Tinted glass: Apple previews Liquid Glass alternative in new iOS beta

With the release of the iOS 26.1 beta 4 update, both the critics and accessibility advocates can rejoice: Apple has made it easier for users to customize the Liquid Glass UI.

The Liquid Glass design, which drew some mild criticism from iPhone users transitioning to iOS 26, now offers the choice between Clear and Tinted modes. The update applies to both mobile and desktop users (read more about the macOS Tahoe 26.1 beta 4) and serves as a fallback option for those who had trouble reading the Clear version of the interface.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

To access the feature, beta users can go to the "Display & Brightness" menu under Settings to find the new Liquid Glass option. On Mac, it’s located under "Appearance" in System Settings. The Tinted option increases the opacity of the UI, which should make notifications and text easier to read.

It’s a welcome update, as many iOS 26 users complained about the interface's translucency — and it seems Apple has been listening. In a statement to TechCrunch, Apple said feedback from beta testers made it clear that users wanted more customization for Liquid Glass.

While the Appearance option won’t roll out publicly until the official iOS 26.1 update, it’s a far better solution than before. Since users can’t roll back to iOS 26 or disable Liquid Glass entirely, the previous workaround involved diving into Accessibility settings, reducing transparency, and tweaking the home screen color for a makeshift tinted look.