Apple’s bold Liquid Glass redesign, rolled out with iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26, has been one of the hottest topics in tech lately. The glossy, semi-transparent look was meant to give Apple devices a sleek, modern look, but fans are split.
Some techies like the fresh, clean aesthetic, while others say it makes things like notifications and navigation harder to read, leading to calls for more customization options.
Apple to roll out new changes for users
After reading user feedback, Apple is rolling out a new feature in the 26.1 beta update that lets users choose between two styles, Clear and Tinted.
The Clear option keeps the original Liquid Glass look, while Tinted adds more opacity to make on-screen elements easier to read. You can tweak the setting under “Display & Brightness” on iPhones and iPads, or in the “Appearance” section on Macs.
The new setting now syncs automatically across all apps using the Liquid Glass design. Apple also made it clear that developers can start testing how their apps look in both styles. This will make sure users’ preferences stay consistent no matter what app they’re using.
Tech reporter Chance Miller even posted some side-by-side visuals of the two modes on X (formerly Twitter), giving fans a sneak peek at how the update plays out in real time.
This isn’t new for Apple; it’s kind of what they do when fans reject their updates. Remember in 2021 when everyone was unhappy after Apple shifted Safari’s address bar to the bottom? Apple quickly rolled out an option to move it back up top.
Some users were hoping for a detailed opacity slider to fine-tune the look, but Apple decided to keep it clean and simple with just a two-option toggle. Apple wishes to give its users some control without overcomplicating the new liquid glass interface.
Right now, beta testers can already play around with the feature, and Apple’s planning to roll it out to everyone in the coming weeks.
