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iOS 26 introduces an innovative design element that Apple refers to as Liquid Glass. This new material emphasizes transparency, allowing the content on your display to stand out.

However, if the aesthetic doesn’t appeal to you or impacts readability, there is a way to modify its appearance for better clarity while still maintaining some of the new design features. Apple provides various Accessibility options that cater to individual visual preferences, including the Reduce Transparency feature.

By enabling this option, users can add a darker background to transparent areas like the Control Center, app icons, and folders, which enhances the contrast and overall readability. To activate Reduce Transparency, open the Settings app, navigate to Accessibility, select Display and Text Size, and toggle on the Reduce Transparency option.

For quicker access to this feature, consider adding it to your Accessibility Shortcuts for easy toggling from the Control Center. While enabling Reduce Transparency does not eliminate translucency from the iPhone’s interface, it lends a more opaque appearance to the overall look.

Notably, it doesn’t alter the shape of buttons or revert the interface to its pre-iOS 26 style. At this early stage of beta testing, Apple may adjust the Liquid Glass design based on user feedback.

Transitioning to a completely new interface can be challenging, but users participating in the beta program might find that temporarily activating Reduce Transparency eases the adjustment period. Most users are likely to acclimate to the updated interface quickly.

Apple has not drastically changed app layouts, so despite the fresh look delivered by iOS 26, the user experience remains familiar. Liquid Glass may evolve before the official public launch, which is expected to take place in September following a public beta in July.

Apple recently unveiled macOS Tahoe 26 at WWDC 2025, showcasing an impressive visual redesign alongside enhanced Apple Intelligence features and improved Continuity capabilities that seamlessly connect Mac and iPhone workflows. The update boasts what Apple describes as a “gorgeous new design” featuring Liquid Glass, a translucent material that reflects the surrounding environment. The Dock, sidebars, and toolbars have been streamlined to emphasize content, while a fully transparent menu bar creates an illusion of a larger display.

Users will enjoy extensive personalization options, including vibrant app icon tints, customizable folder colors with emoji, and upgraded Control Center layouts. Significant improvements have been made to Continuity, with the Phone app debuting on Mac. This app brings many familiar iPhone functionalities, including Recents, Contacts, and Voicemails.

New features such as Call Screening help identify unknown callers, while Hold Assist allows users to stay in phone queues without interrupting their work on a Mac. Live Activities from the iPhone will now appear in the Mac menu bar, providing real-time updates for flights, ride-sharing, and sports scores. Users can click on these activities to open iPhone Mirroring for additional details and actions.

The Spotlight feature has received its most comprehensive update to date, now intelligently ranking all search results and enabling filtering by specific file types. Users can perform a variety of actions directly from Spotlight, such as sending emails or creating notes, without switching apps. The feature adapts to user habits, offering personalized shortcuts for frequently used tasks.

Apple Intelligence has expanded to include Live Translation across Messages, FaceTime, and phone calls, translating conversations in real-time while preserving user privacy. Other enhancements include the Genmoji and Image Playground features, which allow customization of emojis and access to various creative styles. The new Apple Games app provides centralized gaming experiences with tailored recommendations and social features.

Additional updates enhance Safari’s performance, introduce the Journal app for Mac, improve Messages with new backgrounds, and offer significant accessibility improvements. macOS Tahoe 26 is now available for developer beta, with a public beta set for next month and a general release anticipated for fall 2025.

iOS 26 brings significant enhancements to the boarding pass feature within the Apple Wallet, making it a more streamlined and informative experience for users. One of the standout updates is the integration of Live Activities, which allows users to monitor their flights directly on the Lock Screen of their iPhones. This functionality provides at-a-glance information about flight arrival times and other critical updates, previously available only through third-party apps like Flighty.

In addition to Live Activities, the Wallet app now showcases essential details beneath the boarding pass itself. Users will find handy features, such as Apple Maps directions to the applicable airport terminal and a convenient shortcut that links to the updated Find My app for baggage tracking. This integrated approach aims to simplify travel and enhance overall user convenience.

The first developer beta of iOS 26 has recently been made available, with a public beta expected to follow in the upcoming month. The full update is slated for release later in the year, promising a host of new features and refinements. At the recent Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025, Apple also unveiled its new design philosophy dubbed “Liquid Glass.”

This redesign is set to influence not only iOS but also iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS, and CarPlay, introducing a fresh universal design language across all platforms. The keynote presentation highlighted Apple’s focus on delivering a cohesive user experience, alongside improvements to core apps and expanded capabilities powered by the latest advancements in Apple’s hardware and software. With these updates, iOS 26 stands to enhance how users interact with their devices during travel and beyond, aiming for greater efficiency and a modern aesthetic.

iOS 26 introduces an innovative design element known as Liquid Glass, characterized by its transparency which allows content on the display to shine through the user interface. For users who may not prefer this aesthetic or are finding it difficult to read, there is a solution to enhance visibility without completely abandoning the new look. Apple offers several Accessibility options to cater to various visual preferences, one of which is the Reduce Transparency feature. By activating this setting, users can darken backgrounds of translucent elements, such as the Control Center, app icons, and folders, thus improving contrast and readability.

To enable Reduce Transparency, simply open the Settings app, navigate to Accessibility, select Display and Text Size, then toggle the Reduce Transparency option. For quick access, it’s possible to add this feature to your Accessibility Shortcuts, allowing you to toggle it directly from the Control Center interface. While enabling Reduce Transparency won’t eliminate all transparency in the iPhone’s interface, it provides a more opaque appearance overall. It’s important to note that this adjustment doesn’t alter button shapes or revert the design to that of earlier iOS versions.

Currently, we are in the early stages of beta testing, and user feedback will guide refinements to the Liquid Glass design. Transitioning to a fundamentally new interface can be challenging, particularly for developers participating in the beta. Using Reduce Transparency temporarily may help ease this transition. Many users will likely acclimate to the Liquid Glass design within a few days, as Apple aims to maintain a sense of familiarity despite the changes.

The design may continue to evolve leading up to the public rollout, which is expected in September following a public beta in July.

Barnes & Noble has introduced an update to its Nook app for iPhone and iPad, featuring a new “buy on BN.com” button. This addition allows users to be redirected to the company’s website to finalize their purchases of e-books and audiobooks.

The “buy on BN.com” button appears next to book listings within the app. When clicked, it opens the user’s default browser and takes them to the relevant product page on Barnes & Noble’s website.

Once the purchase is completed, the content syncs automatically to the Nook app and any associated Nook devices. Before this update, iOS users often faced confusion about how to buy content, as there was no straightforward method available through the app.

This change reflects a trend seen in recent updates to other platforms, such as Amazon’s Kindle app and Spotify, which have implemented similar external purchase options. The updates were prompted by a court ruling in the ongoing litigation between Epic Games and Apple.

A notable decision made by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in April prohibited Apple from blocking external purchase links or imposing commissions on them. For years, Apple required developers to either utilize its in-app purchase system, which comes with a 30% commission, or refrain from including links that directed users to alternative payment methods.

The recent ruling has paved the way for e-reader applications like Barnes & Noble’s Nook as well as Kobo to provide a more seamless and user-friendly purchasing experience.

With the release of iPadOS 26, Apple has unveiled a new multitasking user interface that enables users to run multiple applications simultaneously. This allows for the resizing of app windows, moving them over one another, and rearranging them according to personal preference, similar to the user experience on a Mac. In a recent interview, Apple’s software chief, Craig Federighi, discussed the factors that delayed the introduction of effective windowed multitasking on the iPad.

Federighi attributed the extended timeline primarily to the hardware limitations of early iPads. He explained that the original devices did not possess the necessary power to support true multitasking while maintaining optimal responsiveness. He emphasized that a touch-based interface requires immediate feedback when users interact with the screen, stressing, “Otherwise, the entire interaction model is broken.”

The initial launch of Stage Manager in 2022 also faced challenges, as Apple limited this feature to more powerful models to guarantee reliable performance.

This decision led to frustration among users with older iPads. However, as the iPad Pro’s hardware evolved to match that of Macs, the technical impediments began to dissipate. Federighi noted that advancements in the iPad’s capabilities and the increasing use of trackpads and keyboards indicated a demand for enhanced multitasking features.

In iPadOS 26, Apple adopted a new strategy, making multitasking available even on older devices, although with some limitations on the number of simultaneous apps. Users on older models are limited to four open apps, while newer devices support more. The updated interface introduces Mac-like features, including traffic-light controls for window management and menu bars for settings adjustments.

Despite these advancements, significant distinctions remain. For instance, background processing is limited to finite tasks, such as file transfers. This update represents a significant stride towards positioning the iPad as a viable laptop alternative, particularly for the base $349 model.

As iPadOS 26 is currently in developer beta, with a public version expected soon, the changes reflect Apple’s recognition of user demands for a more versatile multitasking experience. What are your thoughts on these updates?

With the release of iOS 26, Apple has made significant updates to the iPhone experience, introducing a fresh Liquid Glass redesign that is compatible with all eligible devices. However, some features are exclusively available to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, as they utilize Apple’s advanced Intelligence technology. The new capabilities rely on powerful on-device large language models and machine learning that necessitate the advanced neural processing found in Apple’s latest A-series chips.

Users of iPhone 15 Pro and newer models can look forward to several exciting features that are not accessible to those with older devices. One of the standout features is the Live Translation within Messages, FaceTime, and Phone, which offers real-time translation for messages, live captions during video calls, and spoken translations during phone conversations. Additionally, Shortcuts has been enhanced with new actions that utilize Apple Intelligence, enabling users to create images, summarize text, and obtain AI responses as part of their automated workflows.

Furthermore, the Reminders app now benefits from on-device AI, providing task and grocery item suggestions based on information gleaned from Messages and emails, along with automatically organizing task lists. The Messages app also includes AI-powered poll suggestions and innovative background generation using Image Playground integration. In terms of utilities, the Apple Wallet offers improved order tracking capabilities by extracting tracking information from emails, eliminating the need for merchant involvement.

There are also new features in Genmoji and Image Playground, allowing users to mix emojis, customize characters, and access a variety of artistic styles powered by ChatGPT. Lastly, the Visual Intelligence capability with Screenshots expands the functionality of the camera-based AI across the system, enabling users to analyze screenshots for shopping or event information. While the new Spatial Scenes effect may seem like an AI feature, it actually employs the Neural Engine and is available on iPhone 12 and newer devices, animating photos based on device movement.

Hello everyone! Although we’re still in the beta phase, I wanted to share my thoughts based on the keynote presentation. I’m firmly in the “love it” camp when it comes to the new Liquid Glass design language.

It’s sleek, modern, and full of promise. However, after exploring both iOS and macOS, I’ve observed that the new design feels more cohesive and impressive on iOS. The brilliance of Liquid Glass truly shines in environments with dynamic content like media, images, or vibrant colors.

On iOS, the design comes alive through album art, emojis, wallpapers, and videos, creating a layered and fluid effect that feels refreshing. Conversely, the experience on macOS feels flatter. Many applications still display buttons and menus over static white sidebars or menu bars, which dulls the glossy, translucent effect of the design.

It appears that numerous Mac apps have yet to fully adopt this new design language. The transparency is limited, and aside from a few refreshed widgets, icons, and specific applications such as Safari and Apple Music, macOS Tahoe lacks the same vitality. I would love to see Apple enhance transparency and dynamic layering throughout macOS.

There’s incredible potential here, but currently, it seems only partially realized. It might even be beneficial if macOS windows drew inspiration from the glassy, blurred aesthetics of the Windows Vista era. Love it or hate it, that era offered a striking design that made UI elements feel more lively.

What are your thoughts? Would you like to see more glass-like elements and blurred transparency in Mac applications?

**Non-Working Apps**
This category includes applications that either no longer load, crash, or exhibit significant issues. Some notable mentions are:
– Add To Dock or any Web App that has been removed from the dock, as they don’t appear in the new spotlight. – Adapter, which crashes during the loading process.

– Bartender, which fails to set its menu bar properly. – DEVONthink 4 runs but crashes upon exit. – Malwarebytes, where users face difficulties installing new updates.

– Orion launches but experiences crashes while browsing. Other apps in this list include Movist, which doesn’t start at all, and The Long Dark, which fails to load due to a DLL error. **Partially Working Apps**
These applications show mixed performance.

For example, iMazing has broken context menus and popup issues, whereas Steam can launch but not run any games successfully. Time Machine required manual setup to connect to the backup disk, yet it eventually functioned correctly. – Little Snitch is currently broken, although the nightly version is reported to work.

– PureVPN allows activation through the dashboard but does not support deactivation. **Debated Apps**
Certain apps are surrounded by mixed reviews on functionality. Docker Desktop and Dropbox (version 226.3.5047) are among them, with some users reporting varying success.

**Working Apps**
A comprehensive list of operational applications includes popular choices like 1Password, Adobe Creative Cloud, Discord, and Microsoft Office Suite. Graphic designers may also benefit from Affinity Photo 2 and Pixelmator Pro. Streamlined tools like Amethyst and Alfred 5 enhance productivity.

Additionally, essential services like NordVPN and WhatsApp Desktop demonstrate full functionality. In summary, while many applications remain stable, a select few exhibit issues that could impact users’ experiences either positively or negatively.

Firstly, I want to acknowledge that I understand this is a beta version and that changes may occur. However, I must express my disappointment with the new Liquid Glass design, which does not meet my expectations. The Control Center is particularly unappealing. It appears as though the icons are simply placed on top of a blurred glass effect, positioned directly over the Home Screen.

This creates a disorienting experience, as the underlying content is visible through the Control Center icons, diminishing its usability. Moreover, the Login screen gives off strong iOS 7 vibes. While it does have a more 3D appearance compared to the flat design of its predecessor, it still misses the mark in terms of modern aesthetics. The overall impression feels outdated, rather than fresh and innovative.

Additionally, the edges of the folders are excessively sharp. A more translucent design would help soften the appearance, leading to a more cohesive look. Currently, the overall layering seems disjointed, creating a cluttered visual experience. Perhaps it’s just my perspective, but I genuinely believe that the design of iOS 18 was far superior to this Liquid Glass version.

The elements introduced in the previous iteration balanced form and function much more effectively, and I find myself longing for that thoughtful approach to design.