iOS 26 Beta 2 Fixes Control Center Design

[FeliApple]

I still think it looks ugly, I’m not liking this Liquid Glass redesign. I like the iOS 11-17 version a lot better. iOS 18 too, but the previous one has something I like.

That said, I’m notoriously resistant to visual changes to my operating systems. I don’t update anything AND I tend to use iOS devices for years on end even after upgrading, so change isn’t easy for me.

My opinion given... this is my Control Centre on my iPhone Xʀ running iOS 12:

And for comparison... this is iOS 26 beta 2 from the user above:

I don’t know, I like mine on iOS 12 a LOT more. Perhaps it’s just a matter of getting used to it...

 

[thiscatisfat]

That’s so much better now, it’s not even close

One could argue! 😄

 

[sergekills]

I just can't with people 😂🙈
They were raving at Apple to fix the CC and now they've done it and people are still mad!

 

[contacos]

I still think it looks ugly, I’m not liking this Liquid Glass redesign. I like the iOS 11-17 version a lot better. iOS 18 too, but the previous one has something I like.

That said, I’m notoriously resistant to visual changes to my operating systems. I don’t update anything AND I tend to use iOS devices for years on end even after upgrading, so change isn’t easy for me.

My opinion given... this is my Control Centre on my iPhone Xʀ running iOS 12:

View attachment 2522540

And for comparison... this is iOS 26 beta 2 from the user above:View attachment 2522548

I don’t know, I like mine on iOS 12 a LOT more. Perhaps it’s just a matter of getting used to it...

I agree. It looks much cleaner on the old version!

 

[thiscatisfat]

I still think it looks ugly, I’m not liking this Liquid Glass redesign. I like the iOS 11-17 version a lot better. iOS 18 too, but the previous one has something I like.

That said, I’m notoriously resistant to visual changes to my operating systems. I don’t update anything AND I tend to use iOS devices for years on end even after upgrading, so change isn’t easy for me.

My opinion given... this is my Control Centre on my iPhone Xʀ running iOS 12:

View attachment 2522540

And for comparison... this is iOS 26 beta 2 from the user above:View attachment 2522548

I don’t know, I like mine on iOS 12 a LOT more. Perhaps it’s just a matter of getting used to it...

It just keeps getting worse doesn’t it 😂

 

[FeliApple]

It just keeps getting worse doesn’t it 😂

Obviously this is pure, absolute, 100% subjectivity. There’s no right or wrong opinion here, but yes, I think it keeps getting worse 😂

 

[pdaholic]

This definitely helped. It’s still sticking with the design to make the panel see-through, but make the touch elements more visible. I’m not a huge fan of liquid glass but these tweaks will make it more tolerable.

 

[cjsuk]

Hard to not improve on garbage.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

i preferred the look of beta 1. it was a shock at first, but fun to use once you got used to it. beta 2 is ugly imo.

As did Apple until they got complaints. Looks matter, but not at the expense of usability. You shouldn't need accessibility to make the phone properly useable. Apple's has been through this with skinny fonts. They overshoot and then backpedal with feedback.

 

[sdsalsersmith]

It's completely opaque for me. I can't see thru it at all anymore.

 

[LoCarbHotrod]

Now it looks like Windows Vista.

 

[axantas]

Everyone publishing a screenshot of Beta26 hiere has a developer version. Apple does this to get feedback from developers. So: Feedback to Apple!
Take the chance or leave it. Apple does not follow the discussion her.

 

[BJMRamage]

Makes sense, on beta 1 I found most of my readability problems appeared when the overlay was over a white image.

At least that’s what I put in my feedback. I did suggest that the blur level be adjusted and possibly darken just the icons and notification bubbles a touch, not the whole background.

ah, OK, that makes sense then for a lighter background needing a darker overlay applied.

 

[Lotsacaffine]

Nope, but I did take a screenshot on Beta 1 with increased contrast on:

View attachment 2522535

In all honesty, Beta 1 control center looked fresh. Here some more screenshots to remind us what we almost got to have:

View attachment 2522538

View attachment 2522539

View attachment 2522541


RIP new control center, you will be missed.

I’m with you 💯. It looked so good. 🪦

 

[LoCarbHotrod]

Just give us a slider and allow us to adjust the transparency. This would make mostly everyone happy.

 

[spazzcat]

I find it really disappointing that Apple is spending any time on Liquid Glass while we wait for over-promised Apple Intelligence features.

They are not the same teams.

 

[gwang73]

So much better.

 

[uacd]

Looking at my iOS17 control center, now I don’t even know if there was any design change at all! It is all technically “liquid glass”.

Icons are way too flat to call it new design aesthetic. They need to make them more 3d or at least skeuomorphic

 

[GioGiusi]

I find it really disappointing that Apple is spending any time on Liquid Glass while we wait for over-promised Apple Intelligence features.

Which features are those and why do you even care?

Apple delivered plenty of AI features.

 

[ultra16]

I hope liquid glass can just be disabled. Big hope, small chance, but god damn does this stuff ever look terrible.

 

[01cowherd]

I still think it looks ugly, I’m not liking this Liquid Glass redesign. I like the iOS 11-17 version a lot better. iOS 18 too, but the previous one has something I like.

That said, I’m notoriously resistant to visual changes to my operating systems. I don’t update anything AND I tend to use iOS devices for years on end even after upgrading, so change isn’t easy for me.

My opinion given... this is my Control Centre on my iPhone Xʀ running iOS 12 [screenshot]

And for comparison... this is iOS 26 beta 2 from the user above: [screenshot]

I don’t know, I like mine on iOS 12 a LOT more. Perhaps it’s just a matter of getting used to it...

I miss the squircles. Circles on a rectangular grid have never looked good to me

 

[Jett0516]

Now the icons doesn’t look glass, look frosted 😑

 

[FeliApple]

I miss the squircles. Circles on a rectangular grid have never looked good to me

I agree, I like iOS 12’s shape more, but I don’t mind iOS 18’s design. It’s not THAT much of a visual change. iOS 26’s Liquid Glass, on the Control Centre at least, is hideous.

I mean, this comparison isn’t as bad, right?

iOS 12 on my iPhone Xʀ:

iOS 18 on my iPhone 16 Plus:

 

[Rogifan]

I hear you. My comment was based on what I’ve read and seen online. A lot of the opinions are negative, and people tend to voice negatives ones far more than complimentary. If it were a design-wide change, I’d expect to see changes to notifications and other elements that also have Liquid Glass effects. Relying on posts like this, it seems like they’ve focused the changes on Control Center.

I’m not in the software business so don’t know how betas work. I’m very skeptical though that Apple was going to ship control center as it looked in beta 1 but changed their mind based on feedback from social media. If you watch some of the design videos from WWDC, beta 1 control center didn’t match anything the presenters were saying regarding the new design. The finder icon? Yeah I totally believe that was changed due to feedback. Federico Viticci interviewed Craig Federighi and asked him about it and Craig said yes, the feedback made it all the way to him.

 

[xizdun]

Gentle reminder that what you're seeing is a work-in-progress and buggy software that's an early preview and not ready for prime time. People loving bashing Apple because they've got nothing better to do.

Well, well, well. How the turn tables...