The OnePlus Open Supports a Stylus but Not the OnePlus Stylo

The OnePlus Open has a useful feature that its official specification sheet does not advertise: active stylus support on both of its screens. The strange part is the pen it needs.

OnePlus confirmed that the foldable can connect to the OPPO Pen made for the Find N2 and Find N3. It does not support OnePlus's own Stylo, which was designed for the company's tablets. That leaves Open owners with a capable pen experience tied to an accessory that was never widely sold in the United States.

It is an impressive hidden feature, but it is difficult to recommend as a reason to buy the phone today.

Why the OPPO Pen works

The OnePlus Open and OPPO Find N3 share their basic foldable design. OnePlus launched the Open in October 2023 with a 7.82-inch inner AMOLED display and a 6.31-inch cover display. Both panels run at up to 120Hz, and the hardware behind them can communicate with OPPO's active pen.

When Android Central asked OnePlus about compatibility at launch, the company gave an unusually specific answer: the Open does not support OnePlus Stylo, but it can connect with OPPO Pen. That distinction matters because a passive capacitive stylus may tap and swipe like a fingertip, while an active pen can provide pressure input, palm rejection, buttons, and shortcuts.

The OPPO Pen supports 4,096 pressure levels. Users have demonstrated writing and drawing on both the large inner panel and the narrow outside screen. Cover-screen input is particularly handy for a quick note because it does not require unfolding the phone.

What the pen can do

After pairing, the OPPO Pen can act as more than a drawing tool. Its button can switch tools, and a double press can capture a screenshot. It can also trigger the camera remotely, which is useful when the Open is propped up for a group picture.

A gesture from the top-right corner can open the Notes app, while palm rejection lets a hand rest on the display during writing. The pressure sensor changes the stroke according to how firmly the tip is pressed, assuming the app supports pressure-sensitive input.

The pen may request a firmware update during the first connection. It charges through its own cradle, which then connects to USB-C power. There is no garage inside the OnePlus Open for storage and charging, so the pen and cradle become two more pieces to carry.

That setup is less convenient than a phone designed around a pen from the start. Samsung's Galaxy S Ultra line stores an S Pen inside the phone, while Galaxy Z Fold models use a dedicated Fold Edition pen or S Pen Pro. The Open's solution works, but it feels like inherited compatibility rather than a complete OnePlus accessory system.

Do not buy a OnePlus Stylo by mistake

The product names make the wrong purchase easy. OnePlus sells Stylo accessories for its tablets, but those pens are not the compatible choice for the Open. The required accessory is specifically the OPPO Pen associated with the Find N2 and Find N3 generation.

Generic USI pens, standard Bluetooth styluses, and Samsung S Pens should not be assumed to work either. A passive rubber-tip stylus will mimic touch, but it will not unlock the active features described above.

Anyone shopping online should verify the exact model name, photos of the charging cradle, return policy, and whether the listing includes every charging component. Marketplace sellers sometimes use broad compatibility claims, and an imported accessory can be difficult to return.

Availability is the real barrier

The OnePlus Open itself is now difficult to buy new through mainstream U.S. retailers. The OPPO Pen was not officially released in the country, so remaining units tend to appear through importers and resale marketplaces. Prices and warranty coverage can vary sharply.

Buying a used foldable also requires more caution than buying an ordinary slab phone. Inspect the inner display for dead pixels, touch problems, scratches in the soft protective layer, hinge noise, and uneven movement. Confirm that the phone opens flat, check both screens, and review battery condition where possible. A low price loses its appeal quickly if a damaged folding display needs replacement.

The accessory has its own age-related risk. A pen that has sat unused for years may have a tired internal battery, and sourcing a replacement cradle could be harder than finding the pen itself.

A clever bonus for existing owners

For someone who already owns a OnePlus Open and can find a genuine OPPO Pen at a sensible price, this is a worthwhile bonus. The large inner display is well suited to handwritten notes, document markup, and sketching, while outside-screen support makes the pen useful without opening the phone.

For a new buyer, the calculation is different. The unadvertised support comes with scarce hardware, uncertain seller support, no built-in storage, and an older foldable phone that may be available only used or refurbished. Buy it because the Open still meets your needs as a phone; treat stylus input as an extra, not the foundation of the purchase.