Here's How the iOS 26.1 Transparency Toggle Changes Liquid Glass

With the fourth beta of iOS 26.1, Apple added a toggle that makes Liquid Glass more opaque and reduces transparency. We tested the beta to see where the toggle works and what it looks like.


If you have the latest iOS 26.1 beta, you can go to Settings > Display and Brightness to get to the new option. Tap on Liquid Glass, then choose "Tinted." The Tinted option increases the opacity of Liquid Glass UI elements and improves contrast, while the Clear option is the standard Liquid Glass look.

Apple's new option looks different in both light and dark mode, increasing opacity in color consistent with each option. It works for Lock Screen notifications and within apps to make menu and navigation bars less transparent, but there is little to no change with other parts of the OS like Control Center, the App Library, and app icons and widgets on the Home Screen.

iOS 26.1 beta 4 is available to developers and public beta testers at the current time. We're expecting iOS 26.1 to be released later in October, and that's when everyone will have access to the new settings.

Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...

Top Rated Comments

bulletspongesquarepants Avatar
15 weeks ago
I'm not a fan of any transparency on any OS (first thing i turn off) so its nice to see we are getting more options. ?
Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tazinlwfl Avatar
15 weeks ago
Thanks for the info. Probably never going to change it. Love Clear.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
212rikanmofo Avatar
15 weeks ago
Liquid Glass is the worst thing ever. So difficult to see, especially for older people. If ever though of this idea and supports it should be immediately fired from Apple.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
carswell Avatar
15 weeks ago
Reduced transparency is better than nothing but what I really want is the option to turn it off altogether.

I also want to be able to get rid of the "shiny" outline borders around icons, home screen clock digits, etc. Makes the screen busy and cluttered, does nothing to increase usability and isn't even a convincing lighting effect since it highlights opposite corners. Others may not be bothered by this but I find it irritating in the extreme.

Staying with iOS 18 and MacOS 18 until these issues are resovled. I upgraded to iPadOS 26 to get the windowing features on my iPad Pro (pretty impressive, especially for a first iteration) but now find the rest of the UI on this pricey device at times near-illegible (e.g. skinny black text on a medium-dark grey background in the Settings search box) and irritating (that word again). And that's despite having transparency minimized, dark mode enabled and a pure black wallpaper.

YMMV but IMHO Apple blew it big time with this one.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Richard Ripley Avatar
15 weeks ago
I do not like Liquid Glass. I thought that one of the main reasons to have devices such as a Mac or an iPhone or an iPad was to get work done. Yes, I'm a big fan of fun and a pleasurable experience when it comes to UI (DogCow anyone?) but Liquid Glass sometimes makes getting things done a LOT harder.

I have tried turning on Reduce Transparency and that makes a mess of folder displays in Dark Mode so I am using plain old Liquid Glass on iOS and iPad Os. I haven't moved to Tahoe because of Liquid Glass with the Mac OS.

I'm hoping that the new setting described here makes things more legible and easier to read. When Ive was working at Apple sometimes form followed function (keyboards, etc.) and Liquid Glass seems a return to this thinking - a gimmick that in some instances makes things hard to read, is not my idea of a good idea. ?
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rafagon Avatar
15 weeks ago

I want more glass effects not just standard
You can buy these at your local Apple Store. They're priced competitively. This gives you more granular control over how "liquid" your "glass" appears.



Attachment Image
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)