When flashing the OnePlus 12, several common issues and precautions must be considered to avoid complications. Flashing refers to installing a new version of the phone's software, which could be an operating system update or custom software. While flashing can offer benefits like updated features, bug fixes, or custom ROMs, it also carries some risks and challenges:
1. Lock Bootloader and Flashing Restrictions
OnePlus has policies that restrict flashing unless authorized by their support. Users may need to unlock the bootloader first, which can void warranties or disable certain security features. Unauthorized flashing might also lead to temporarily or permanently bricking the device.
2. Software Bugs and Instability
Flashing unofficial, beta, or custom ROMs can introduce software bugs. Users have reported problems such as keyboard not appearing during certain inputs, WiFi password entry issues, and display anomalies. These bugs often arise due to incomplete or incompatible software builds.
3. Display Flickering and Screen Issues
Several users of the OnePlus 12 and variants like 12R have reported flickering displays, brief screen flashes, or green flickering after flashing or major updates. This flickering may be linked to software settings such as adaptive refresh rates or resolution mismatches. Temporary screen blackouts or flickering can occur during app use or scrolling. Some fixes include setting refresh rate to fixed High instead of Adaptive, adjusting resolution to FHD+, and disabling adaptive brightness or ultra anti-flicker modes. Persistent flickering after these steps might indicate hardware issues, possibly worsened by flashing incorrect software versions.
4. Power and Charging Issues
Using unofficial charging cables or flash files that interfere with power management can cause abnormal device behavior. Power fluctuations during flashing may brick the device if interrupted.
5. Loss of Data and Settings
Flashing often requires wiping data partitions for a clean install. Failure to properly back up data can lead to permanent loss of contacts, apps, files, and customized settings.
6. WiFi and Connectivity Instability
Flashing some ROMs may cause WiFi or mobile data to be unstable or drop unexpectedly. Users have reported mobile data falling to slower connectivity modes after flashing. Network-related bugs can severely limit usability.
7. Difficulty Installing Updates Post-Flashing
Some users encounter problems applying official OTA updates after having flashed custom ROMs or older versions of the OS. Updates may fail or cause boot loops.
8. Recovery Mode and Cache Wipe
Improper recovery mode usage during flashing can lead to partial installs or corrupted system states. Wiping the cache partition post-flash can sometimes resolve initial bugs but must be done correctly.
9. Safety and Security Risks
Flashing unofficial software can introduce malware or reduce device security. It is important to download ROMs only from trusted sources.
10. Hardware Damage Risk
Although rare, flashing can trigger issues that the phone hardware cannot handle well, such as overheating or screen glitches due to driver mismatches.
11. Support Challenges
OnePlus support might decline assistance if the phone has been flashed unofficially. There have also been reports of poor customer service responsiveness regarding such issues.