Apple’s massive new design language is nearly 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 convey main adjustments to how all of its working methods feel and look. That features iOS, its most vital working system.
Certainly, Liquid Glass does convey considerably of a significant 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 general public iOS 26 beta is open, I can lastly share my ideas.
The quick model? Liquid Glass could not convey fairly as massive of a shift to iOS as Apple might need you consider, 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 at all times, do not forget 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 could include errors or inaccuracies and will 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 strategy 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 would see that or not. With Liquid Glass, these layers come into focus. You may see what’s behind issues like buttons and controls, because of glass-like parts which can be designed to appear like actual glass. These clear touches additionally bend and refract gentle.
To be clear, this is not essentially a completely new strategy 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 in all places. Most of Apple’s inventory apps have had controls on the backside of the display screen. For instance, within the Music app, you will get controls for looking, accessing your library, and controlling at the moment taking part in media. Within the Information app, you get controls for at the moment’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 screen.
The glass strategy signifies that whether or not the controls are in full focus or minimized, what’s behind them type of bends and refracts like it might if actual glass was positioned on prime of the display screen. It is a cool, futuristic impact, and it definitely seems to be fairly pure in my preliminary testing.
There are different locations that Liquid Glass reveals up too. Maybe one of the best instance is the Management Heart, which now reveals your property display screen behind all the controls if you swipe down. That is true on all of Apple’s working methods — 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 Heart. There have been points with with the ability to see controls on the display screen, relying on what was behind them. Apple fastened loads of these points forward of the general public iOS 26 beta, and it is now simpler to see what’s on the display screen. 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 just a little arduous to learn.
Fortuitously, an enormous theme with iOS 26 is personalization, so if 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 concept of returning to a extra skeuomorphic design strategy, and that does not essentially imply that Apple ought to make the Notes app appear like a notepad. It might probably as a substitute imply that objects on the display screen appear like some type of bodily object, whether or not it’s glass or one thing else. And Apple has carried out an excellent 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 strategy is predicated round displaying as a lot on the display screen as you probably can, and generally meaning taking away controls, or no 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 decrease into one icon that you may faucet. I virtually 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 Digicam 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 that you may swipe via, they’re simply hidden by default. It’s true that the majority customers in all probability do not swipe between all these totally different modes anyway, and easily having picture and video modes makes issues lots less complicated. However if you happen to do use these further modes, you will must do not forget that they’re nonetheless out there 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 together 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 screen. 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 with the intention to see the controls.
This may be a me downside, however as a journalist, I take loads of screenshots. Apple, if you happen to’re listening, I do not like the additional clicks it takes to avoid wasting a screenshot.
Credit score: Christian de Looper / Apple
You may customise Liquid Glass
When 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 too can 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 strategy. 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 attention-grabbing design evolution for Apple, and as talked about, I like the concept of Apple shifting in 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 loads of points earlier than the official iOS 26 launch. That is the entire level of a beta, in any case.
When you’re keen on attempting Liquid Glass for your self on iOS, macOS Tahoe, iPadOS, tvOS, or watchOS, you’ll be able to join the Apple Beta program.
