NothingOS 5.0 is the next big software update for Nothing phones, and it is based on Android 17. Its open beta is already live on five phones. The first stable update is scheduled for mid-October 2026, starting with the Phone (3).
This post gives the beta and stable dates for each phone, shows how to join the beta, and explains what Indian users should know. All dates come from Nothing's own schedule and can change.
The new Lucent theme gives Nothing OS 5.0 widgets a frosted, glass-like look
🎯 Quick Answer
- Stable release: NothingOS 5.0 starts rolling out in mid-October 2026, beginning with the Phone (3), according to Nothing.
- Beta live now: Phone (3), Phone (4a) Pro, Phone (4a), Phone (3a) Pro and Phone (3a).
- Beta next: Phone (2a) and Phone (2a) Plus in mid-October, then Phone (4b) in mid-December.
- No update: Phone (1), Phone (2) and CMF Phone 1.
- Not in the beta yet: the redesigned home screen theme and the Micrographics clock face.
What Did Nothing Announce for NothingOS 5.0?
Nothing announced the update on August 25, 2026. It says the release brings a wider visual refresh, more personalisation, faster performance, updated Essential AI tools and Android 17 features. The open beta began on August 26, starting with the Phone (3).
When Will Each Phone Get the Beta and Stable Update?
| Phone | Open Beta | Stable release |
|---|---|---|
| Phone (3) | August 26 | Mid-October |
| Phone (4a) Pro | Early September | Early November |
| Phone (4a), Phone (3a) Pro, Phone (3a) | Late September | Early November |
| Phone (2a), Phone (2a) Plus | Mid-October | Mid-November |
| Phone (4b) | Mid-December | Mid-January |
| Phone (3a) Lite | No beta | Late December |
| CMF Phone 2 Pro | No beta | Mid-January |
⚠️ Note: Nothing says these timings are indicative. Rollouts can differ by region and carrier.
How Do You Join the NothingOS 5.0 Beta?
- Update to the latest stable Nothing OS build.
- Download and install Nothing Beta Hub V2.0 from Nothing's website.
- Open Settings > System > Nothing Beta Hub and tap Join Beta.
- When the beta appears, tap Go to Update. It can take up to five minutes.
Back up your phone first. The beta is pre-release software, so it can affect stability, battery life and performance. Rolling back may need a factory reset and could erase your data.
What Is New in the Design?
The system typeface (the font) is now Geist. Settings has new icons, spacing and clearer grouping. The status bar gets custom icons and small animations that react when a setting changes.
Gallery can now sort photos by Recently added or Captured date. It can also filter by Favourites, Edited, Videos and more. Parts of Gallery also get transparent details.
Lucent glass theming reaches Nothing's own apps, like the Gallery toolbar
What Is New on the Home Screen and Lock Screen?
Away Time is a new widget that tracks the periods when you put your phone down. It shows patterns, such as your longest breaks. It does not set limits or block apps.
The new Time Away widget tracks how long you stay off your phone
Collector lets you photograph things you like, or pick photos from Gallery, and show them as a collection on the home screen and lock screen. Glyph Timer is a widget that starts a timer from the home screen and shows the time left on the phone's Glyph lights. Glyph features also get their own app now.
The Collector widget lets you show off your favourite objects on the home screen
You can now select several icons or widgets and move them together, even across pages. The lock screen gets two new clock faces, Gooey and Micrographics. Micrographics puts the date, time, weather and upcoming meetings in one view.
One of the new lock screen clock faces, built for the micro graphics lock screen
What Does Android 17 Add to Nothing Phones?
You can now split Notifications and Quick Settings into two panels. Swipe down from the left for notifications and from the right for Quick Settings. The old combined layout stays available.
Enhanced Quick Share makes a QR code for your files. An iPhone or another Android phone can scan it and download through a web link, with no extra app. The status bar also gets a three-colour privacy indicator. Green means sensitive access, blue means location sharing and yellow means AI data processing.
Expanded Dark Theme can darken more apps, and you control it app by app.
What Changes in the Essential AI Tools?
Essential Voice is faster and formats text better, for example turning spoken points into lists. Real-time translation is planned for later this year. Essential Space adds Smart Collections, which suggest related captures for a collection.
Essential Space also gets support for Model Context Protocol (MCP), which lets compatible AI tools read selected items you saved. It is read-only for now and rolls out through Google Play in October. Essential Apps Builder now runs as an app on the phone, but it is still in beta with gradual access.
What Is Confirmed and What Is Not Available Yet?
Every feature in this post comes from Nothing's own pages. Some of them are not in the beta.
- The redesigned home screen theme and the Micrographics clock face arrive with the general release, starting in October.
- Real-time translation in Essential Voice is planned for later this year.
- MCP support rolls out in October through Google Play.
What Does This Mean for Indian Buyers?
Nothing's India website carries the same Open Beta page and join steps. No separate India-only schedule was found in the sources checked. Use the table above and expect phased rollouts.
Phone (3a) and Phone (4a) series owners should plan for early November. Phone (2a) and Phone (2a) Plus owners should plan for mid-November. If your phone is your only phone, waiting for the stable update is the safer choice.
Phone (2) and CMF Phone 1 will not get NothingOS 5.0. Keep that in mind if you are buying a second-hand Nothing phone.
FAQ
When will the NothingOS 5.0 stable update arrive?
Nothing says the stable rollout starts in mid-October 2026 with the Phone (3). Other phones follow from early November 2026 to mid-January 2027.
Is the NothingOS 5.0 beta available in India?
Nothing's India website hosts the NothingOS 5.0 Open Beta page and join steps. Beta access follows Nothing's phone-by-phone schedule, and rollouts can vary by region and carrier.
Will the Phone (2) get NothingOS 5.0?
No, Nothing says the Phone (1), Phone (2) and CMF Phone 1 have reached the end of major software support.
Does the beta include every feature?
No, the redesigned home screen theme and the Micrographics clock face are not in the beta. They arrive with the general release.
Our Take
NothingOS 5.0 is a broad update with many small changes rather than one big one. The Phone (3a) and Phone (4a) series owners already have the beta. Most people should still wait for the stable build, because the beta is missing the biggest home screen and lock screen changes.
If you do install the beta, back up first and expect bugs.
🔗 Sources
Last updated: October 10, 2026
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