How to Flash Stock OnePlus Firmware (3 Methods)

Originally written by Monojit Dutta, updated by Dibyajyoti Kabi. First published July 10, 2017. Updated October 24, 2026.

To flash stock OnePlus firmware, download the full OxygenOS zip for your exact model from OnePlus, then install it with Local upgrade in Settings, with ADB sideload from the stock recovery, or with TWRP. Local upgrade is the easiest, and it usually keeps your data.

This post used to cover the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 5 era, when ADB sideload and TWRP were the main ways to go back to stock. I’ll show you all three methods as they work today, which one to pick for your situation, and how to avoid the downgrade mistakes that wipe or brick a phone.

Key points

• Get the full OxygenOS zip only from the official OnePlus software upgrade page for your model and region.
• Local upgrade is built into OxygenOS and is the safest way to reinstall or update.
• ADB sideload from the stock recovery helps when the phone won’t boot normally.
• TWRP works only if you already have it installed and your model has a working build.
• Don’t flash a build older than the one on your phone unless OnePlus provides it as a rollback package.

Where do I download stock OnePlus firmware?

Use the OnePlus software upgrade page. Pick your phone, and the page lists the latest full OxygenOS zip for it. Check your model number in Settings > About device first, since OnePlus ships different builds for global, European and Indian variants of the same phone.

Here’s why the model number matters. A OnePlus 7 Pro sold in India is GM1911, while the global and European versions use other numbers and get their own builds. Flashing the wrong region’s zip can fail in recovery, or leave you on a build that doesn’t match your carrier.

I won’t link third-party firmware mirrors. Many host old or modified files, and you can’t check what changed inside them.

Which method should I use?

Pick Local upgrade if the phone still boots. Pick ADB sideload from stock recovery if it’s stuck in a bootloop but recovery still opens. Use TWRP only if you’ve already unlocked the bootloader and installed it. All three install the same official zip, so the result is the same stock software.

What should I do before I flash?

Back up first and charge the phone. A firmware install can wipe your data if something goes wrong, or if you’re moving between builds that need a clean start. Charge to at least 60 percent, and keep a few gigabytes of free storage for the zip, which is often 2 to 4 GB.

1. Back up your photos, contacts and app data. My guide on backing up Android without root covers it.
2. If you have TWRP, make a Nandroid backup too.
3. Check your current build in Settings > About device.
4. Download the full zip for your exact model from the OnePlus page.
5. Charge the phone to at least 60 percent.

How do I flash OnePlus firmware with Local upgrade?

Copy the full zip to the root of your phone’s internal storage. Then go to Settings > System > System updates, tap the gear icon in the top right corner, choose Local upgrade, pick the zip and tap Install. The phone installs it and asks you to reboot when it’s done.

OnePlus documents these steps on its Local upgrade support page.

1. Connect the phone to your PC and choose File transfer.
2. Copy the zip into the top level of internal storage, not into Download or another folder.
3. Open Settings > System > System updates.
4. Tap the gear icon in the top right corner.
5. Tap Local upgrade and select the zip.
6. Tap Install and wait. It can take about 10 minutes.
7. Tap Reboot when it finishes.

If you don’t see the gear icon or Local upgrade on your build, the menu moved or was hidden in that version. Use the recovery method below instead.

How do I sideload OnePlus firmware with ADB?

Boot into the stock recovery, choose the install from ADB option, and run adb sideload with the zip on your PC. This works even when the phone won’t boot to the home screen. You need ADB on the PC and a working USB cable, and the bootloader can stay locked.

1. Install ADB on your PC. My Minimal ADB and Fastboot guide covers it, or use Google’s platform tools.
2. Install the OnePlus USB driver if you’re on Windows.
3. Put the zip in the same folder as ADB and rename it to rom.zip so it’s easy to type.
4. Turn the phone off.
5. Hold Power and Volume Down until the recovery or bootloader screen shows up. Choose Recovery if you land in the bootloader menu.
6. Pick your language, then choose Install from USB or Install from ADB, whichever your recovery shows.
7. Connect the phone and run the commands below from the ADB folder.

adb devices
adb sideload rom.zip

The first command should list your phone with the word sideload next to it. The second sends the zip. Wait for 100 percent on the phone, then choose Reboot.

Some newer OxygenOS recoveries no longer show an ADB install option. If yours doesn’t, use Local upgrade, or contact OnePlus support for a service-center flash.

How do I flash OnePlus firmware with TWRP?

Boot into TWRP, tap Install, pick the full OxygenOS zip and swipe to flash. Wipe only if you want a clean start or you’re coming from a custom ROM. After the flash, stock OxygenOS usually replaces TWRP with the stock recovery on the next boot.

1. Copy the zip to the phone’s internal storage.
2. Boot into TWRP with Power and Volume Down from a powered-off phone.
3. If you’re coming from a custom ROM, tap Wipe and do a Factory Reset.
4. Tap Install and pick the zip.
5. Swipe to confirm the flash.
6. Tap Reboot System when it finishes.

Check TWRP’s device list for your model before you rely on this. Many OnePlus phones from recent years have no official build. My guide on flashing zips with TWRP has more on the install screen.

Can I downgrade OxygenOS?

Only with a rollback package from OnePlus. A normal full zip that’s older than your current build usually fails to install, or it needs a full wipe. On some newer models, forcing an older build through unofficial tools can leave the phone unable to boot. When in doubt, flash the same build you have or a newer one.

OnePlus sometimes posts rollback packages when it runs a beta program, and those come with their own instructions. Follow those to the letter, and back up first, since a rollback almost always wipes the phone.

Is the OnePlus 7 still getting updates?

No. OxygenOS 12 based on Android 12 was the last major update for the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro, and the final build came in January 2023 with the December 2022 security patch. You can still reinstall that build with the methods above if the phone needs a clean start.

9to5Google and Android Central both covered that final update. For older OnePlus phones like the OnePlus 5, the last builds are older still, so the stock zip on the OnePlus page is what you’ll stay on for good.

FAQ

Does flashing stock firmware wipe my OnePlus phone?

Local upgrade and ADB sideload usually keep your data when you flash the same build or a newer one. A downgrade, a rollback package or a jump from a custom ROM wipes the phone. Back up before any flash, just in case.

Do I need to unlock the bootloader to flash stock OxygenOS?

No. Local upgrade and ADB sideload from the stock recovery both work with a locked bootloader, because the zip is signed by OnePlus. You only need an unlocked bootloader for TWRP. My guide on unlocking the OnePlus 5 bootloader shows the process.

Will flashing stock firmware remove root?

Yes. Installing the full OxygenOS zip replaces the boot image, so Magisk and root are gone after the reboot. You’d need to patch the new boot image again if you want root back.

Why does Local upgrade not find my zip?

The zip has to sit at the top level of internal storage, not inside a folder. Also check that it’s the full zip for your exact model, not an incremental OTA, and that the download finished. A partial file won’t show up or will fail to verify.

Related guides

• How to unlock the OnePlus 5 bootloader
• OnePlus 5 USB drivers for Windows and Mac
• How to take a screenshot on the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro
• How to flash LG stock firmware
• How to flash Samsung firmware with Odin

That’s it. Grab the full zip for your model, use Local upgrade if the phone boots, and fall back to ADB sideload if it doesn’t.

Stuck at an error in recovery or Local upgrade? Leave a comment with your OnePlus model number (like GM1911 or A5000), the build you’re on and the exact error, and I’ll help you get it sorted.