to normal after the update is complete.

What's New in This Update

New Features

• 🪄 Lock screen customisation now supports Depth effect (Beta) and adjustable clock face sizes and alignments.
• 🎴 Depth effect (Beta) is now compatible with Atmosphere wallpapers.
• 🎧 The status bar now displays the dedicated icon of Nothing headphones when connected.

General Improvements and Bug Fixes

• 🎚️ Refined the volume slider to allow seamless and more precise adjustment when dragging.
• 🌌 Improved Launcher animations for a smoother and more fluid experience.
• 🔉 Optimised audio playback to prevent unexpected volume fluctuations in certain scenarios.
• 📷 Enhanced overall camera stability.
• 🔗 Enhanced Bluetooth connection stability.
• ⚙️ Enhanced overall system stability.
• 🛡️ Updated to June 2026 security patch.

Notes:

Your device may use more power and feel warmer during installation. Performance will return to normal after the update is complete.

Nothing OS 4.1

Hi there. You’re now upgrading to Nothing OS 4.1, powered by Android 16. We'll be rolling out even more features for Nothing OS 4.1 in the future, so please stay tuned.

Take a look at what's included in this update:

Essential Voice

Essential Voice, a new AI-powered speech-to-text feature, lets you focus on your ideas efficiently. Tap the icon on the keyboard or long-press the Essential key when using the keyboard to start. Key features include:

• 🎙️ Cleans up transcriptions by filtering out interjections, filler words, and repetitions, while intelligently handling your self-corrections.
• 🔡 Translates on the fly by detecting your translation intent and inserting the translated text directly.
• 🗃️ Allows you to store personal phrases, like email addresses, and automatically inserts them when triggered by corresponding speech.
• 📑 Formats the text automatically by converting speech into structured lists, steps, or bullet points when identifying those contents from the speaker.

Notes:

For more details about Essential Voice, please go to Settings > Intelligence toolkit > Essential Voice.

New Features

• ⏲️ Introduced the lock screen clock face from Phone (3a) Community Edition, co-created with the community member Jad Zock, featuring an exclusive typeface style and unique waking-up effect.
• 📡 Live Updates now work across various scenes, such as the lock screen, notification panel, and Glyph Interface, tracking real-time progress from apps, like Google Maps, just at a glance.
• 💬 Essential Notifications settings UI has been reworked with a cleaner look and descriptions for easier use.
• 🫧 Notifications that are frequently interacted with may be suggested to be set as Essential Notification.

Notes:

Live Updates compatibility with apps depends on local availability and specific app integration.

General Improvements and Bug Fixes

• 📖 Optimised the prompt instructions when activating eSIM for better clarity and usage.
• 🤳 Enhanced video call stability to prevent stuttering when using certain third-party apps.
• 📱 Fixed some display errors in the notification panel and Quick Settings.
• ⚙️ Enhanced overall system stability.
• 🛡️ Updated to April 2026 security patch.

Notes:

Your device may use more power and feel warmer during installation. Performance will return to normal after the update is complete.

What's New in This Update

New Features

• 💡 Caller and charging progress can now be shown on the Glyph Matrix by shaking your phone. To enable this, go to Settings > Glyph Interface > Flip to Glyph and turn on the toggles.
• 📰 Added an Essential Notifications entry in Settings for easier access. Find it via Settings > Notifications > Essential Notifications.
• 🪀 Essential Apps now features a recommendation section in the widget library, providing quicker access to the Nothing Playground to discover AI-powered community creations.

General Improvements and Bug Fixes

• 😎 Apps in private space are now available to be updated via Google Play Store.
• ⛅ Optimised the Weather widget location permission prompt to reduce disruption.
• 🔔 Optimised ringtone performance for better stability and compatibility with third-party apps.
• 📳 Optimised the stability of vibration and haptic feedback in certain scenarios.
• 🦻 Optimised the sound volume during calls with Oticon Zircon 2 miniRITE T hearing aids.
• 📷 Enhanced overall camera stability.
• 🧊 Fixed an issue where the Camera preview froze in Portrait mode when switching from Photo mode in certain scenarios.
• 📱 Fixed an issue where dual SIM ringtones could be mixed up in some cases.
• 🔉 Fixed an issue where speaker volume could be very low when switching from a Bluetooth call in some apps.
• 🎮 Fixed an occasional issue where game audio would not resume after returning from Recent apps.
• 📶 Fixed an issue where the mobile network icon incorrectly indicated no internet in certain cases.
• 🌐 Enhanced overall network stability.
• ⚙️ Enhanced overall system stability.

Notes:

Your device may use more power and feel warmer during installation. Performance will return to normal after the update is complete.

What's New in This Update

Visual Enhancements

• 🔋 Updated the battery percentage icon with the number displayed inside.
• 🌑 Optimised Extra dark mode for better visual adaptation to more scenarios.
• 🎚️ Improved the smoothness of the volume slider animation when adjusting volume via keys.
• 📼 Optimised sound wave and wheel animations in Recorder for a more fluid experience.

General Improvements and Bug Fixes

• 🔔 Setting different ringtones for dual SIMs is now supported.
• 👀 Always-on Glyph Toy now will always stay on until manually turned off.
• 🚗 Fixed an issue where the in-car display could freeze when using Android Auto.
• 👖 Improved pocket mode detection logic for Glyph Interface.
• 📳 Optimised the vibration and haptic feedback across more scenarios.
• 🔒 Enhanced stability of lock screen and AOD for a better experience.
• 🤳 Improved Glyph mirror stability across more camera scenarios.
• 📹 Fixed an issue where the video encoding setting reverted from H.265 to H.264 when switching between shooting modes.
• 🚶 Fixed an issue where the Pedometer Progress widget continued animating on the lock screen while AOD was on.
• 🛜 Improved the searching speed for nearby available Wi-Fi networks.
• ⚙️ Enhanced overall system stability and smoothness.
• 🛡️ Updated to December security patch.

Notes:

The device may temporarily heat up and increase power consumption during the update and will quickly return to normal after the process is complete.

Nothing OS 4.0

You’re now upgrading to the official release of Nothing OS 4.0, powered by Android 16. Please back up your user data (photos, call logs, contacts, etc.) before proceeding with the upgrade. Take a look at what's included in this update:

New Features

• 🤖 Added AI usage dashboard. When using Essential Space, it automatically tracks AI large model usage for enhanced privacy transparency. Path: Settings > Intelligence toolkit > AI usage.
• 🕶️ Hiding apps directly from the home screen and App drawer is now supported. Find hidden apps via: Home screen > App drawer > Hidden icons.
• 🔍 Managing the search scope is now supported in App drawer to display results within a specific scope.
• 📏 Added more size options for Weather, Pedometer, Screen Time widgets.
• ↔️ 2x2 size is now supported for most QuickSettings tiles.
• 🟢 Pop-up view now supports two floating icons for easier switching.
• ⚡ System upgrade supports app optimisation to improve startup speed. Path: Settings > Apps > App optimisation.

Essential Innovations

• 🛝 Introducing Playground (Alpha) — come to experience unique creations from the Community, including Essential Apps, Glyph Toys, Camera Presets, and EQ Profiles.
• 🪀 Essential Apps (Alpha) are now open for download. Enjoy the AI-powered, community-crafted apps that blend creativity with efficiency.

Notes:

For more details of Playground & Essential Apps, please visit https://playground.nothing.tech.

Visual Enhancements

• 🌠 Nothing app icons have been redesigned with an all-new, fresh look.
• 📶 Updated status bar icons with a more intuitive look.
• 🎴 Updated the lock screen password page with wallpaper blur effect.
• ⏱️ Added 2 new lock screen clock faces in Customisation.
• 🌑 Extra dark mode is now available, bringing a more immersive dark style. Path: Settings > Display > Dark theme > Extra dark mode.
• 🌌 Improved transition animations in certain scenarios for a smoother, more fluid experience.

Glyph Interface

Phone (3) users, you told us the Glyphs could use more love, so we got to work. We're excited to bring key refinements to Flip to Glyph to make the feature more customisable and impactful for daily use, along with refreshed versions of popular legacy Glyph features, reimagined for the Glyph Matrix. We hope you enjoy them!

• 🕒 Always-On Glyph Toys will now be activated with Flip to Glyph instead of on timeout, ensuring you always have a quick and reliable gesture to enable the toy of your selection.
• 🤫 Added a setting to choose whether Flip to Glyph switches your phone to Silent or Vibrate mode.
• ⭐ Tooltip now clearly states that calls are not affected by the "Essential Notifications only" option under Flip to Glyph - no more guessing!
• ⚡While in Flip to Glyph, give your phone a quick shake while plugged in to instantly see the charging status.

Next, let's go over the two most-requested legacy features:

• 🔗 The long-awaited Glyph Progress is back, now using Android 16 Live Update notifications for improved compatibility with third-party apps. Enable it via Settings > Glyph Interface > Glyph Progress.
• ⏳ Glyph Timer returns with a refreshed animation. Add it as a Quick Settings tile or enable it manually via Settings > Glyph Interface > Glyph Timer.

Last but not least, some features we at Nothing really wanted ourselves:

• 🌚 Introducing a new Moon Phase toy, showing exactly how the moon will look tonight.
• 🛝 Tired of the built-in toys? A new button on the “Manage Glyph Toys” page takes you directly to community-made creations on Nothing Playground.
• 📸 The Glyph Mirror toy will now also save a matrix-styled photo. Déjà vu?
• 👖 The Glyph Interface will now temporarily disable when you put your phone in your pocket. No notifications are that Essential that they need to glow through your pants.

We hope at least some of the features above can make their way to your daily routine, and please keep the constructive feedback coming!

Notes:

The device may temporarily heat up and increase power consumption during the update and will quickly return to normal after the process is complete.

What's New in This Update

Camera Bug Fix

• 🎨 Fix an issue with presets causing the Camera app to crash unexpectedly.

Notes:

The device may temporarily heat up and increase power consumption during the update and will quickly return to normal after the process is complete.