Apple’s journey to launching a new iOS version is always interesting, filled with exciting announcements followed by months of testing. While we look forward to the splashy new features, the beta phase is where things get refined, and sometimes, bugs or design hiccups show up. For iOS 26, it seems Apple is really paying attention to early feedback, especially concerning its bold new design language.
The big buzz around iOS 26 has been the “Liquid Glass” design, which introduces transparent elements and cool animations. It’s definitely a fresh look, but not everyone was instantly sold. One particular part of this new design caused quite a bit of chatter among those testing the early beta: the Control Center.
Initially, the Control Center in iOS 26 appeared very transparent. This meant you could see a lot of your home screen background, including colourful app icons, right through it. While the idea was probably to feel seamless, the reality was that it often looked cluttered and made it hard to focus on the Control Center controls themselves. It was, frankly, a bit distracting and messy for daily use.
Comparison showing the overly transparent iOS 26 Control Center design (left) and the improved, less transparent version (right) from a newer beta update.
But good news! Apple has quickly responded to this feedback in a recent iOS 26 beta update. They’ve made two key changes to the Control Center’s appearance:
- Increased Background Blur: The area behind the Control Center is now much more blurred out. This effectively dims your home screen wallpaper and app icons, making them less visible and less distracting.
- Reduced Button Transparency: The individual buttons and toggles within the Control Center are also now less transparent. This makes them stand out more clearly against the blurred background.
The result? A Control Center that is significantly easier on the eyes and much more functional. It keeps the aesthetic feel of the new design but prioritizes usability.
This quick adjustment shows that Apple is actively listening during the beta phase. It’s common for the final release of an operating system to look different from the very first beta version, as user feedback and testing lead to refinements.
While the “Liquid Glass” design is shaping up to be one of the most significant visual overhauls to the iPhone’s software in years, it’s reassuring to see Apple fine-tuning the experience based on how people actually use it. We’ll have to wait and see what other tweaks might appear as iOS 26 gets closer to its public launch, but this fix for the Control Center is a welcome step in the right direction for usability.
