So you’ve got the new Nothing Phone 3. From mastering the new Essential Key to creating your own Glyph ringtones, here’s how to make the most of Nothing’s latest transparent tech.
The Nothing Phone 3 is here, continuing the company’s tradition of blending striking, transparent design with a thoughtfully tweaked version of Android. But beyond the unique look and the flashy Glyph Interface lies a surprisingly deep set of features.
If you’ve just unboxed your new phone, the default settings are only the beginning. We’ve dug through Nothing OS to find the 13 best tips, tricks, and standout features you should try first to make this phone truly yours.
Nothing Phone 3 Tips, Tricks & Features!
1. CREATE A TRULY UNIQUE AI WALLPAPER
Stock wallpapers are fine, but Nothing has a built-in AI tool that mashes up styles and concepts to create one-of-a-kind backgrounds. Your phone’s look will be uniquely yours.
Here’s how: Long-press your home screen and go to Customization > More Wallpapers > Wallpaper Studio. From there, you can choose two different styles (like “Terrain” and “Ink”) and tap Create wallpaper to let the AI generate a new image.
2. BUILD A POWERFUL WIDGET-BASED LOCK SCREEN
Nothing OS lets you turn your lock screen into a command center. You can add rows of interactive widgets for quick access to settings, apps, and information without ever unlocking your phone. The best part? They stay visible on the Always-On Display.
Here’s how: Go to Customization > Lock screen > Widgets. Add your favorites, like the Quick Settings widget, which you can configure to control Wi-Fi, the Glyph torch, or even your Google Wallet. If you need more room, just hit Expand widget area to double your space.
3. MASTER THE NEW ESSENTIAL KEY
The new hardware button below the power key, the Essential Key, is your AI-powered research assistant. It’s a supercharged screenshot tool that can transcribe audio notes, summarize on-screen text, and organize information into collections.
Here’s how:
- Press and hold the Essential Key to take a screenshot and immediately record a voice note about it.
- Press once to take a snapshot and add a typed note.
- Double-press the key to open the Essential Space app, where all your captures are saved, transcribed, and summarized. You can even group related screenshots into “collections” for research projects.
4. GO SILENT WITH FLIP TO GLYPH
This is a classic Nothing feature for a reason. When you need to focus, just place your phone face down on a table to instantly silence it. Calls and essential notifications will still pulse the Glyph lights on the back, so you get a visual cue without the noise.
Here’s how: Head to Settings > Glyph Interface and toggle on Flip to Glyph.
5. PRIORITIZE WITH ESSENTIAL GLYPH NOTIFICATIONS
Tired of your phone lighting up for every single notification? Essential Glyphs let you choose specific apps and contacts that are important enough to trigger a persistent light. A small LED on the Glyph Interface will stay lit until you check the notification, so you know something important is waiting.
Here’s how: In Settings > Glyph Interface > Notifications, you can add apps or contacts to your Essential list.
6. COMPOSE YOUR OWN GLYPH RINGTONE
If the stock ringtones aren’t doing it for you, become a DJ with the Glyph Composer. It’s a simple soundboard that lets you tap out a beat and records it as a custom ringtone, complete with a synchronized light show.
Here’s how: Go to Settings > Glyph Interface > Composer. Tap the pads to find sounds you like, hit record, play your pattern, and save it as a new ringtone.
7. SHARE MEMORIES WITH THE PHOTO WIDGET
Nothing has a unique social widget that lets you and a friend share a photo album directly on your home screens. When you update the widget with new photos, they automatically appear on your friend’s phone, no matter where they are. It’s a fantastic way to share holiday pictures with family in near-real-time.
Here’s how: Add the Photos widget to your home screen. Long-press it and tap Share to send an invite to another Nothing user.
8. REMAP THE POWER BUTTON FOR QUICK PAYMENTS
By default, double-pressing the power button launches the camera. But if you use tap-to-pay more often than you take snapshots, remapping it to Google Wallet is a game-changer. It’s the fastest way to get to your cards.
Here’s how: Go to Settings > Special Features > Gestures. Tap on Double push of the power button and select Google Wallet (or any other app you prefer).
9. SUPERCHARGE YOUR QUICK SETTINGS
You can make the Quick Settings panel much more useful by expanding certain toggles into larger widgets. This gives you more control directly from the notification shade, like a full media player or detailed connection info.
Here’s how: Swipe down to open Quick Settings and tap the pencil icon to edit. Once you’ve arranged your toggles, look for a small arrow on certain icons. Tapping it will expand that toggle into a larger, more functional widget.
10. ORGANIZE APPS WITH THE SMART DRAWER
If you find the standard alphabetical app drawer a bit chaotic, Nothing offers a smarter, categorized view. This experimental feature automatically groups your apps into folders like “Communication,” “Entertainment,” and “Tools,” making things easier to find.
Here’s how: Swipe up to open your app drawer, tap the three-dot menu in the top right, and select Smart beta option.
11. DECLUTTER YOUR HOME SCREEN WITH CUSTOM FOLDERS
Nothing’s custom folders are designed to reduce distractions. After grouping apps into a folder, you can change its appearance to a minimalist icon or a clean circular layout, hiding the tempting, colorful app icons from view.
Here’s how: Drag apps on top of each other to create a folder. Then, long-press the folder and select Customize to choose a new cover icon or layout.
12. UNLOCK HIGH-RESOLUTION AUDIO
If you use high-end wireless earbuds (like Nothing’s own Ear series), you can force the phone to use a higher-quality audio codec for better-sounding music. It’s turned off by default, but enabling it can make a noticeable difference.
Here’s how: Go to Settings > Connected devices > Connection Preferences and scroll to find Qualcomm AptX HD codec preferences. Switch it on.
13. ENABLE THEFT PROTECTION
In the unfortunate event your phone gets stolen, thieves will often try to turn it off immediately to prevent you from tracking it. Nothing has a security feature that requires your PIN or fingerprint to power down the device, buying you precious time to locate it with Google’s Find My Device.
Here’s how: Navigate to Settings > Security and Privacy > More security and privacy and enable Power off Verify.
Final Thoughts
The Nothing Phone 3 might lean heavily on aesthetic appeal, but underneath the transparent casing lies a genuinely thoughtful user experience. Features like the Essential Key and AI wallpaper generation aren’t just gimmicks—they’re useful touches that make this phone feel smarter and more personal. Whether you’re diving into the Glyph ecosystem or just fine-tuning the basics, Nothing OS offers more flexibility than it first lets on. And as Nothing continues to refine its software, there’s a good chance even more hidden gems will surface. Until then, these 13 tips should help you get the most out of your see-through slab of tech.
