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 convey main adjustments to how all of its working programs feel and appear. That features iOS, its most essential working system.
Certainly, Liquid Glass does convey considerably of a serious change to iOS 26, or what we’d have known 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 public iOS 26 beta is open, I can lastly share my ideas.
The brief model? Liquid Glass might not convey fairly as large of a shift to iOS as Apple might need you imagine, however that’s in all probability not a nasty factor. And whereas I am specializing in Liquid Glass, there are a ton extra iOS 26 options to take a look at.
As all the time, keep in mind that the iOS 26 beta is… a beta. So, again up your telephone 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 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 thought 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 components have all the time been stacked on prime of one another, whether or not you can see that or not. With Liquid Glass, these layers come into focus. You’ll be able to see what’s behind issues like buttons and controls, because of glass-like components which can be designed to appear to be 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 all the time performed with transparency slightly — 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? Effectively, 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, accessing your library, and controlling at the moment enjoying media. Within the Information app, you get controls for immediately’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’ll be able to 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 could 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 perfect 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 programs — although after all, the controls are totally different on iOS than they’re on MacOS (and now MacOS Tahoe).
Mashable Gentle 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 with the ability to see controls on the display, relying on what was behind them. Apple mounted loads 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 have a very vibrant and busy wallpaper, these labels can get slightly arduous to learn.
Luckily, an enormous theme with iOS 26 is personalization, so when you wish to cut 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 to be a notepad. It will probably as a substitute imply that objects on the display appear to be some type of bodily object, whether or not or not it’s glass or one thing else. And Apple has executed a superb job at making Liquid Glass really feel easy 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 exhibiting as a lot on the display as you probably can, and generally which means taking away controls, or not less than 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 nearly by no means have to truly faucet on these icons, so I actually do not thoughts that they are now tucked away.
I felt the streamlining went too far elsewhere. 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 could swipe by, 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 when you do use these additional modes, you will must keep in mind that they’re nonetheless obtainable to you, and with none visible cues, you would possibly overlook.
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 identify, 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 by to the messages behind, or the interface will type of fade so as to see the controls.
This could be a me downside, however as a journalist, I take loads of screenshots. Apple, when you’re listening, I do not like the additional clicks it takes to save lots of a screenshot.
Credit score: Christian de Looper / Apple
You’ll be able to customise Liquid Glass
If you happen to ever really feel like there’s too a lot glass in your Liquid Glass, you’ll be able to change that. Along with lowering the transparency, you may as well customise app icons. And whereas the ultra-clear look acquired loads of consideration after WWDC, you do not have to make use of Liquid Glass icons, they usually’re not enabled by default. I believe that is a sensible 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 believe Liquid Glass is an fascinating design evolution for Apple, and as talked about, I like the thought of Apple transferring in the 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 anticipate Apple will iron out loads of points earlier than the official iOS 26 launch. That is the entire level of a beta, in spite of everything.
If you happen to’re enthusiastic 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.
