Apple Releases iOS 26.1 Release Candidate with New ‘Liquid Glass’ Toggle and Lock Screen Customization
Apple today released the Release Candidate for iOS 26.1 to beta testers, introducing a range of new features and customization options expected to roll out to all users within the next week.
The most prominent addition is the “Liquid Glass” toggle, found within Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass, allowing users to choose between a clear and tinted aesthetic for elements like notifications and tab bars. This builds upon existing visual customization options and accessibility settings like contrast and transparency controls. Additionally, users can now disable the long-standing swipe-to-open Camera gesture on the iPhone lock screen via Settings > Camera > Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera, addressing frequent accidental activations.
Beyond these headline features, iOS 26.1 expands support for Apple Intelligence to include Chinese (traditional), Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, and Vietnamese. AirPods Live Translation now supports Chinese (Mandarin simplified and traditional), Italian, Japanese, and Korean, expanding the real-time translation capabilities initially launched with AirPods Pro 2. Apple is also rebranding its streaming service from Apple TV+ to simply Apple TV, accompanied by a redesigned app icon, signaling a broader shift in its video strategy. Further improvements include a new Local Capture section in Settings, refined alarm dismissal with Slide to Unlock, and a swipe gesture for music control.
These updates come as Apple continues to refine its software ecosystem, aiming to provide users with greater control over their devices and enhanced accessibility features. The official public release of iOS 26.1 is anticipated within one week, following the testing period of the Release Candidate.
Apple has released iOS 26.1 RC to beta testers ahead of the software update’s official release. Here’s what changes are coming to the iPhone in iOS 26.1.
Liquid Glass toggle
The biggest news from iOS 26.1 is the Liquid Glass toggle. Apple is adding the option to choose between clear (the current design in iOS 26) and tinted. The tinted option changes the opacity level behind things like notifications and tab bars. Other Liquid Glass visual elements like optional clear app icons are still present.
The toggle is found in Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass on iPhone and iPad. The Mac also gains the toggle in Settings > Appearance > Liquid Glass, although the differences on macOS aren’t as apparent.
The new preference is in addition to accessibility settings that already exist like increase contrast, reduce transparency, and more.
Lock Screen Swipe
iOS 26.1 introduces a second toggle that may be welcomed by even more users. For the first time in years, it’s possible to disable the swipe to open Camera gesture on the iPhone lock screen.
The new toggle is found in Settings > Camera > Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera.
The shortcut started as a swipe up gesture before later becoming a swipe from the right gesture in iOS 10. Starting with the iPhone X, Apple has included Lock Screen shortcuts for Flashlight and Camera by default.
Newer iPhones also include the Camera Control button, adding a third way to launch the Camera. Before that, the Action button introduced another method.
While the swipe option remains, including the ability to toggle it off in Settings can eliminate accidental swipes that unintentionally launch the Camera app.
More
More changes discovered in previous versions of iOS 26.1 relate to Apple Intelligence, AirPods Live Translation, Apple TV, and iPad Slide Over.
Apple Intelligence gains support for Chinese (traditional), Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, and Vietnamese.
AirPods Live Translation adds support for Chinese (Mandarin simplified and traditional), Italian, Japanese, and Korean. The feature launched with iOS 26 on AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4 with support for US and UK English, French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain).
Apple is rebranding its streaming video service from Apple TV+ to just Apple TV. The rebrand is being accompanied by “a vibrant new identity,” according to Apple. The first sign of vibrancy comes with the new icon for the Apple TV app.
Settings app now includes a Local Capture section under General. The setting lets you change where Local Capture files are saved. You can also toggle Local Capture to only include audio.
iOS 26.1 also improves how alarms are dismissed with a Slide to Unlock interface, adds a swipe gesture for changing songs in the Music app, and much more.
Availability
iOS 26.1 RC is available for developer beta testers now. The official release version will likely be released in one week.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
