Apple is making one of the biggest changes to its Liquid Glass design in iOS 27 after a year of user feedback. The company has introduced a new Liquid Glass slider that lets users control exactly how transparent the interface appears, addressing widespread complaints about readability across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Liquid Glass debuted with iOS 26 as Apple’s new design language, bringing translucent menus, toolbars, and interface elements across its platforms. While many users appreciated the modern look, others found the heavy transparency effects made buttons, labels, and controls harder to read, especially when placed over busy backgrounds.
With iOS 27, Apple is giving users far more control. The new slider allows Liquid Glass to be adjusted between a fully transparent appearance and a more opaque tinted look. Users who prefer stronger contrast can reduce transparency, while those who enjoy the original visual style can keep the glass effect intact.
Apple is also refining how Liquid Glass works throughout the operating system. The company says the updated rendering system improves contrast and creates greater separation between interface layers, making content easier to distinguish at a glance. Even users who never touch the new slider should notice improved readability compared to iOS 26.
The update extends beyond transparency controls. Apple has redesigned how app icons are rendered, adding more visual separation between layers to create sharper edges and more defined refraction effects. The changes aim to address feedback that some icons appeared blurry or lacked definition at smaller sizes.
Mac users are getting several Liquid Glass improvements as well. Sidebar icons are regaining their colors, making navigation easier and restoring a familiar part of the macOS experience. Apple is also standardizing window corner radii across apps for a more consistent appearance, while sidebar effects now extend smoothly to the edges of windows.
The changes suggest Apple has taken a more practical approach to its design language. Rather than abandoning Liquid Glass, the company is refining it based on real-world feedback and giving users the ability to customize the experience to match their preferences.
iOS 27 is currently available in developer beta and will be released to all compatible iPhone models later this year. Apple says the update supports the same iPhone lineup as iOS 26, including devices as old as the iPhone 11.
