How to disable liquid glass in iOS 26?
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
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
mcringor wrote:
Please remove liquid glass. Its too bubbly, to much round corners. The straight forward browser navigation and access is gone. Its horrible and looks like theme ios of windows 7 10 years ago.
No. No one here on this user to user only forum works for Apple. We can't remove anything. And you should't be expecting Apple to remove Liquid Glass either Read the thread. Or at least read this --> Liquid Glass - Love It Or Hate It - It's … - Apple Community
Bot69 wrote:
I just got the update. I’m very displeased. If anyone from Apple reads this: Liquid Glass is my final frustration. My next new phone is in 9 or 10 months. It won’t be an iPhone unless i can turn off Liquid Glass. I bought this device. And you changed it in an awful way.
Had you read much of this 22-page thread, you would know that no one from Apple is reading here. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:
I would note that, while the hardware is yours, the system software is not. The licensing terms you agreed to essentially say that Apple can change it whenever they want.
BaileyAndrusiw wrote:
The new iOS 26.1 update is absolutely infuriating. I have a hard time adjusting to change and not being able to switch the display back to how it looked before the update is completely inconsiderate. Please create a way to change it back to the original display for me and everyone I’ve talk to today who also despises this update.
in particular the apps opening and closing, I have turned off the motion and yet it does not change it back, it makes me motion sick.
No one here has the ability to do anything. No one here works for Apple or had anything to do with iOS 26. This is a user to user only forum.
Go through this ALL the way and chances are you can make some setting changes, which you can be happier with --> Liquid Glass - Love It Or Hate It - It's … - Apple Community
Dysfunctionalfarm wrote:
I don’t know but it makes me feel sick like if it doesn’t go away I’ll be switching to android if this is their new thing it makes me so nauseous
Android has adopted many of the motion options which iOS 26 now includes, so look hard before you leap. And this is a user to user only forum, so as users, it doesn't really matter to anyone here what phone you buy.
If, however, you'd like to make adjustments which may help you, I wrote this for people to see what options are available --> Liquid Glass - Love It Or Hate It - It's … - Apple Community
Adambagley wrote:
I echo the sentiment here, it is a very un appealing and any efficient design it has created plenty of issues for me personally.
Apple’s iOS 26 “Liquid Glass” redesign is a bad decision not because it looks different, but because it cuts directly against what Apple does best.
Apple’s core promise has always been effortless clarity. You pick up an iPhone and everything is immediately readable, calm, and obvious. Liquid Glass—by design—adds translucency, refraction, motion, and visual noise to core interface elements. That’s spectacle layered on top of information, and it makes the OS harder to read, not easier.
This is especially dangerous for accessibility. Translucent UI over dynamic backgrounds is notoriously bad for contrast, low-vision users, and people sensitive to motion. The fact that Apple has already had to tone it down and add controls to reduce the effect proves this isn’t a polish issue—it’s a fundamental design conflict.
It also introduces unnecessary performance and perception risk. Effects-heavy interfaces make users worry about battery life and older devices, even if Apple optimizes them. Apple upgrades work because users trust that updates improve stability, not just visuals. This redesign weakens that trust.
Then there’s the ecosystem cost. When Apple changes its visual language this dramatically, developers feel pressure to redesign their apps just to keep up—absorbing time and expense with no guarantee users actually want the look.
Most importantly, Liquid Glass sends the wrong signal. Apple wins by being practical, restrained, and human-centered. A flashy, polarizing UI suggests Apple is prioritizing visual novelty over usability at exactly the moment users want reliability and substance.
Apple shouldn’t need an OS you have to “dial back.” If users want to turn it off, it shouldn’t be the future of iOS.
You're sharing this with only other users. Perhaps cathartic to do so, but you're not sharing anything with Apple on this user to user only forum. Users, by the way, none of whom had anything to do with iOS 26 or Liquid Glass.
I wrote this, which explains why you will likely never get a turn off option with Liquid Glass. So yes, you need to make adjustments which better meet your needs, but get rid of Liquid Glass completely is pretty much guaranteed to never happen --> Liquid Glass - Love It Or Hate It - It's … - Apple Community
Tell Apple what you think --> Feedback - iPhone - Apple
Perhaps users can get a preview of iOS updates? They did. Apple opened Beta Testing for iOS 26 in June, before rolling it out to the public in September. It was widely reported on in the press. In blogs. In YouTube and just about everywhere tech oriented. I don't beta test myself, but I was more than well aware of what iOS 26 was all about long before it was updated on my iPhone.
As to your issue with seeing the time, I'd recommend choosing a wallpaper with a dark background. This is really no different than it was in iOS 18. The time on your home screen has always been white.
And you of course do have several options in terms of adjusting Liquid Glass. This has been posted many times throughout this thread. Read it ALL the way through and try the options --> Liquid Glass - Love It Or Hate It - It's … - Apple Community
rogemcdoge wrote:
This issue needs to be fixed, asap. All this advice about changing all these settings just to get it to look halfway decent again is not a solution.
This is user to user only forum. We can't fix anything. And in my opinion, nothing is broken. If you don't like Liquid Glass, you can make settings adjustments as detailed in this link --> Liquid Glass - Love It Or Hate It - It's … - Apple Community Those are the only options you have available to you.
If this is not acceptable to you, tell Apple what in your opinion needs to be fixed --> Feedback - iPhone - Apple
“NO”, I really hate that future it’s so annoying but unfortunately there’s no options to disable it.
Unbest72 wrote:
“NO”, I really hate that future it’s so annoying but unfortunately there’s no options to disable it.
Disabling the future would be unwise.
iOS 26 can’t go back. Reducing transparency helped alot for the Home Screen.
[Edited by Moderator]
margit85 wrote:
just want my old settings back.
That is not an option.
You can let Apple know your thoughts here:
Reduce transparency in settings !
How do you disable Liquid Glass?
Buy a Samsung Galaxy.
iOS 26 is one of the worst updates ever for UI.
“release needs to have a way to turn off liquid glass.”
it is not a skin you can turn off or change, it is written into the iOS
You had 5 weeks to test it out in public beta. Missed your chance. Maybe next time.
How to disable liquid glass in iOS 26?