So, the text under apps in the App Switcher is black for you when you have Dark Mode enabled? The text is definitely white for me when in Light Mode and black when in Dark Mode.
The text under apps is black when Light Mode is enabled. For the screenshot I grabbed earlier, I used Light Mode because that’s what I thought you were using since you had a white window in the background. I didn’t realize you had Dark Mode enabled. I just went through both Dark Mode and Light Mode on the cmd+tab app switcher with a half white and half black background. Visibility in both was mostly fine, but I didn’t realize figure out that both Light Mode and Dark Mode are using basically the same glass for that switcher, it isn’t responding like other parts of the UI where the glass becomes darker in Dark Mode, and Lighter in Light Mode. So I’m guessing this very likely a bug, because everything else dynamically changes depending on the mode. Seeing as it’s a more niche/hidden part of the system, I wouldn’t be shocked if it’s a bug that was missed. It could easily be fixed by making the glass background darker in dark mode so not as much white from the background bleeds through to interfere with the white text, and lighter in light mode so not as much black from the background bleeds through to interfere with the black text. To be fair, I’m on the Dev Beta, so I also could be running into a bug with that that others aren’t. But the glass appears to not change in that UI element like everything else when switching between light and dark mode, which leads me to believe it’s probably a bug. All that said, I think the size of the text alone on that UI element is probably a readability issue on smaller displays. I’m using a 27” monitor and it’s small. So the text should probably be larger and in a separate bubble just like the App Dock does it. Though, really, I don’t see why the text is necessary at all considering the app icons are right there. 🤷🏼♂️
That is interesting.
I mean i think we can all agree that:
1. A bright font on a bright background is more difficult to read than a dark font on a bright background (and vice versa).
Sure. I don’t think that’s usually a problem though with most things in macOS Tahoe. Most cases of that I’ve seen are bug-related from either Light Mode using Dark Mode White text in some cases I’ve seen (which results in white text on light gray rather than dark gray backdrops), or are bugs from the glass material behind it not properly color changing for Light vs Dark Mode (as with that switcher). Most elements of the system that are working properly have good contrast.
2. A scattered background makes text more difficult to read than if the background is more even and ”calm”-
It really depends on how scattered the background is, but more importantly, how blurred it is. Because Liquid Glass buttons blur visual elements beneath them. So I have yet to encounter a Liquid Glass button that wasn’t clearly legible, even when floating over text in the Notes app. Not counting the cmd+tab switcher above discussed, but even then, it was usually clearly legible, and even on harder backgrounds, it was still legible, just a little less so. And that’s even with the bug where the background isn’t switching as it should.
I think the problem with the Apple 26 OS's (the way they behave currently) is that they in some cases (depending on what the user has on screen) doesn't follow the above two rules very well.
I have never seen this omitted to this degree previously by Apple and it seems many others agree.
In most of the UI, text remains clearly visible and legible no matter what content you put under it.
The thing with my example with the black text going over the white and black bakground is less obvios when you zoom in the image. When you make it smaller you can see that the ”ettings” part over the dark background is much more difficult to readn than the black ”System” text over the white background. This cannot be a questiom of opinion, can it? Or are you saying the
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I don’t know how you were going to end the last sentence there. But as I said, that is the only part of the system I’ve encountered where the glass isn’t changing, or at least isn’t changing the way it should with the Light Mode or Dark Mode. I saw no noticeable difference in the glass between Light Mode and Dark mode. It’s almost as if it’s in between the two, and isn’t as dark as other elements in Dark Mode, and isn’t as light as other elements in Light Mode. Also of note, the “tinted” setting doesn’t change it at all either. So clearly I think this is a bug that was overlooked due to it not being surface level, and I am sure they will fix it. I plan on reporting it via Feedback.
Another example from the iOS 26.2 Contacts app.
Here we again have white text on a bright background. Not too difficult to read when zooming into the screenshot, but when it gets smaller the white text blelds into the background quite a lot.
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That background is customizable, and that is not the default. It has to be purposeful customized to be that way. This is what the default background looks like for contact pages:
At the bottom of the cropped area there, the “Contact Photo & Poster button allows you to customize it. So a user can manually purposefully make it bad contrast, but that is not the default…
I don't think these are occationkal temporary bugs, they are part of a not fully functional design. Doesn't mean that it can't be fixed. I hope and think Apple is looking into this, but (like I mentioned before) it doesn't feel like .2 OS releases from Apple. Should have been adjusted before 26.0 was released.
The app switcher is almost certainly a bug, since it’s not responding to the other options for LG like “Tinted”, and even if it weren’t a bug (I think it’s pretty safe to say it is) it is of very little practical impact since the app icons are right there and the text is unnecessary anyways, and the contact card is a user customization thing, not a default system behavior. But yeah, I do think things like the cmd+tab switcher will probably be fixed. 👍🏻. And releases are scheduled and available resources are limited. If there are some bugs that are in more hidden parts of the system where they have little practical impact, they will be more likely to slip through and be dealt with later. 🤷🏼♂️. No software release can get everything perfect on the first major version. 🤷🏼♂️
It's working fine in most cases. I just think the problem is that the light scattering sometimes creates a mess that takes too much focus. I understand that it is intentionkal with the scattering, but in the case with the red line becoming two there my brain reacted to the change (i.e.the scattering wasn't heavy enough) of one line suddenly becoming two. So in othereords there are scenarios when the new OS design is doing things that brings more fricion to the user experience than before.
I honestly still don’t understand how it looking like two blurred lines in the background adds more friction to the user experience than before. 🤷🏼♂️. I’m sorry if it’s adding friction for you. And I wouldn’t be opposed to a “frosted” option that would make the glass elements a bit more frosted for those who want it, though I’m guessing that would take a while to develop such a setting.
Anyway, I agree with you on the discussion that it feels like it's too black and white. Of course you must be able to ”defend” your view and take Apple's side in this without being called an Apple zealot. 🙂
Thank you, I appreciate it. I think both sides should be free to state their opinion without being broad-brushed. 🙂👍🏻
Still, I look forward to how Liquid Glass evolves. I hope Apple cand adjust it so how it is perceived isn't so dependent to what's underneath and make the GUI elements more consistanly separated from the content one is viewing while still havaing the glass effect.
And also stop using bright text on a bright backround. That shoudn't really be a discussion about opinion I think. 😀
As am I. I think Liquid Glass will be tweaked and iterated on, and it will continue to improve, just as every other new design language Apple has employed over the years. 🙂👍🏻. I definitely think it can be and will be improved on. I just think the extreme positions like “they should remove Liquid Glass entirely”, “I’m leaving the Mac”, etc. are unhelpful to things, as it tends to drown out real constructive discussion and actual points where some would like to see improvement. But yeah, I think it is going to improve, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they iterate on it as you said. 🙂👍🏻
