Liquid Glass Becomes Adjustable in iOS 27: How to Change the Settings

The Liquid Glass visual treatment Apple introduced in iOS has been a divisive element. While some praise its glossy texture, others continue to point to reduced readability. Reporting by staff@engadget.com (Filipe Espósito) for Engadget outlines how adjustment options have been gradually expanded in response to this feedback.

The new adjustment feature makes it easier to tailor the settings to your preferences

iOS 26.1 added Tinted Mode. It is an option to lower opacity and increase contrast. Many users felt the previous binary choice with Clear was insufficient, and further action was called for. iOS 27 adds a control for continuously changing the intensity.

Criticism of Liquid Glass and Changes

Liquid Glass is a design language that makes heavy use of translucent layers and reflections. It aims to soften the boundary between background and foreground. The same texture is applied to notifications, controls, and various panels.

The issue raised was the difficulty of reading text. Depending on the brightness or pattern of the background, text and its backdrop were sometimes hard to distinguish. For developers and designers, visibility on information-dense screens becomes a practical problem.

Apple introduced Tinted Mode in iOS 26.1. It was an adjustment toward reducing transparency to ensure contrast. Dissatisfaction with fixed choices remained, and requests continued for users to be able to fine-tune the effect themselves. The change in iOS 27 can be seen as answering that demand.

How to Adjust Settings in iOS 27

Adjustment in iOS 27 is done from the Settings app. The procedure is to open the Liquid Glass item under Appearance. Instead of the previous fixed toggle, a continuous slider is displayed.

Moving the control to the left strengthens the glass-like transparency. Moving it to the right increases opacity, giving a look closer to previous versions of iOS. Placing it in the middle produces a texture halfway between the two. An instant preview appears on the same screen, so you can check the result without moving to another screen.

Intensity adjustment for the Lock Screen remains as a separate item. By design, it is not linked to the slider in the Settings app. If you want to individually refine the combination with the Lock Screen wallpaper and clock display, you need to check that item separately.

The simplicity of the control scheme is a practical advantage. Trial and error is possible without specialized knowledge. For administrators deploying devices within an organization, it is also a setup that is easy to explain.

Reducing Transparency Effects with

Accessibility Settings

If you want to almost disable transparency effects, use the Accessibility settings. Enable the Reduce Transparency toggle under Display & Text Size. This method suppresses the effect more strongly than the slider.

It is a suitable option for users who prioritize visibility above all. Reflective rendering can be a burden during prolonged document review or outdoor use. It is also an effective means to avoid misreading on business devices.

It is important to use the slider and this toggle for different purposes. Use the slider when you want to keep the texture while improving readability. Use the Accessibility toggle when you do not need the texture itself. Since the two serve different purposes, it is reasonable to try them step by step.

For thinking on beta operation and validation, GNOME OS Test Center, Inspired by Apple TestFlight is a useful reference. It shows the importance of having a system in place to systematically check pre-release behavior. For experience improvements in other areas such as music playback, see also YouTube Music Gemini Integration Transforms Android Music Experience.

iOS 27 Supported Models and Release Timing

iOS 27 supports iPhone 11 and later models. Users of older models can also use the new features without being limited to a restricted interface. The coverage, which does not assume a device upgrade, is commendable.

Pre-release versions for developers and beta participants were provided in advance. The final version was released in September. The Engadget report was published on September 13, 2026, positioning it as a roundup immediately after the official release.

Using a pre-release version allowed early testing of the new features. Updating to the final version makes the slider and the Accessibility toggle available. For business use, applying the final version is the safe choice.

For the current situation where device plans are affected by component prices and supply, Nothing Cancels New CMF Phone Launch Amid Soaring RAM Prices is suggestive. From the perspective of using current devices longer, the broad coverage including older models is meaningful.

Editorial Opinion

Looking at the short-term impact. Over the next 3 to 6 months, variation in display settings among users is expected to widen. Developers will need to verify readability in both transparent and opaque states. For business apps, reviews of default color schemes and text outlining are likely to progress.

From a long-term perspective, balancing texture and readability will become a design standard. A continuous slider can accommodate diverse visual characteristics more easily than a fixed binary choice. Accessibility considerations may be incorporated as a premise of product review.

Questions from the editorial team. Who should decide the strength of transparency effects. Whether it should be left to user-side adjustment or developers should set optimal values is at issue. Whether the separation between the Lock Screen and main settings is appropriate. Issues to be examined remain.

References

• “How to adjust the Liquid Glass effect on your iPhone with iOS 27”, by staff@engadget.com (Filipe Espósito) — Engadget, 2026-09-13T20:00:00.000Z (ARR)
• Source URL: https://www.engadget.com/2252856/how-to-adjust-liquid-glass-effect-ios-27/