Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta Is Here — Here’s What You Need to Know

Hey friends — big news from Nothing today: the Nothing OS 4.0 open beta is now out in the wild, and if you own one of the eligible Nothing phones, you can hop in early to try it out. (Yes — that means you might get a taste of Android 16 + some fresh features before the general release.)

In this post, I’ll walk you through what’s new, which devices are supported, how to install, and warnings + tips — all in a nutshell, so you don’t have to dig through technical docs. Let’s roll.

Table of Contents

Why This Matters: What Nothing OS 4.0 Brings to the Table

First off: this isn’t just a skin. Nothing OS 4.0 is a meaningful step forward. It’s built on Android 16, and the focus is on smarter AI features, better fluidity, control, and design polish.

Here’s what’s catching eyes so far:

Refined UI & smooth transitions — the whole visual language is more cohesive and fluid.
Extra Dark Mode — deeper blacks, more contrast, kind to your eyes (especially at night).
Pop-up View — multitask smarter, with two floating app icons so you don’t break your flow.
Lock screen upgrades — new clock styles, more customization, smarter widgets.
Better app performance — faster app launches, smoother animations, optimizations under the hood.
Camera & gallery improvements — smarter presets, more control, tighter integration.
Transparency & AI controls — Nothing is pushing hard on giving you oversight over AI (with hints, dashboards, etc.).
Stability, connectivity, and fine tweaks — improved WiFi/Bluetooth behavior, improved stability overall.

Also interesting: Nothing has introduced something called “Essential Apps” + a Playground concept. In short, the Playground lets users define app ideas (via prompts) and turn them into lightweight functions/widgets — no coding required. You can share them, install them, etc. It’s early, but the potential is big.

Which Phones Can Join the Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta?

Not every Nothing device gets in this round. As of now, the open beta supports:

Nothing Phone (3)
Nothing Phone (2)
Nothing Phone (2a)
Nothing Phone (2a) Plus

If you have a Phone (3a) or some other older model, don’t lose hope — Nothing has said the 3a series will likely see the beta in October. But for now, the four models above are your ticket.

Also: registration for the beta closes on October 14, 2025. After that, new signups are shut off. So if you’re thinking of trying, don’t wait too long.

How to Install Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta (Step by Step)

Okay, ready to dive in? Here’s a friendly walkthrough so you don’t mess things up.

Backup everything
Seriously — any beta can be buggy. Save your photos, files, settings. Use whatever cloud or local backup you prefer.
Enroll in the beta program
Go into your phone’s Settings → About Phone → System Update and look for the open beta opt-in option. Accept the prompts, confirm, etc.
Download the update
Once you’re signed up, your device should get a beta OTA (over-the-air) notification. Tap to download.
Install & reboot
After download, hit “Install.” Your phone will reboot and apply the update. Make sure the battery is decent (>50% ideally) or keep it plugged in.
Explore and test
Once you’re in, poke around. Try the new UI, test camera features, inspect AI dashboards, see how the phone handles daily apps.
Provide feedback
As a beta tester, you’ll want to send logs, bug reports, feedback. Nothing is expecting active involvement to help polish things.

If things go sideways, there’s usually a rollback path to the stable version — though sometimes that could demand a wipe/factory reset. So again: backup.

Pros & Cons — What to Expect (From Someone Who’s Done Betas Before)

Here’s the honest truth, as a tech enthusiast who’s braved many betas:

Pros you might love:

You get first access to new features, ahead of everyone else.
You can give direct feedback and influence the final release.
It feels exciting — like using a next-gen version of your phone.
You can test if your favorite apps, workflows, or accessories still work.

Cons you should beware:

Stability issues: crashes, battery drain, weird bugs are possible.
Some features may be missing or not polished yet.
Your phone might misbehave in unpredictable ways (e.g. Bluetooth, camera).
Rollback might not be seamless — you may lose data if you don’t plan well.
Because registration shuts Oct 14, you could miss your window.

If you depend on your phone for work or can’t afford a glitchy experience, you might want to wait for the stable release. But if you like experimenting, and are okay with risk — this is your playground.

Tips to Smooth Out the Experience

Before you jump in, here’s some advice I’ve picked up from past beta cycles:

Don’t install on your “daily driver” if you can avoid it — use a secondary device if possible.
Keep your firmware up to date to minimize compatibility issues.
Start by testing less critical apps first, see how they behave.
Join user communities (forums, Discord) — folks share bug fixes, workarounds, impressions.
Be ready to reset — if things get weird, sometimes a clean reinstall helps.
Keep your patience — betas evolve through builds, and what’s broken today might be fixed tomorrow.

Timeline & What’s Coming Next

Here’s what to keep your eyes on:

By mid-October 2025 — beta registration ends.
During October — extension to the 3a series is expected.
In the weeks after beta — stable release of Nothing OS 4.0 to the supported devices.
Beyond — as beta feedback pours in, feature refinements, bug fixes, possible rollouts to more models.

If you don’t want to live on the bleeding edge, waiting for the stable build isn’t a bad idea — you’ll likely get a smoother experience all around.

Final Thoughts: Should You Try the Nothing OS 4.0 Beta?

In my book: yes — if you like tinkering, don’t mind a little chaos, and want to feel part of the evolution. The risk is real, but the reward (getting to use new features early, contributing feedback) is sweet.

If you prefer solid stability and zero surprises? Then chill and wait for the public stable version. Your phone will thank you.

Either way, Nothing OS 4.0 looks promising. The blend of AI control, refined design, performance boosts, and creative features makes this one to watch. If you’re going to try it — good luck, back up, and have fun. Let me know your experience if you do it — I want to hear the war stories.