Apple unveils major redesign: The Liquid Glass era begins

Apple has introduced a bold new design language called Liquid Glass, coming to all major platforms: iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26.

Unveiled during WWDC 2025, Apple calls this the “most extensive software design update ever”, aiming to create a seamless experience between hardware and software.

What is Liquid Glass?

Apple’s Alan Dye described it as their “most comprehensive design update.” Inspired by real glass, it reflects light and color dynamically across the UI.

From lock screens and menus in iOS 26 to sidebars and toolbars in macOS Tahoe, interfaces now feel glossy, translucent, and alive. The design adapts to lighting, just like visionOS.

The interface reacts to content, changes color based on surroundings, and responds to movement in real time. From buttons to icons and widgets, everything feels fluid and interactive.

A blend of beauty and form

Liquid Glass isn't just aesthetic — it’s built to complement modern Apple hardware. UI elements now align with rounded corners and shapes of devices.

Controls act like floating layers, adapting to the user’s needs. In iOS 26, tab bars shrink to improve focus or expand like liquid when swiped up.

Full ecosystem refresh

Liquid Glass redefines how users interact with interfaces. Buttons, text fields, media controls, and tabs are fully redesigned.

Apps like Photos, Safari, FaceTime, Apple Music, News, and Podcasts now follow the new design. On macOS Tahoe 26, the transparent menu bar offers a cleaner, more spacious experience.

Color-tinted glass effects and translucent layers make the interface feel more open and modern.

New APIs for developers

To ease the transition, Apple released new APIs for SwiftUI, UIKit, and AppKit, helping developers adopt Liquid Glass across apps.

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