APPLE GIVES USERS CONTROL OVER LIQUID GLASS TRANSPARENCY IN IOS 26.1

Apple's next iOS update introduces one of the most requested interface refinements of the year: a new setting that lets users adjust the transparency and tint intensity of the system's “Liquid Glass” design language.

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Available with iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS 26.1, the feature gives users direct control over how translucent or opaque the operating system appears, addressing feedback about legibility and personalization that emerged following iOS 26's visual redesign.

The new option, located under Settings > Display & Brightness on iPhones and iPads (and System Settings > Appearance on Macs), introduces two interface modes: Clear, which retains the default transparent style, and Tinted, which increases opacity and contrast across navigation bars, control sheets, and widgets. The effect extends system-wide—impacting lock screens, notifications, and even multitasking overlays. With the new toggle, Apple gives users a subtle yet powerful way to customize how depth and translucency interact with background images and wallpaper.

FROM AESTHETIC EXPERIMENT TO CUSTOMIZABLE DESIGN LANGUAGE

The Liquid Glass design was introduced with iOS 26 as a defining visual shift for Apple's ecosystem, replacing static frosted panels with dynamic layers that respond to light, motion, and wallpaper color. Inspired by physical materials like polished glass and anodized aluminum, the interface sought to convey depth and fluidity through light refraction and transparency gradients.