Apple’s huge new design language is sort of right here, and it is coming to all of Apple’s main working methods 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 methods appear and feel. That features iOS, its most necessary working system.
Certainly, Liquid Glass does deliver considerably of a serious change to iOS 26, or what we might 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 huge of a shift to iOS as Apple may 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, do not forget that the iOS 26 beta is… a beta. So, again up your cellphone earlier than making the change. And as Apple says in its Beta Program FAQ, “Beta software program might include errors or inaccuracies and should not perform 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 thought of Apple Liquid Glass is easy. As an alternative of a flat, minimalistic method to software program design, Apple is embracing layers. Software program interface components have at all times been stacked on high of one another, whether or not you may see that or not. With Liquid Glass, these layers come into focus. You possibly can see what’s behind issues like buttons and controls, because of glass-like components which are designed to appear like actual glass. These clear touches additionally bend and refract mild.
To be clear, this is not essentially a completely new method for Apple. The corporate has at all times performed with transparency somewhat — however with Liquid Glass, transparency is extra concerned than ever.
Credit score: Christian de Looper / Apple
So, the place do these glass-like components present up? Properly, just about in all places. 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 at the moment taking part in media. Within the Information app, you get controls for immediately’s information, sports activities information, and a search software. With Liquid Glass, all of those controls are condensed right into a pill-like form that minimizes as you scroll to maximise what you’ll be able to see on the display.
The glass method implies that whether or not the controls are in full focus or minimized, what’s behind them sort of bends and refracts like it could if actual glass was positioned on high of the display. It is a cool, futuristic impact, and it definitely seems fairly pure in my preliminary testing.
There are different locations that Liquid Glass exhibits up too. Maybe the most effective instance is the Management Heart, which now exhibits your house display behind the entire controls if you swipe down. That is true on all of Apple’s working methods — although in fact, the controls are completely 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 Heart. There have been points with having the ability to see controls on the display, relying on what was behind them. Apple mounted lots 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 — in case you have a very brilliant and busy wallpaper, these labels can get somewhat laborious to learn.
Fortuitously, 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 facet 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 will probably as a substitute imply that objects on the display appear like some sort of bodily object, whether or not or not it’s glass or one thing else. And Apple has finished job at making Liquid Glass really feel clean and futuristic for this beta. It actually does translate fairly effectively if you’re scrolling.
A streamlined interface
The brand new aesthetic is about greater than transparency. The method is predicated round displaying as a lot on the display as you probably can, and generally which means taking away controls, or a minimum of streamlining them once they’re not getting used.
Credit score: Christian de Looper / Apple
As you are scrolling, lots of the controls in apps like Information, Messages, and Music reduce into one icon you could faucet. I virtually 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 somewhere else. Within the Digicam app, for instance, if you first open the app, you will now solely have two choices: photograph or video. In actuality, there are different choices you could swipe by means of, they’re simply hidden by default. It’s true that the majority customers in all probability do not swipe between all these completely different modes anyway, and easily having photograph and video modes makes issues rather a lot less complicated. However in case you do use these additional modes, you will must do not forget 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 an alternative of a header together with your contact’s profile image and identify, the again button, and the FaceTime button, there are floating bubbles on the high of the display. Relying on what’s behind these floating bubbles, you’ll both see straight by means of to the messages behind, or the interface will sort of fade to be able to see the controls.
This is perhaps a me drawback, however as a journalist, I take lots 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
In case you ever really feel like there’s too a lot glass in your Liquid Glass, you’ll be able to change that. Along with decreasing the transparency, you may also customise app icons. And whereas the ultra-clear look bought lots of consideration after WWDC, you do not have to make use of Liquid Glass icons, they usually’re not enabled by default. I feel that is a wise method. Change is horrifying, 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 feel Liquid Glass is an fascinating design evolution for Apple, and as talked about, I like the thought of Apple shifting in the direction of software program design that appears like real-life bodily objects once more. For now, it’s a must to go into the Accessibility menu to tweak the visuals to your liking, however I count on Apple will iron out lots of points earlier than the official iOS 26 launch. That is the entire level of a beta, in spite of everything.
In case you’re curious about attempting Liquid Glass for your self on iOS, macOS Tahoe, iPadOS, tvOS, or watchOS, you’ll be able to join the Apple Beta program.
