Apple has released a new feature that makes it easy to customize Liquid Glass to your liking. Now users will be able to set the appearance of Liquid Glass to either Clear or Tinted, with the help of a new setting included in the latest beta update of the mobile and desktop operating systems.
The addition suggests that Apple is listening carefully to user feedback in these early days of the public release of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26. Apple wants to make more significant changes, but often offers an alternative option for those who struggle to adapt.
That’s what happened when Apple moved Safari’s address bar to the bottom of the screen in 2021. After some backlash from users over the then-controversial decision, the iPhone maker added an option to bring the bar back to the top of the screen. (Apple, we’ll admit, was right to make the move; the bar position is better when it’s closer to your thumbs.)
Now Apple is taking a similar approach with Liquid Glass.
The new user interface that came with iOS 26 and Apple’s other operating systems was the company’s biggest design overhaul since it moved from scomorphic to flat design in 2013. As with most changes of this scale and significance, not everyone was on board.
Some have said that the Liquid Glass design makes various parts of the interface harder to read, including notifications or navigation controls in apps like Apple Music and others. Others said they loved Liquid Glass’s attention to detail and its new look, which felt like a more modern update to an interface that had grown stale over the years.
With another potentially divisive response on its hands, Apple is now ceding some control over the appearance of Liquid Glass to users.
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The new feature, first spotted by 9 to 5 Machas reached iOS 26.1 beta 4 and accompanying updates for tablets and desktops.
Asked for comment, Apple told TechCrunch that, during the beta period this summer, it heard from some users who wanted the option to set a more opaque look for Liquid Glass. This new setting that allows users to customize Liquid Glass is available in iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS 26.1.
To access the feature, beta users can visit the Display & Brightness menu in Settings to find the added Liquid Glass menu option. On a Mac, it’s in the Appearance section of System Preferences. The control lets you choose between two options, Clear and Tinted. The latter increases the opacity of interface elements, making them more distinct.
Although some users were pushing for a slider that would allow them to control the opacity more precisely, Apple opted for a toggle where it defines the two levels of tint that users can choose from.
Apple told TechCrunch that for any developers who have already implemented Liquid Glass in their apps, the user preference will be automatically applied. Developers can test it now in the 26.1 developer beta.
After selecting their preferred option, users will see changes to UI elements such as Now Playing controls, Lock Screen Notifications, and Apple and third-party apps.
While the beta feature arrives for developers today, the public beta should arrive in the coming days before the wider public release.
