What to know

  • Apple has introduced a new Tinted option in iOS 26.1 beta 4, allowing users to increase the opacity of Liquid Glass interface elements for improved readability and contrast.
  • The setting provides a choice between Clear and Tinted modes, with Tinted reducing transparency in notifications, tab bars, and navigation elements throughout the system.
  • This change comes after widespread criticism of the Liquid Glass design, particularly regarding legibility, contrast issues, and performance concerns on older devices.
  • The iOS 26.1 public release is expected in late October or early November 2025, likely around October 27 or November 3

Apple introduced the Liquid Glass interface earlier in 2025 with iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe. The design replaced traditional flat layers with translucent, glass-like surfaces that subtly reflect wallpapers and lighting. It aimed to add visual depth and fluidity across system menus, widgets, and app elements.

While the look impressed many, others found it hard to read. Transparent backgrounds occasionally blended with wallpapers, making text and icons less distinct—especially in bright conditions. Apple’s new Tinted option directly responds to that concern, giving users control over transparency levels.

Clear vs. Tinted: What’s different?

The new toggle adds two appearance modes under Settings → Display & Brightness → Liquid Glass (or System Settings → Appearance on Mac).

Mode Description Visual result
Clear Original Liquid Glass appearance with high transparency and visible background blur. Sleek, immersive visuals, but less contrast.
Tinted Adds a subtle layer of opacity to reduce see-through effects. Improves legibility and contrast, especially over complex wallpapers.

The setting applies system-wide—affecting Control Center, Notification Center, widgets, menus, and certain in-app layers.

How to enable the Tinted display option

If you're running the latest developer or public beta, here's how to enable the Tinted display option:

  1. Open Settings (or System Settings on Mac).
  2. Go to Display & Brightness. Then go to Liquid Glass.
  3. Choose between Clear and Tinted.
  4. The change applies instantly across the OS.

The feature remains limited to beta builds for now, with a stable rollout planned for the final iOS 26.1 and macOS Tahoe 26.1 releases.