Apple is giving users even more control over the look and feel of its latest interface design. The newest developer betas for iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS 26.1 introduce a new Liquid Glass visibility setting — a visual tweak that changes how transparent system elements appear across menus, notifications, and apps.

What Is Liquid Glass?

First unveiled at WWDC earlier this year, Liquid Glass is Apple's next step in refining its translucent interface style — a design language that blends depth, light, and color to create a sense of layered realism. It's essentially a modern evolution of the glassy, frosted look that Apple popularised back in the OS X Yosemite era, now updated for Apple's current ecosystem.

Liquid Glass can be seen throughout the system — from Notification Center and Control Center panels to app backgrounds and widgets. It subtly shifts tones and transparency levels depending on the wallpaper and ambient color behind it, giving Apple's UI a dynamic, almost "alive" quality.

New Visibility Options: Clear or Tinted

With this latest beta, Apple now gives users the ability to fine-tune how Liquid Glass appears:

This subtle adjustment allows users to pick the look that best fits their personal preference or accessibility needs.

How to Access the New Setting

On iPhone and iPad, the setting can be found under:
Settings → Display & Brightness → Liquid Glass

For Mac users, the same option appears under:
System Settings → Appearance

Once applied, the chosen style extends system-wide — covering menus, notifications, widgets, apps, and even the Lock Screen.

Other New Additions in iOS 26.1 Beta

Beyond the Liquid Glass customisation, Apple has added several other small but meaningful features in the iOS 26.1 developer beta.

One of the most practical updates is a new security toggle that lets users disable the swipe-to-camera gesture from the Lock Screen. Found under Settings → Camera → Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera, this prevents anyone from accessing the camera without unlocking the device — a small but welcome privacy upgrade.

There's also a "slide to stop" gesture for alarms and timers, letting users stop them more intuitively, as well as expanded Apple Intelligence language support for more regions and languages.

When Will It Be Released Publicly?

Apple hasn't confirmed a specific release date yet, but since these features have already made their way into developer testing, a public release isn't far off. Typically, Apple rolls out stable versions within weeks after developer and public beta cycles finish, meaning users can likely expect the update very soon.

Final Thoughts

Apple's move to make Liquid Glass adjustable may seem small, but it represents a broader shift toward greater personalisation and accessibility. By giving users more control over aesthetics — from transparency to contrast — Apple continues refining its visual design philosophy, balancing elegance with usability.

For those who love tweaking every detail of their Apple experience, this update is another step in making macOS, iPadOS, and iOS truly feel personal.