How to disable Liquid Glass effect in iOS 26?

If you have recently updated to iOS 26.1 (not to be confused with 26.0.1)

there is additional relief available, but it is not obvious:

Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass.

Here, you'll find two options: Clear and Tinted.

'Tinted' further reduces the translucency of the glass effect, making it not very glass-like any more.

piipoppu wrote:

I have no tolerance to abrupt changes and what I need is to be warned about it much beforehand and Apple didn't warn it when I updated my phone for safety and doesn't give the option to turn it off.

What's done is done. There is no going back. I'm sorry that it will be unpleasant for you, but there's really nothing anyone can do to give you back the old operating system.

I suggest, in the future, that when a major update is released (they usually happen in September), that you wait a couple of weeks and see what people are saying about it. Read the articles online. Once you understand what is happening, then you can update.

You did have the option to stay with iOS 18. There were security releases for it. So, from a security standpoint, you didn't need to update.

You can also let Apple know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

AngeloG_SP wrote:

This suggestion only addresses the glass effect in the lock screen clock. I want this liquid glass BANISHED from my device and any other device. Let’s focus on iPhone. I want it gone. Liquid glass is trash! How do I switch it back to normal format?

Hello~ What I would like banished is the add on posts of those too busy to read through these 3 pages of posts indicating that the Liquid Glass feature cannot be removed. Can you help me with that please?

~Katana-San~

Yes one could, for a short time, take advantage of the iOS 18 patch but in truth this would not suffice for the complete security of a current new IOS. This is not to mention that window has closed. “What's done is done” is not an appropriate response to a user’s suffering. The community has offered the current sleight of hand offerings to tone down Liquid Glass, which is the community’s mandate, but it overlooks the helplessness users with poor vision feel. Plus it overlooks the issue that Liquid Glass does not improve the functionality of Apple devices. It’s simply graphics tinsel which has put unnecessary obstructions on those who are visually impaired. Ultimately it will harm those who even enjoy it.

Of course one should always send comments to Apple. Nevertheless, Apple could not have been unaware of the major consequences this GUI could cause and shoved it out the door anyway without an option to revert the GUI to FULLY remove Liquid Glass. No one should be satisfied with “What’s done is done”.

GrannieHrn wrote:

...

Nevertheless, Apple could not have been unaware of the major consequences this GUI could cause and shoved it out the door anyway without an option to revert the GUI to FULLY remove Liquid Glass. No one should be satisfied with “What’s done is done”.

Accessibility options have always been available for users with special needs and they added a couple more simple ones in updates .1 and .2

Set your forum default order to "Oldest" in your user preferences to follow the thread more logically.

Brianf290 wrote:

Actually, it did remove the liquid glass effect on the phone, not just the lock screen. Opened each app. Slightly different look for some apps, but no transparency.

That particular setting to which I wad responding does not. Set your forum default order to "Oldest" in your user preferences to follow the thread more logically.

I shared the same sentiment when I participated in the public beta test for iOS 26 before its official release. I found the new Liquid Glass design to be unsatisfactory. While it works well on my MacBook Air, I have significant issues with it on my iPhone 16. It doesn’t feel comfortable to use, and I wish Apple would listen to our users and customize the UI interface for years to come just like you can with other phone makers. I’ve consistently provided feedback on this matter over the years even before "Liquid Glass" came out, and I also hope the Apple UX and UI Development Team hears our voices. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to visit the Apple-Feedback page to share your input. I’ve included the link below for your reference.

Apple Feedback Page

If you do the following you really will not notice any difference from the ios18 UI

Either

Settings, Display & Brightness , Liquid glass, set to Tinted instead of Glassy

Or one or more of these

Settings, Accessibility, Display & Text size, reduce transparency

Settings, Accessibility, Display & Text size , increase contrast

Settings, Accessibility, Motion, Reduce motion

Settings, Accessibility, Display & Text size , Display Borders

Liquid Glass - Love It Or Hate It - It's … - Apple Community

Set your forum default sort order to "Oldest" in your user preferences to follow the thread more logically.

Hello~ Have you force restart PO’ed your iPhone?

Force restart iPhone - Apple Support

Your iPhone is busy indexing this new update …give it a bit.

~Katana-San~

There is no "toggle" to see.

This is not the Apple team, this is a user to user forum.

You can make a suggestion to Apple here -

Feedback - iPhone - Apple

Did you try long pressing on a blank spot, then tapping Edit, top left?