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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.

The coloured design (right) improves legibility. For me, the option remains activated from now on. However, you won't see much of the glass look anymore.
The coloured design (right) improves legibility. For me, the option remains activated from now on. However, you won't see much of the glass look anymore.

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:

  • Camera: The lock screen swipe to open the camera can be switched off in «Settings > Camera» to prevent accidental pocket snapshots.
  • Apple Music: Swipe the mini player to skip forward or back to the next or previous track. AutoMix now also works via AirPlay.
  • Translation: Live Translation via AirPods also supports Chinese (Mandarin, traditional and simplified), Japanese, Korean and Italian.
  • Audio/Recording: FaceTime audio quality at low bandwidth has been improved. External USB microphones get a gain control.
  • Fitness: Workouts can be logged manually directly in the app.
  • Safety/child protection: Apple accounts for young people (13-17, depending on region) now have web filters activated by default that block pornographic websites.

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.

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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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