The stable Nothing OS 5.0 update, built on Android 17, has started rolling out to the Nothing Phone (3). Nothing announced the general release on October 12 and says it is staggered by region and device. Phone (3) owners can check for it under Settings > System > System update.
Nothing OS 5.0 General Release is now rolling out to Phone (3).
That line comes from Nothing’s official community post announcing the general release. Android Authority notes this makes the Phone (3) the company’s first phone to receive Android 17. Per Android Authority, the release also lands on the mid-October target Nothing set in its August plan.
How to get Nothing OS 5.0 on the Phone (3)
Open Settings > System > System update and check for a new build. If nothing shows up yet, your phone isn’t faulty. Nothing says availability can differ by region and device, so the update reaches phones in waves.
Nothing’s post doesn’t list a download size. Android Authority, reading rollout screenshots shared on social media, puts it at about 2.84GB for phones on the previous stable software. Phones already on the open beta reportedly need a smaller package of about 1.68GB.
What’s new in Nothing OS 5.0
Nothing’s own post names a redesigned Launcher and a new Micrographics clock face for the lock screen. It also lists a refreshed design system, deeper personalisation and improved Essential AI tools. Nothing also promises smoother performance and the best of Android 17, though those are the company’s claims, not something we’ve tested.
Fone Arena’s report goes further than Nothing’s post. It mentions these additions, which Nothing’s announcement doesn’t spell out:
- Design: a new Geist typeface, plus batch-moving of apps and widgets
- Widgets: new Collector and Away Time widgets
- Essential tools: faster Essential Voice transcription and an Essential Apps Builder
- Android 17 changes: separate notification and Quick Settings shades, cross-platform Quick Share, revised privacy dashboards and an updated Recents screen
Fone Arena counts more than 80 changes in total, a figure that doesn’t appear in Nothing’s post. Apps like Essential Space are a separate matter. Nothing’s roadmap says they update through Google Play rather than as part of the OS download.
Which Nothing phones get Nothing OS 5.0 next
For now, the stable release covers one phone. Nothing’s latest roadmap graphic lists only the Phone (3) under general release status. It gives no release dates for other models.
The same graphic shows these phones already running the Nothing OS 5.0 open beta:
- Phone (4a) series: Phone (4a), Phone (4a) Pro
- Phone (3a) series: Phone (3a), Phone (3a) Pro
Nothing’s roadmap also says the Phone (4b) open beta is expected to begin in mid-December. For stable timing on everything else, our earlier Nothing OS 5.0 rollout schedule from September is the best guide. We haven’t re-confirmed those dates against today’s announcement:
- Early November: Phone (4a), Phone (4a) Pro, Phone (3a), Phone (3a) Pro
- Mid-November: Phone (2a), Phone (2a) Plus
- Mid-December: Phone (3a) Lite
- Mid-January: Phone (4b), CMF Phone 2 Pro
Phone (2) and Phone (1): not listed
Two older models are missing from the Nothing OS 5.0 panels. The roadmap graphic places the Phone (2) only under Nothing OS 4.1, and the Phone (1) doesn’t appear at all.
As of October 12, Nothing has not said either phone is ruled out, so “not listed” is the accurate reading for now. For background, Carl Pei has explained why the Phone (2) is stuck on Android 16. Our full Nothing OS 5.0 eligibility list covers the rest of the lineup.
Rollout timeline so far
The Nothing OS 5.0 open beta started on the Phone (3) on August 26. Our guide explains how to join the open beta if your phone is eligible. The stable build reached the Phone (3) on October 12. Nothing’s newest roadmap graphic doesn’t yet give a stable date for any other model.
Sources: Nothing Community, Nothing OS Release Roadmap, Android Authority, Fone Arena
