Is there a way to completely disable the liquid glass functionality on iOS 26? I'm not going to get into a lengthy diatribe over why it's awful, I just want it gone.
iPhone 13 Pro Max, iOS 18
amdc101 wrote:
There is a serious issue around accessibility with the Liquid Glass display, it’s not just an aesthetic issue. I do personally think it’s an unnecessary overlay, and don’t like it, but part of that is that I work for a charity for blind people and in terms of apples usual excellence with accessibility this is a huge fail.
iOS/iPadOS 26.1 introduced a new setting that subtly charges the appearance of Liquid Glass:
Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass - select Clear or Tinted
Sadly, for iPad, this new setting makes very little difference for those that struggle with both the appearance and overlapping screen elements introduced with Liquid Glass - an issue that is often not understood by those that have perfect eyesight.
If you are experiencing difficulty with the new Liquid Glass UI, there are other settings that can significantly improve the appearance and suppress the majority of unwanted effects:
Each if these settings can be used individually, or in combination. Setting Reduce Transparency alone (1) will likely suppress the majority of your issues. The Reduce Motion setting (3), if used, will eliminate the "lensing" effects of the Liquid Glass UI. Experiment; you should find a combination that works for you.
I suggest that you begin with setting Reduce Transparency to ON - and then, if needed, experiment with additional use of one or more of the other options.
NB: The new Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass setting can only be changed/toggled while Reduce Transparency is set to OFF. You might find that setting Liquid Glass to Clear, prior to enabling Reduced Transparency to ON, may give the best result.
Liquid Glass is here to stay - and will likely evolve throughout the lifespan of iOS/iPadOS 26. Hopefully, Apple will provide additional controls over time with which to selectively eliminate aspects of the new UI to better meet the functional and visual needs of the wider user population. Liquid Glass is very "pretty" - but for some is arguably form over function, reducing legibility and usability for some users.
You - and anyone else that has an issue with the Liquid Glass implementation - should submit constructive comments via Apple's Product Feedback portal. For iPhone:
Every Report counts.
I’m a computer user since DOS and Windows 3. I believe in K.I.S.S. and “ If it ain’t broke don’t fix “
Thank you, I just didn’t mention it because it’s been said so many times here.
well they need to create a disable button. Reminds me how much I hated Aqua. It's like a 2025 version of Aqua but uglier and now we get to see it on all our devices.
I saw the IOS 18.7 and I ignored it and went for the 26. Honestly I saw something on the internet that there’s option to switch from Liquid Glass to Solid Color. 😢
The new iOS puts lines and bubbles around everything . Its appalling
I use dark mode now there are white lines around everything…
A security update should not affect the appearance of the phone. The white lines and white bubbles around everything are appalling. Especially in dark mode.
iOS26
what is Aqua? Was it on iPhones?
Not liking Liquid Glass is considered a disability so head over to setting accessibility.
This new update is making me feel sick and dizzy! Have tried all the hacks and still have horrible glow around all the apps. Help much appreciated
What have you done so far to reduce the effects?
I'm calling you out.
Your not calling anyone out this is a user to user forum, Apple isnt here and won't here your ranting.
This Liquid Glass feature makes me consider going back to Android
To repeat again......you should go where you want. No one is suggesting otherwise.
Where is there any documented guidance that recommends to force restart your device after every update?
How to disable liquid glass in iOS 26?
