Apple’s Liquid Glass sparked fierce debate in iOS 26, but iOS 27 puts the decision in your hands with a new slider. Test it in the iOS 27 developer beta, then tune the effect for either maximum transparency or stronger tint for readability.
When Liquid Glass first arrived with iOS 26, it didn’t land gently. It split iPhone users into two camps—those who loved the translucent, modern look, and those who felt the same transparency could make parts of the interface harder to read.
I fell into the first group. On my iPhone 14 Pro Max, I installed the update early, and the difference felt immediate: the transparency effects made iOS feel more modern and dynamic, with a sense of depth that made the whole experience feel fresher.
But Apple clearly heard the other side, too. After months of feedback. screenshots. and relentless online debate. the company responded by adding more control in response to the complaint that everyone was being forced into one look. Instead of a single, fixed design, users could choose between a clearer glass effect and a more tinted appearance.
With iOS 27, the debate doesn’t just shift—it gets settled inside the settings menu.
The Liquid Glass slider is the new way to tune the look
On iOS 27, Apple introduces a new Liquid Glass slider that lets you customize how strong the effect is. The point is simple: you decide how much of that translucent design language you want to see.
If you want the full aesthetic, you can keep things more transparent so wallpaper and background content can show through menus, widgets, and system panels. The experience, as you use it, feels lighter and more layered—closer to the version of Liquid Glass that won me over in the first place.
If transparency bothers you—because it feels distracting or because you just want text and buttons to be easier to read—you can dial up the tint. That change is meant to make interface elements more robust, improving contrast so everything holds up at a glance.
The most important shift, though, is that Apple isn’t treating customization as an all-or-nothing choice anymore. You don’t have to fully embrace Liquid Glass as Apple designed it. and you don’t have to switch it off entirely. The slider gives you a middle ground, depending on your eyes and your style.
Before you touch it, you’ll need iOS 27
To try the Liquid Glass slider right now, you’ll need access to iOS 27. Testing is currently limited to Apple’s developer beta.
The only way to start is through Apple’s developer program. which anyone can enroll in for free to access the latest developer builds. After signing up, open the Settings app, go to General, tap Software Update, and select Beta Updates. Choose the iOS 27 Developer Beta from the list, and the update should appear on your iPhone within a few moments.
Still, beta software comes with trade-offs. Early builds can be buggy, and some apps may not work exactly as expected. If your iPhone is your primary device and you’d rather avoid those risks, the safer move is to wait. Apple will eventually bring the feature to everyone through the public release of iOS 27. so waiting for the stable version is an option if you prefer a smoother experience.
Where the slider lives—and what happens when you move it
Once your iPhone is running iOS 27, the Liquid Glass controls are in Settings. Open the Settings app, look for the Appearance section, then tap Liquid Glass to reach the new customization controls.
Apple says the biggest change here is that the slider offers finer control than the older setup, which was limited to a couple of preset looks. There’s also no need to guess what each setting does. As you adjust the slider, iOS previews the changes in real time.
Move the slider toward more transparency and menus. panels. and interface elements become clearer. letting more of your wallpaper and background content come through. Slide it the other way and you’ll get more tint and more contrast—an approach that can make the interface feel cleaner and more solid.
The best part, at least for everyday use, is that you don’t have to find a “correct” setting. You can keep it at either extreme. or settle somewhere in the middle if you want a balance between style and readability. And because iOS updates instantly as you tweak it, you can experiment without bouncing between menus repeatedly.
I’ve spent time moving the slider back and forth just to see how different parts of iOS respond. It doesn’t behave like a cosmetic afterthought. A small adjustment can meaningfully change how the phone feels when you pick it up.
The feature feels personal—and that’s the point
I’ve run iOS 27 on my iPhone 16e for over a week, and the Liquid Glass slider might sound minor on paper. In practice, it’s the kind of feature you notice every time you interact with the interface.
It also fits into a direction Apple seems to be leaning toward with iOS: more flexibility without turning the software into something complicated. There’s still plenty for me to explore in iOS 27, but the slider already feels like one of the changes that matters.
If you’re eager to try it, my advice is simple: be patient. A stable release should offer a smoother experience than early beta builds. And when iOS 27 lands for everyone. the Liquid Glass slider is one of the first settings I’d recommend checking—because you might genuinely be surprised by how much a small adjustment can change the way your iPhone feels.
iOS 27 Liquid Glass Apple iPhone appearance settings developer beta UI customization transparency tint readability