OpenHands v1.16.0 release notes

1.16.0 (2026-08-27)

What's Changed

Features

feat(settings): select supported LLM providers by @keeltrace in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16772
feat: add linux desktop installer build (CI + deb maintainer fix) by @georgeglarson in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16656
feat(automations): show a run's live phase by @aartem1 in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16740
feat(settings): expose the LLM-switching toggle in Agent settings by @georgeglarson in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16441
feat(skills): replace the all-on skill catalog with an explicit allow-list by @VascoSch92 in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16860
feat: link chat file paths to the Files drawer by @ShashwatXD in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16181
feat: pin a favorite sidebar page as the home route by @hieptl in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16868
feat: skip onboarding when a user-added Local backend has a usable LLM by @VascoSch92 in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16931
feat: fix default and free models by @neubig in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16922
feat: land the Canvas Extensions frontend (load pages, sidebar, customize) by @hieptl in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16895

Bug Fixes

fix: render the VSCode button on self-hosted (local) backends by @harish-chandramowli in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16106
fix: correlate local conversation telemetry with Canvas identity by @neubig in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16796
fix(ci): ignore fenced headings in readiness checks by @ump45nose in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16595
fix: forward disabled_skills into agent_context so backend excludes them by @jdlake in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16812
fix(ci): prevent issue readiness workflow from failing on not-ready issues by @KHARSHAVARDHAN-eng in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16514
fix(ci): use reproduction steps for ready-for-dev checks by @neubig in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16828
fix(acp): surface a 'credentials configured' banner state on Docker/cloud (#15643) by @georgeglarson in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16145
fix(ci): edit the mock-LLM E2E PR comment in place by @VascoSch92 in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16591
fix(providers): follow next_page_id so cloud picks surface past the default page size by @georgeglarson in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16758
fix(ci): refresh readiness comment when label is added by @neubig in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16830
fix(desktop): ship the bundled Node's npm on Windows by @Telov in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16381
fix(agent-canvas): scope baked working_dir to the default-local backend by @enyst in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16759
fix: clean up dev:extra-backend agent-server on SIGHUP by @georgeglarson in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16280
fix: clean up dev:minimal services on SIGHUP by @georgeglarson in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16279
fix: hide API key for OpenHands provider on cloud by @tofarr in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16863
fix(home): remember local workspace mode selection by @tofarr in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16881
fix: bound automation run-history fan-out and pause sidebar polling by @hieptl in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16867
fix: validate api key before advancing backend connection step by @JatinJain703 in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16840
fix: rename conversation title on cloud backends by @jpelletier1 in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16966

Documentation

docs: fix broken reference to new-conversation-button.tsx in AGENTS.md (#16783) by @kris3984 in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16807
docs: require acceptance criteria review checklist by @neubig in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16832
docs: document OpenHands repository boundaries by @neubig in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16834
docs: refresh AGENTS.md guidance by @all-hands-bot in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16310
docs: refresh AGENTS.md guidance by @all-hands-bot in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16923
docs: clarify PR template agent section by @enyst in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16942
docs: refresh Canvas code review guidelines by @enyst in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16941

Maintenance

ci(deps): bump actions/setup-python from 6 to 7 in the actions group by @dependabot[bot] in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16645
chore: remove unused random tip code by @smolpaws in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16935
chore: bump SDK deps (software-agent-sdk 1.44.0, automation 1.9.0, extensions 0.19.0) by @hieptl in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16968

New Contributors

@harish-chandramowli made their first contribution in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16106
@keeltrace made their first contribution in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16772
@kris3984 made their first contribution in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16807
@ump45nose made their first contribution in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16595
@jdlake made their first contribution in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16812
@KHARSHAVARDHAN-eng made their first contribution in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16514
@Telov made their first contribution in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16381
@aartem1 made their first contribution in https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands/pull/16740

What the release notes say