Apple just rolled out iOS 26.1 beta with a new customization option that lets users adjust the opacity of Liquid Glass interface elements. The toggle, accessible through Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass, offers 'Clear' and 'Tinted' options - addressing early legibility concerns that plagued the design language since its WWDC debut.
Apple just dropped another tweak to its controversial Liquid Glass design language, and this time it's giving users actual control. The iOS 26.1 developer beta, which hit devices Monday, includes a new toggle that lets you dial up or down the opacity of Liquid Glass elements across the interface. It's a small change that speaks to Apple's ongoing struggle to balance aesthetics with usability ever since introducing the glassy look at WWDC earlier this year. The feature arrives as Apple continues addressing the accessibility complaints that emerged from early Liquid Glass implementations. When the company first showed off the translucent interface elements, some users immediately flagged legibility issues - particularly for text overlaid on busy backgrounds. Apple's response has been iterative: multiple beta releases have gradually adjusted the balance between transparency and readability. Now users get to make that call themselves. The new setting lives in Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass, where you can choose between 'Clear' for maximum transparency or 'Tinted' for a more frosted, opaque look. According to MacRumors testing, the feature extends beyond iPhones - both iPadOS 26.1 and macOS 26.1 developer betas include the same toggle. The differences between the two modes are subtle but meaningful. In Safari, Control Center, and native apps like Apple TV and the App Store, the Tinted option provides just enough opacity to improve text legibility without completely abandoning the signature glass aesthetic. It's particularly noticeable when viewing content with complex backgrounds - exactly where the original Liquid Glass struggled. This isn't the only user-facing improvement in iOS 26.1 beta. Apple also added a toggle to disable the swipe-to-camera gesture from the lock screen, addressing a privacy concern some users raised about unauthorized photo access. The setting, found under Settings > Camera > Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera, could prevent someone from taking pictures even without unlocking your device. The Liquid Glass saga reflects Apple's broader challenge in iOS 26: pushing design boundaries while maintaining the accessibility standards users expect. Since WWDC, the company has , suggesting internal teams are still finding the sweet spot between visual impact and practical usability. For developers and beta testers, the customization options signal Apple's willingness to compromise on design purity when user experience is at stake. The company rarely gives users this level of control over interface aesthetics - most design changes come as take-it-or-leave-it updates. But Liquid Glass appears different, possibly because the stakes are higher for an interface language that touches every corner of the OS.
