Nothing has been working on the next version of its custom UI, i.e., Nothing OS 1.5, which will run on top of Android 13, for the last few weeks. It was in closed beta, but Nothing released the first batch of the open beta update on 15 December for those who signed up for the open beta earlier.
Unfortunately, it is only available for a few users among the thousands of users who signed up for the early Nothing OS 1.5 Beta (Open). Well, nothing to worry about; today, we will let you know how you can update to Nothing OS 1.5 Beta even though you were not selected for the first batch.
Note: As the name suggests, it is a beta update that is not supposed to be installed on a daily driver, as it may contain unknown bugs and glitches that may disturb your day-to-day smartphone usage. Proceed with caution.
What’s New in Nothing OS 1.5 Beta?
The first thing to notice is that Nothing OS 1.5 is powered by Android 13, which is the latest right now. So, you can expect most of the Android 13 goodness on top of Nothing spice in the latest Nothing OS 1.5 Open Beta.
Here is the list of new features and updates, as per the Nothing Blog Post,
- Material UI is cherished abundantly.
- You can expect an improved loading speed of up to 50%.
- A new QR Scanner widget is added in the Quick Settings.
- Now you can preview copied text on the clipboard.
- Improvised media controls in the notification bar.
- New UI for volume control.
- A pop-up menu is added for Network and Bluetooth quick settings.
- Improved Game Mode includes FPS display, screen recording, DND, and light notifications.
- Live Captions for major OTT and Video Streaming apps.
- Privacy upgrades. Including:
- Photo picker.
- Notification permissions.
- Media permissions.
How to Install Nothing OS 1.5 Beta (Open)?
Thanks to the folks at XDA-Developers, we can now download the update by ourselves and install it on our Nothing Phone (1).
Let’s proceed to the steps without further ado,
Before proceeding to the installation, make sure you are in the latest build, i.e., 1.1.7 for Global Users and 1.1.8 for EU Users. This is very important; otherwise, your Nothing Phone (1) can be bricked during installation.
Either update via OTA or download the latest files (1.1.7 Global | 1.1.8 EU) ( Update from one previous version only) and flash them via Local Updater before flashing Nothing OS 1.5 Beta.
Now that you are in the latest build, 1.1.7 and 1.1.8 for global and EU users, respectively. We can proceed to the installation of Nothing OS 1.5 Beta.
Download the respective file as per your location. And then copy it to the safe place via the file manager.
- Now, open your Dialer and type the below code; as soon as you dial it, a new Local Updater window will open.
*#*#682#*#*
- Now, click on the Browse button and search and select the previously downloaded file.
- Select the file from the list and tap on the Proceed & Reboot button.
- It will take 10-20 mins to install and reboot the system. After that, you will be welcomed to the new Nothing OS 1.5 Beta (Open).
Frequently Asked Questions
Will it void my warranty?
As of now, we don’t know whether it will void the warranty or not, but most probably it won’t, since the official blog post didn’t mention it.
Can I go back to the stable version?
Yes, you can go back to the stable anytime you want, but note that it will wipe your smartphone, so it is advised to take a backup before proceeding.
How to downgrade to Android 12?
It is simple, but it will wipe your entire storage. Boot into Recovery Mode and then Wipe Data/Factory Reset.
To boot into recovery mode, lock your Phone (1) and then press and hold the Volume Up, Down, and Power buttons simultaneously; leave the Volume Down and Power buttons when you feel the vibration. And finally, click the Volume Up button once when you see the ‘No Command‘ text.
Will I get further updates?
Yes, as soon as Nothing pushes the new update, you will also receive it via OTA update.
Final Verdict
That was it; I hope you successfully installed the latest Nothing OS 1.5 Beta on your Nothing Phone (1). The steps were as simple as installing an apk file of any app. So, I can only hope that you didn’t face any issues while doing it.
If you have any questions regarding this article, do let us know about it in the comments section below. And if you have successfully installed it on your smartphone, do let me know about it on Twitter by tagging me.
Peace!
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