Apple Rolls Out Liquid Glass–Styled Public Betas for iOS 26, macOS Tahoe & More
Apple has officially launched public beta versions of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26, introducing its most significant visual redesign in years under the branding Liquid Glass
What Is Liquid Glass?
Introduced at WWDC 2025, Liquid Glass is a unified design language spanning Apple platforms. Built on visionOS aesthetics, it brings dynamic transparency, rounded controls, and refractive visual effects that adapt to content and motion apple.slashdot.org+7Apple+7Wikipedia+7. Elements like menus, sidebars, and icons now shimmer as layered glass surfaces, creating a cohesive visual identity from iPhone to Mac AppleWikipedia.
iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe: Visual and Feature Upgrades
On iOS 26, Liquid Glass brings translucent menus, tab bars, and widget effects across system apps. New AI-enabled tools include Hold Assist for calls, live translation in Messages and FaceTime, Genmoji creation, and the native Games app The Verge+15The Verge+15The Sun+15.
macOS Tahoe also adopts Liquid Glass with a transparent menu bar, customizable folder icons with animations, and redesigned widgets and Dock layouts. Improved Spotlight search now integrates clipboard history and Apple Intelligence features for enhanced productivity WikipediaThe Verge.
User Feedback: Loved, Criticized, Adjusted
Initial reactions to Liquid Glass have been mixed. While some users and designers praised the aesthetics and futuristic feel, many criticized the design’s excessive transparency, which made UI elements hard to read in some cases The Times of India+7Wikipedia+7New York Post+7. In response, Apple dialed back translucency in beta releases—introducing darker tints, frost effects, and higher contrast for readability, especially in beta 3 The Economic Times+15Business Insider+15The Verge+15. Still, some users argue the update stripped away the original visual impact of Liquid Glass Wikipedia+15Business Insider+15The Verge+15.
Should You Try the Public Beta?
If you own a recent iPhone (11 or newer) or Mac, and want early access to Apple’s next big software vision, the public beta is available now via Apple’s Beta Software Program Apple+5The Sun+5The Times of India+5. Apple advises backing up your device first—beta software can have bugs and performance issues, especially in early releases.
Why It Matters
This rollout marks Apple’s boldest design overhaul since iOS 7, unifying look and feel across all platforms for the first time. Liquid Glass reflects Apple’s direction towards more fluid, hardware‑enhanced, AI‑aware interface design. As users test the public beta, their feedback will play a critical role in shaping the final release expected in fall 2025 The VergeWebProNews.
Apple’s public betas for iOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, and more introduce Liquid Glass, a major visual redesign with transparency and AI features. Learn how to install and what to expect.
Apple Liquid Glass public beta
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