Here's How the iOS 26.1 Transparency Toggle Changes Liquid Glass

[johnsawyercjs]

View attachment 2570887
Now do something about the stupid gradients. Idk about ya'll but I like to know what time it is!

What app is that? I'm seeing more apps block off the upper and/or lower parts of the screen so they don't show gradient-infused scrolling content, though some require that 'Reduce Transparency' be turned on to accomplish that.

 

[HazeAndHahmahneez]

Ok, so how do I ENHANCE the glorious glassy glamour and magnificent shine??….

 

[ProbablyDylan]

What app is that? I'm seeing more apps block off the upper and/or lower parts of the screen so they don't show gradient-infused scrolling content, though some require that 'Reduce Transparency' be turned on to accomplish that.

This is Safari. Apple made this, presumably saw this, and said "yeah, send it"

 

[Shirasaki]

Why is it so hard, after all these years, for Apple to just give their users CHOICE?

Giving Apples solid track record of not giving users options for all these years I can see why it is so hard. No choice is in Apple’s corporate DNA and the motto.

 

[InnSuu]

Apple have lost the plot with the so-called liquid glass UX department. What an unedifying name too! With another backtracking so soon after the AI half baked release.

Liquid Glass Is Cracked, and Usability Suffers in iOS 26

iOS 26’s visual language obscures content instead of letting it take the spotlight. New (but not always better) design patterns replace established conventions.

www.nngroup.com

 

[Selena Agna]

Having no choice about UI matters is fine as long as the people in charge of the UI are making good choices.

 

[ZEEN0j]

Makes Liquid glass like 10% better, but frankly its still crap.

It drives me nuts how everything at the top and bottom of the screen is blurry. Makes me feel like there's something wrong with my eyes.

And all the blinking, flashing, and useless animation in iOS 26 drives me NUTS!!

This is still annoying even with the tint. They also apply a dark or bright gradient at the top and bottom that will change from dark to bright depending on the content. Even worse it’s not even a good gradient, there’s a noticeable edge where the gradient fades to zero.

 

[stephanjp]

Thought that reduced transparency setting that’s been around for a while accomplished this, how is this different? 🙄

 

[stephanjp]

Great. Is this news?

Um. Yes.

 

[stephanjp]

For people who seem confused and can’t read…

This just applies a tint

The reduce transparency setting in accessibility only reduces transparency.

It’s like looking out a car window with tinted windows. Or wearing sunglasses. You can still see clearly…it’s just a little darker. The transparency is the same. It’s just darker. Two totally different settings.

If you hate Liquid Glass then this isn’t going to remove it.

I like the tint effect 🙂

Thank you for taking the time to explain the difference. You’ve done a service for all the haters here who can’t be bothered to do some research on their own. Having said that, MR could have explained it in the article.

 

[stephanjp]

I find is bizarre that there are a bunch of people that are so against people having options. They seem hell bent to force their preference as the only way. Just read the comments here. Mind blowing 🤯

I find it bizarre that so many people have to have options implemented THEIR way (slider only!) or they are not satisfied.

 

[AndiG]

I find it bizarre that so many people have to have options implemented THEIR way (slider only!) or they are not satisfied.

A slider is quite common for setting transparency level. In the case Apple Glass, Apple was looking for effects totally neglecting usability.

 

[insomniac86]

I find it bizarre that so many people have to have options implemented THEIR way (slider only!) or they are not satisfied.

A slider allows for a greater level of customisation for people with vision issues, which a lot of people seem to have.
As I've previously said, a toggle will do the trick to reduce the visibility issues, a slider would have been preferred.
But I think this will realistically solve the issue for the people that dislike the Glass effects.

But even with these changes, like every thing in life, there will always be a group of people that are never satisfied.

 

[johnsawyercjs]

This is Safari. Apple made this, presumably saw this, and said "yeah, send it"

Yup. So far the only thing I've seen that stops this is 'Reduce Transparency', but many people don't like the side effects this setting creates. In other words, one of the main beefs people have with Liquid Glass, that being the one you point out of gradient-infused scrolling content at the top and/or bottom of the screen underlapping existing content there, isn't even addressed by its new 'Tinted' setting.

Oddly, today I found that while Display & Brightness > Appearance > Liquid Glass won't let you select 'Tinted' unless you have 'Reduce Transparency' and 'Increase Contrast' turned off in Accessibility > Display & Text Size, you can turn them off, then select 'Tinted' in the Liquid Glass prefpane, then go back into Accessibility > Display & Text Size and turn on 'Reduce Transparency' and 'Increase Contrast' again, then go back into the Liquid Glass prefpane, and you'll see 'Tinted' is still selected. Not sure if that adds something on top of these settings, or if it just switches 'Tinted' to 'Clear' without showing that change in the Liquid Glass prefpane.

At least Apple is consistent with their inconsistency.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

View attachment 2570887
Now do something about the stupid gradients. Idk about ya'll but I like to know what time it is!

As a follow up - it's somehow worse on the off chance that the gradient failed to render. No, I don't really need to know the time.

 

[Selena Agna]

But even with these changes, like every thing in life, there will always be a group of people that are never satisfied.

I'll be satisfied when Apple starts prioritising usability over "oooh new and shiny!" nonsense to appease the stock market demanding "innovation".

 

[insomniac86]

I'll be satisfied when Apple starts prioritising usability over "oooh new and shiny!" nonsense to appease the stock market demanding "innovation".

I’m not saying you’re wrong, but the average person really is to blame for the endless demand for "new and shiny".

Just look at the comments online... People complain that they’re "bored" because a phone looks the same as last year's model. People get bored because the Menu's and UI themes look the same. Appearance consistently wins over functionality in the publics mind.

From a business perspective, it makes perfect sense to exploit that mindset. Companies keep their teams busy reinventing the wheel. Fixing problems that never needed fixing by shifting buttons around, tweaking menus, and calling it innovation. It’s a way to look productive without creating anything truly new. Just recycling the same ideas over and over again.

From what I can tell, that cycle isn’t going anywhere.
With the average person lacking in the brain processing power department, you’re never going to be satisfied.

 

[oliversl]

Wasting GPU cycles on glass effect is really great, only if you area connected to an AC Adapter.

 

[nacinla]

So I turned on "Tinted" as directed, but I still have transparency. I then turned on "Reduce transparency" in Accessibility, and I still have transparency in Apple Mail. Before 26.1, with "Reduce transparency" on, things worked. What have I done wrong here?

 

[flottenheimer]

After months of wholeheartedly disliking liquid glass, how did I miss this one?
Well, better late than never, thank you for covering this setting MR. Tinted it is. 🎉