Apple Adds Liquid Glass Opacity Control in Latest iOS 26.1 Beta
Apple released a new developer beta for iOS 26.1 today, October 20, 2025, introducing a setting that allows users to adjust the opacity of the Liquid Glass elements introduced earlier this year.
The new option, found within Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass, provides a choice between “Clear” and “Tinted” modes, offering users greater control over the visual transparency of the interface. Similar functionality has also been added to the latest iPadOS 26.1 and macOS 26.1 developer betas. This adjustment addresses earlier feedback regarding legibility issues some users experienced with the initial Liquid Glass implementation.
Alongside the Liquid Glass control, the beta also includes a new privacy feature: the ability to disable the swipe-to-camera shortcut from the lock screen, accessible via Settings > Camera > Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera. This feature aims to prevent unauthorized photo capture even if a device’s lock screen is compromised. For more information on Apple’s commitment to user privacy, visit Apple’s Privacy website.
The introduction of customizable Liquid Glass and enhanced security features demonstrates Apple’s ongoing refinement of iOS 26, which initially debuted at WWDC this year. Further testing and feedback are expected before the official public release of iOS 26.1; you can learn more about the initial iOS 26 release here.
Apple has not yet announced a specific release date for iOS 26.1, but further beta updates are anticipated in the coming weeks.
Apple’s latest iOS 26.1 beta has a new option that lets you tint Liquid Glass elements of iOS 26 so that they are more opaque. Since announcing Liquid Glass at WWDC this year, Apple has tweaked exactly how glassy Liquid Glass is — early on, there were some legibility issues — but this new setting gives you the choice of making things more transparent or more frosted.
The option is available now in the iOS 26.1 developer beta that Apple launched on Monday. You can access it from Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass, where you can choose between “Clear” and “Tinted.” The latest iPadOS 26.1 and macOS 26.1 developer betas also let you tint Liquid Glass, MacRumors reports.
Here’s a few image sliders showing how things look with the clear or tinted Liquid Glass. For each one, the screenshot on the left features the app with the “Clear” Liquid Glass option while the screenshot on the right uses the “Tinted” one. The differences are subtle, but I much prefer the Tinted versions.
The Liquid Glass toggle isn’t the only handy new option Apple added with the newest iOS 26.1 beta. The update also lets you turn off the ability to swipe to the camera from the lock screen, which might prevent people who have your phone from taking pictures even if they can’t bypass your lock screen. You can access the toggle from Settings > Camera > Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera.
