Apple releases iOS 26 beta 3 with toned-down liquid glass: Here’s what’s new

HIGHLIGHTS

Apple has rolled out the third developer beta of iOS 26.

The update introduces a more toned-down version of the new Liquid Glass interface.

This move follows a wave of feedback from early testers who felt the design made some parts of the screen hard to read or navigate.

Apple releases iOS 26 beta 3 with toned-down liquid glass: Here’s what’s new

Apple is making changes to its new iOS 26 UI after users said it looked great but wasn’t always easy to use. The company rolled out the third developer beta of iOS 26 on Monday, and with it comes a more toned-down version of the operating system’s new Liquid Glass interface. This move follows a wave of feedback from early testers who felt the design made some parts of the screen hard to read or navigate.

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The Liquid Glass look, introduced at WWDC 2025, was meant to give iPhones a fresh, modern feel. Inspired by how real glass bends and reflects light, the design brought translucent elements to apps, menus and notifications. But not long after the first developer beta was released, complaints began surfacing. Many users said the update made parts of the interface too transparent, creating visual clutter and reducing readability.

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In response, Apple began rolling back some of the design choices in beta 2, starting with the Control Center. Now, in developer beta 3, Apple is going further. The new version addresses issues in other parts of the system, including Notifications and first-party apps like Apple Music.

Notifications now appear with a darker background behind the text, boosting contrast and making them easier to read, according to TechCrunch. Meanwhile, the navigation bar in the Music app has dropped its semi-transparent look in favour of a more solid white background.

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It’s important to remember that the early versions of the software are meant for testing. So, Apple is expected to keep tweaking iOS 26 ahead of its stable release, based on feedback from developers and users. 

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Ayushi Jain

Ayushi Jain

Tech news writer by day, BGMI player by night. Combining my passion for tech and gaming to bring you the latest in both worlds. View Full Profile

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