Apple’s large new design language is sort of right here, and it is coming to all of Apple’s main working programs within the fall with the official launch of iOS 26. Liquid Glass is what Apple calls its latest design philosophy, and it guarantees to deliver main modifications to how all of its working programs appear and feel. That features iOS, its most vital working system.
Certainly, Liquid Glass does deliver considerably of a significant change to iOS 26, or what we’d have referred to as iOS 18 (Apple is switching iOS numbers to years, and iOS 26 will launch within the fall). I have been utilizing the developer beta of iOS 26 for some weeks now, however now that the general public iOS 26 beta is open, I can lastly share my ideas.
The quick model? Liquid Glass might not deliver fairly as large of a shift to iOS as Apple might need you consider, however that’s in all probability not a foul factor. And whereas I am specializing in Liquid Glass, there are a ton extra iOS 26 options to take a look at.
As at all times, keep in mind that the iOS 26 beta is… a beta. So, again up your cellphone earlier than making the swap. And as Apple says in its Beta Program FAQ, “Beta software program might include errors or inaccuracies and should not operate in addition to commercially launched software program. We encourage you to submit suggestions if you encounter these points.
The fundamentals of Liquid Glass on iOS 26
The concept of Apple Liquid Glass is straightforward. As a substitute of a flat, minimalistic method to software program design, Apple is embracing layers. Software program interface parts have at all times been stacked on prime of one another, whether or not you possibly can see that or not. With Liquid Glass, these layers come into focus. You possibly can see what’s behind issues like buttons and controls, due to glass-like parts which are designed to appear like actual glass. These clear touches additionally bend and refract gentle.
To be clear, this is not essentially a completely new method for Apple. The corporate has at all times performed with transparency just a little — however with Liquid Glass, transparency is extra concerned than ever.
Credit score: Christian de Looper / Apple
So, the place do these glass-like parts present up? Effectively, just about all over the place. Most of Apple’s inventory apps have had controls on the backside of the display. For instance, within the Music app, you will get controls for looking out, accessing your library, and controlling presently enjoying media. Within the Information app, you get controls for at this time’s information, sports activities information, and a search device. With Liquid Glass, all of those controls are condensed right into a pill-like form that minimizes as you scroll to maximise what you may see on the display.
The glass method signifies that whether or not the controls are in full focus or minimized, what’s behind them type of bends and refracts like it will if actual glass was positioned on prime of the display. It is a cool, futuristic impact, and it actually appears to be like fairly pure in my preliminary testing.
There are different locations that Liquid Glass exhibits up too. Maybe the most effective instance is the Management Middle, which now exhibits your own home display behind all the controls if you swipe down. That is true on all of Apple’s working programs — although after all, the controls are totally different on iOS than they’re on MacOS (and now MacOS Tahoe).
Mashable Mild Pace
Credit score: Christian de Looper / Apple
When the iOS 26 developer betas first began rolling out, not everybody appreciated the Liquid Glass-ified Management Middle. There have been points with with the ability to see controls on the display, relying on what was behind them. Apple fastened a variety of these points forward of the general public iOS 26 beta, and it is now simpler to see what’s on the display. Nonetheless, there are different locations the place I discovered some show points. An instance are app and app folder labels — when you’ve got a very vivid and busy wallpaper, these labels can get just a little onerous to learn.
Luckily, an enormous theme with iOS 26 is personalization, so if you wish to scale back the transparency much more than Apple already has, you are able to do so within the Accessibility part of the Settings app.
Actually, I fairly just like the visible side of Liquid Glass. I like the thought of returning to a extra skeuomorphic design method, and that does not essentially imply that Apple ought to make the Notes app appear like a notepad. It may possibly as a substitute imply that objects on the display appear like some type of bodily object, whether or not it’s glass or one thing else. And Apple has accomplished a very good job at making Liquid Glass really feel clean and futuristic for this beta. It actually does translate fairly nicely if you’re scrolling.
A streamlined interface
The brand new aesthetic is about greater than transparency. The method relies round exhibiting as a lot on the display as you probably can, and typically which means taking away controls, or no less than streamlining them after they’re not getting used.
Credit score: Christian de Looper / Apple
As you are scrolling, most of the controls in apps like Information, Messages, and Music reduce into one icon you can faucet. I nearly by no means have to really faucet on these icons, so I actually do not thoughts that they are now tucked away.
I felt the streamlining went too far in different places. Within the Digital camera app, for instance, if you first open the app, you will now solely have two choices: picture or video. In actuality, there are different choices you can swipe via, they’re simply hidden by default. It’s true that almost all customers in all probability do not swipe between all these totally different modes anyway, and easily having picture and video modes makes issues so much less complicated. However in case you do use these further modes, you will should keep in mind that they’re nonetheless obtainable to you, and with none visible cues, you would possibly neglect.
Credit score: Christian de Looper / Apple
I am additionally hoping Apple retains tweaking the looks of the Messages app. As a substitute of a header along with your contact’s profile image and title, the again button, and the FaceTime button, there are floating bubbles on the prime of the display. Relying on what’s behind these floating bubbles, you’ll both see straight via to the messages behind, or the interface will type of fade as a way to see the controls.
This could be a me downside, however as a journalist, I take a variety of screenshots. Apple, in case you’re listening, I do not like the additional clicks it takes to avoid wasting a screenshot.
Credit score: Christian de Looper / Apple
You possibly can customise Liquid Glass
When you ever really feel like there’s too a lot glass in your Liquid Glass, you may change that. Along with decreasing the transparency, you may also customise app icons. And whereas the ultra-clear look obtained a variety of consideration after WWDC, you do not have to make use of Liquid Glass icons, and so they’re not enabled by default. I believe that is a wise method. Change is frightening, and this makes it simpler on customers who aren’t prepared for the extremely clear, full Liquid Glass expertise.
Credit score: Christian de Looper / Apple
I believe Liquid Glass is an attention-grabbing design evolution for Apple, and as talked about, I like the thought of Apple shifting in direction of software program design that appears like real-life bodily objects once more. For now, you need to go into the Accessibility menu to tweak the visuals to your liking, however I count on Apple will iron out a variety of points earlier than the official iOS 26 launch. That is the entire level of a beta, in spite of everything.
When you’re fascinated with attempting Liquid Glass for your self on iOS, macOS Tahoe, iPadOS, tvOS, or watchOS, you may join the Apple Beta program.
