Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

[MacRumors]

Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July.

Transparency

In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the transparency of the navigation bars. The look is more opaque to make the buttons more legible.

Beta 2 on left, beta 3 on right​

With some backgrounds, notifications have a darker tone to make the text more readable, and there Safari has the same transparency changes with certain colors.

There have been some complaints about the changes that Apple is continuing to make, with some users suggesting that Apple is eliminating too much of the transparency that makes iOS 26 unique.

Wallpaper

Apple added new color options for the default "iOS" wallpaper that it designed for iOS 26, so now we have Halo, Dusk, Sky, and Shadow. There are three different blue tone options, and one version that has shades of purple.

The wallpapers have more unique color differences when viewed in Dark Mode.

Control Center

Apple tweaked the blue and green colors for the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirDrop, and Cellular Toggles. The colors are brighter and more in line with the other colors in Control Center.

iPadOS 26 Mouse Cursor

In iPadOS 26, if you shake the cursor, it will get bigger so that it's easier to find on the display. It's the same behavior that's available in macOS.

Maps

The Maps app gains support for fog advisories when using offline maps, plus beta 3 fleshes out the feature that alerts you to commute delays.

Safari

The folders interface in Safari features some minor design tweaks.

Bug Fixes

Apple says it fixed an issue that could cause iPads connected to external displays to go into sleep mode while in active video calls.

Read More

We have additional info on all of the new features in iOS 26 in our roundup.

Article Link: Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

 

[sergekills]

And just like that… Liquid Ass is almost gone 👀

 

[supremedesigner]

iOS 26 beta 3 completely nerfs Liquid Glass. It looks so much cheaper now and feels like Apple is backtracking on their original vision.

 

[brian3uk]

It’s pretty damning that with every update, they make the glass less transparent. Solid evidence that their design choice is not being well received.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

If they’re ‘toning’ the glass down - that is, making it more opaque - then how can they continue to justify the original design goals?

I’m not complaining about this development, but to me it proves just how misguided the whole design language is when they’re willing to backtrack on elements so easily. It’s as if Alan Dye and his cohorts just said “LoOk wHAt wE can DO!” without
thinking about the actual execution.

 

[Radeon85]

Much easier on the eyes now that they dialled it back a bit.

 

[supremedesigner]

On the bright side, it looks like they’ve made some changes to the Photos app icon on iOS 26.

The colours are deeper now.

Beta 2 • Beta 3

 

[berrymetal]

And that shimmer plastic effect on the icons is still there…

 

[PodcastFips]

Not 100% sure but I think they also changed the spacing of the keyboard a bit

 

[Nathan King]

I preferred the look of Beta 2.

 

[DBZmusicboy01]

Gosh
They are making it worse every update 💔 😔 it’s looking more like a crazy version of iOS 18 now.

 

[Kylo83]

firstly apple ruined the new Siri and AI with not being ready, and now the whole change of iOS 26 liquid glass has been backtracked, just like the photos app they ruined, what can they actually do thats right now days. its annoying me now days. liquid glass was the main selling point and they have backtracked on that, iOS 26 is now iOS 18.7

 

[zorinlynx]

I wish they'd just give up on the redesign and continue with minor tweaks to the current iOS 18 interface.

Seriously, who asked for this? iOS looks fine as it is today.

 

[sergekills]

Much easier on the eyes now that they dialled it back a bit.

Yeah, but isn’t it ridiculous?
So much fuss about the glass effects on the event and then all the fanboys yapping all over the internet how genius it is just to dial it all down?
Do they even test what they create? How on earth no one said that this glassy design only looks cool in the promo videos?

 

[klasma]

Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing

I have pictures in my head of Apple devs putting their gear on to brace for another phase of tough beta testing.

 

[Kylo83]

I wish they'd just give up on the redesign and continue with minor tweaks to the current iOS 18 interface.

Seriously, who asked for this? iOS looks fine as it is today.

now after over a decade we need something fresh

 

[brian3uk]

And the worst part about this mess is that if you want a new phone, you’re gonna get stuck with this ugly redesign since you can’t install an old iOS on a brand new device. If they don’t make some serious changes, this will be the first year. I don’t get a new phone.

 

[Shanesan]

As someone who is using iOS 26 and *like* Liquid Glass's transparency in most regards, they really should be setting the opaqueness as an option in Accessibility. Being able to see through stuff is nice in many occasions.

 

[ghostface147]

Reads like their vision of liquid glass is a non-starter for the public.

 

[winxmac]

Liquid Glass was short lived compared to iOS 18 Photos app that took almost a year before they tried to rollback the changes as shown on the iOS 26 Photos app.

Apple should learn from Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows 7 if they really want to use Liquid Glass.

 

[DCIFRTHS]

With some backgrounds, notifications have a darker tone to make the text more readable.

There have been some complaints about the changes that Apple is continuing to make, with some users suggesting that Apple is eliminating too much of the transparency that makes iOS 26 unique.

Eliminating too much of the transparency or doing the right thing? You should be able to find interface elements without trouble. I say this is the right way to do it!

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Yeah, but isn’t it ridiculous?
So much fuss about the glass effects on the event and then all the fanboys yapping all over the internet how genius it is just to dial it all down?
Do they even test what they create? How on earth no one said that this glassy design only looks cool in the promo videos?

This is the problem with using ‘glass’ as the primary material for all interface elements: it’s not versatile.

Just because they can layer it to create interesting effects doesn’t mean it will translate to a productive, intuitive and USABLE interface.

I’m speechless at how they haven’t understood this. It’s the reason that in their new Human interface guidelines they suggest devs don’t use transparency in icons where inappropriate (and they’re forced to use glass which, y’know, is usually transparent); yet they create a Mail icon with a transparent envelope.

Absolutely mind boggling.

 

[LuissCM]

Looks like Liquid Glass changes only apply to the iPhone. iPad still looks great/glassy

 

[klasma]

Do they even test what they create? How on earth no one said that this glassy design only looks cool in the promo videos?

Having a cool promo video probably was the primary goal.

 

[sergekills]

As someone who is using iOS 26 and *like* Liquid Glass's transparency in most regards, they really should be setting the opaqueness as an option in Accessibility. Being able to see through stuff is nice in many occasions.

The lack of consistency is killing me. Last year they were all about customization. Give people the tools to play around with the glass effects since you are all about customization now.