Apple has quietly released the long-awaited iOS 26.1 update, and it comes bearing a lifeline for users who whispered “please fix that glassy look” during the beta cycle. The “turn off Liquid Glass” option is here, along with a raft of other tweaks aimed at making your iPhone feel smarter, cleaner, and more manageable.
In This Article
What’s changed in iOS 26.1
A toggle for Liquid Glass transparency
The headline feature: the new toggle under Settings → Display & Brightness → Liquid Glass. You can choose between the original “Clear” look (the full frosted-glass aesthetic) or a new “Tinted” mode that increases opacity and contrast behind menus and notifications. This addresses widespread complaints about legibility and usability of the interface.
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Lock screen camera swipe can be turned off
For anyone who has ended up with dozens of accidental camera app launches in their pocket, relief is here. Under Settings → Camera → Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera, you can now disable the shortcut altogether.
Refined core app behaviours and more language support
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The Clock app now requires a “slide to stop” gesture instead of a simple tap to dismiss an alarm, helping avoid accidental snoozes or dismissals.
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The Music app mini-player adds swipe left/right gestures to skip or replay tracks, improving quick control without opening the full app.
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Languages for the Apple Intelligence and Live Translation platforms have been expanded: Danish, Dutch, Norwegian and Vietnamese for Apple Intelligence; Japanese, Korean, Italian and both Simplified and Traditional Chinese for AirPods Live Translation.
Under-the-hood and pro-grade tweaks
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Gain control support for external USB microphones when using local capture features.
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Manual workout logging in the Fitness app, plus the ability to disable haptic feedback for call connect/disconnect.
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Background Security Improvements: devices will receive critical patches silently between major OS updates.
Supported devices and how to install
If your iPhone is running iOS 26, you should already see the update for iOS 26.1 available via Settings → General → Software Update. It supports devices as far back as the iPhone 11 series.
Best practice: connect to a Wi-Fi network, back up your device to iCloud or iTunes, and ensure your battery is sufficiently charged or the phone is plugged in.
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Why this update matters
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The toggle for Liquid Glass signals Apple is listening to user feedback about readability and interface clarity.
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Smaller, high-impact refinements (camera gesture, alarm slide, language expansion) show the OS is being polished rather than just overhauled.
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The behind-the-scenes security and external-mic gains matter for power users and creators alike.
Should you upgrade now?
Yes, if you’re already on iOS 26 and want a smoother experience. The changes are solid, mostly bug fixes and usability improvements. If you’re wary of first-wave bugs, wait a week or two and check if any issues surface in forums.
Final opinion
This update marks a thoughtful shift from “big new interface” to “big new interface + smart fixes”. The inclusion of the Liquid Glass toggle particularly reassures that aesthetics won’t win over usability. If Apple keeps this refined momentum up, iOS could feel less flashy and more dependable, just as it should.
