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Apple Adds Clear/Tinted Control for Liquid Glass in 26.1 Betas

The move answers readability complaints by giving users an integrated higher-contrast alternative that applies across the system.

Overview

  • The new menu in iOS/iPadOS/macOS 26.1 beta 4 lets users pick Clear or Tinted, a binary choice with no slider for fine-tuning.
  • Selecting Tinted increases opacity and contrast across Apple apps and UI elements, including less transparent Lock Screen notifications on iPhone and iPad.
  • Apple says third-party apps that implemented Liquid Glass will automatically honor the user’s Clear/Tinted preference.
  • Hands-on testing indicates little or no change in areas like Control Center, the App Library, and Home Screen icons and widgets, showing the effect is broad but not universal.
  • The same beta adds quality-of-life tweaks such as an option to disable the Lock Screen camera swipe, and multiple outlets expect iOS 26.1 to reach the public later in October.