With iOS 26, Apple introduces a new Liquid Glass design that will bring transparency layers, depth, levels of detail and a more cohesive look across apps. It is not eye candy but a rethink of how information should sit on top of your wallpaper and widgets. To get the sound shining on day one, there are four settings you may want to adjust: for clarity, personality, and, perhaps, a hint of restraint.
But as you’re getting started, do remember that translucency lives and dies on contrast. Terms & privacy Many people are tired of being uptight in order to get more done. Choose a clean negative-space wallpaper then plug in the settings below.
Dial in the Lock Screen’s Liquid Glass layers
Press and hold an empty part of the Lock Screen, tap Customize and then pick the clock or other elements you want to focus on.
At the bottom you’ll see a new Glass/Solid toggle and sliders for font, color, and transparency. Begin with Glass set to medium; it provides the depth effect without being too severe on the text. Muddying: If you have a wallpaper that is busy such as featuring frenetic fractals, You may want to turn up opacity in the clock, or use Solid instead but keep widgets glassy for offset.
Two logistical tips: to tuck the clock behind a subject on portrait wallpapers, switch on Depth Effect for cinematic layering, and try it outside in direct sun. If readability outside suffers, nudge transparency down or turn on Increase Contrast in Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size. Tiny tweaks here offer outsized returns in day-to-day glance-ability.
Change your Home Screen icons to Clear style
On the Home Screen, long-press anywhere, then tap Edit at the top left, followed by Customize. Select the new Clear icon style and place it Light, Dark or Auto and have it follow your system theme. Clear icons allow your wallpaper to peek through while still ensuring my app shapes remain unique, ensure you get that Liquid Glass feel without losing wayfinding cues.
Keep dock icons in Indigo for a coherent look or stick with a Solid or more high-contrast Clear and let secondary pages go lighter. If you are using Focus modes, select specific Clear intensity or wallpaper for each Focus to get a visual change in the state immediately. As Apple’s developer materials dully state (pun intended), these material effects are hardware-accelerated, which means they should have minimal battery impact on modern devices, but steer clear of ultra-low contrast wallpapers if you need apps to stand out.
Use sensitive chat backgrounds in Messages
Open Messages, start a conversation, tap on the contact or group’s name at the top, and then hit Backgrounds. You may select from curated options or pick a photo. Backgrounds are everyone’s in the thread, so they should be tasteful and able to be read. Soft gradients or somewhat blurred photos will work best; high-detail imagery will fight with the bubbles and reactions.
For work groups, try a brand color background with soft transparency to help the text pop. For family threads, a slightly smudged vacation photo gives personality while still allowing legibility. If someone complains contrast, go back to the background and cut visual noise—Liquid Glass is meant for framing content, not to be stronger than it.
Enable smarter Call Screening
Settings > Apps > Phone > Screen Unknown Callers. This includes Never (all calls sound your ringer), Ask Reason For Calling (your iPhone will ask callers to state their purpose and displays a live transcription), or Silence (sends instantaneously any number that isn’t in your contacts to voicemail). Begin with Ask Reason For Calling; it quiets noise while bubbling up authentic deliveries or appointments.
– This S not purely Liquid Glass, but perfectly matches the cleaner look by minimising distraction. The Federal Trade Commission has been tracking record consumer losses to fraud in recent years, so installing an intent gate on calls from unknown sources is not convenience alone, but a clever form of hygiene. Availability can vary in different regions, on different carriers, so give a look at your settings after an update.
Pro Tips For A Glassy Liquid Glass Finish
Select wallpapers with strong light-dark separation to make translucent layers stand out. If you’re sensitive to motion or blur, then try Reduce Motion and Increase Contrast in Accessibility settings; you still get a tidier look, but one that cares about your eyes too. In the evening, Dark Mode and Clear Auto icons reduce eyestrain (and battery sipping) if you’re using an OLED screen.
Liquid Glass is always best when it feels on purpose. Adjust these four settings with legibility as your guiding star, and your iPhone will feel new without sacrificing speed or clarity.