CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA — In a sweeping design overhaul, Apple has introduced a bold new visual language across all its platforms with a material it calls Liquid Glass — a dynamic, translucent interface that elevates user interaction across iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, watchOS 26, and tvOS 261.
Described as Apple’s “broadest software design update ever,” the new look brings richer, more fluid visuals while keeping everything familiar to long-time users. Built to respond to your environment in real-time, Liquid Glass adds depth, motion, and personality to everything from icons and widgets to sidebars and notifications.
“We reimagined every element — not just for beauty but for seamless harmony with our hardware,” said Alan Dye, Apple’s VP of Human Interface Design. “Liquid Glass blends the elegance of real-world glass with digital fluidity only Apple can deliver.”
What Is Liquid Glass?
At the heart of the redesign is Liquid Glass, a new material that reflects and refracts on-screen content like real-world glass. It responds to lighting, motion, and surrounding visuals to create a living interface. Controls and navigation elements adapt in real time — subtly morphing or fading based on user behavior.
This applies to even the smallest UI components — like sliders and buttons — and extends to major system areas like the Lock Screen, Home Screen, Control Center, Dock, and more. Whether it’s the bold, context-aware time display on your Lock Screen or fluid app icons that shift in tone, everything now feels more connected and alive.
System-Wide Design Consistency
For the first time ever, this unified design language stretches across every Apple platform:
-
iOS 26: Tab bars dynamically shrink during scroll and expand back for easier navigation.
-
macOS Tahoe 26: A transparent menu bar and customizable Dock breathe new life into desktops.
-
watchOS & tvOS: Enhanced clarity and motion effects create a more immersive user experience.
Each platform retains its unique identity while syncing harmoniously through this new design philosophy.
Revamped Apps With Depth & Motion
Apple’s native apps — including Safari, Camera, FaceTime, Photos, Music, News, and Podcasts — have all received subtle but powerful visual refreshes.
-
Toolbars and navigation now wrap around modern hardware shapes with concentric precision.
-
Sidebars in macOS and iPadOS have been refined to subtly refract content behind them.
-
Interactive controls like switches and buttons are layered in Liquid Glass for a multi-dimensional look.
In iOS 26, swiping up in apps causes UI elements like tab bars to gently fade, maximizing focus on content without losing usability.
Developers Can Now Build with Liquid Glass
Apple also revealed updated APIs for SwiftUI, UIKit, and AppKit, allowing developers to integrate Liquid Glass elements into their own apps. With just a few changes, developers can align with Apple’s new design system, ensuring more consistent and delightful user interactions.
From dynamic icon behavior to fully responsive navigation layouts, the tools are built to help devs craft next-gen experiences for Apple’s latest OS family.
Personalization & Immersion on a New Level
macOS Tahoe 26 introduces transparent widget support, adaptive light/dark icon themes, and a clear-look Dock, offering new levels of personalization. The result? A desktop that feels bigger, brighter, and more responsive to the user’s style and workflow.
On mobile, iOS and iPadOS have embraced Liquid Glass layering for everything from the Lock Screen to the app grid — enabling colorful, light-reactive visual themes that make each device uniquely yours.
Final Thoughts: A New Era of Apple Design
With this radical UI transformation, Apple is setting the tone for the next decade of software design — one that balances technical innovation with aesthetic elegance. Liquid Glass isn’t just a new look — it’s an evolution of how Apple devices feel in everyday use.
This shift reflects Apple’s vision for a more integrated digital ecosystem, where hardware and software work in total harmony. Whether you’re navigating your phone, working on your Mac, or switching tracks on your Apple Watch, everything just flows.