iOS 26.1 is here: Liquid Glass can now be darkened

Samuel Buchmann

4/11/2025

Translation: machine translated

Pictures: Samuel Buchmann

Are you annoyed by the transparent controls on your iPhone? Now you can make Apple's "Liquid Glass" less glassy.

Apple has released iOS 26.1. The most important new feature is a switch that can be used to reduce the transparency of the «Liquid Glass» design. To do this, go to «Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass» and choose between «Transparent» and «Coloured». The second option increases the contrast and makes controls or notifications on the lock screen easier to read.

Liquid Glass was criticised after its announcement due to its highly transparent appearance. Apple therefore adjusted the design several times before the final version was released. Nevertheless, many users continued to complain about poor legibility. Apple is responding to this feedback with the new «Coloured» mode, without discarding the concept altogether.

In addition to the new «Coloured» slider, iOS 26.1 brings further changes:

iOS 26.1 is available for iPhones from the 11 series and iPhone SE (2nd gen.) and can be installed via «Settings > General > Software update». Apple has released other updates alongside the new smartphone operating system: iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, watchOS 26.1, visionOS 26.1 and tvOS 26.1.

Samuel Buchmann

Senior Editor

Samuel.Buchmann@digitecgalaxus.ch

My fingerprint often changes so drastically that my MacBook doesn't recognise it anymore. The reason? If I'm not clinging to a monitor or camera, I'm probably clinging to a rockface by the tips of my fingers.

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