On the Worldwide Builders Convention (WWDC) 2025, Apple launched the primary main redesign of its platforms since iOS 7 in 2013. Dubbed Liquid Glass, the brand new design language brings in a translucent materials for parts which behaves as glass in real-time. With this, the Cupertino-based tech large is redesigning iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26. This new person interface not solely impacts the system parts and people on the house display screen, but in addition the corporate’s first-party apps.
What’s the Liquid Glass Design Language?
In a blog post, the tech large detailed the brand new design language and stated that it’s impressed by “the depth and dimensionality of visionOS,” and it makes use of new graphics applied sciences. The central focus of the design is the glass-like materials, which displays and refracts the color of no matter content material seems within the background.
Apple stated this impact was created by letting the fabric render the background shapes and hues in real-time and by dynamically reacting to actions. The fabric, which is claimed to intelligently adapt between gentle and darkish environments, is claimed to have been developed after a collaboration between the corporate’s design and engineering groups.
The corporate has used the Liquid Glass material in smaller elements akin to buttons, switches, sliders, textual content, and media controls, in addition to bigger parts akin to tab bars and sidebars. It’s also seen on the Lock Display screen, Dwelling Display screen, notifications, Management Centre, and extra.
The redesign additionally brings different adjustments to the person interface. Apple has reconfigured the toolbars, tab bars, sidebars and app home windows with rounded corners, ditching the earlier rectangular edges. In-app controls are additionally fabricated from Liquid Glass, and they’re positioned above apps. These controls additionally increase when the person wants extra choices.
Moreover, sidebars within the up to date iPadOS and macOS are fabricated from Liquid Glass, and because the person scrolls up or down, the bars increase and mirror the content material behind them. On the similar time, the content material across the bar is refracted across the fringe of the aspect. The brand new design parts are current on a number of first-party apps, together with Digital camera, Pictures, Safari, FaceTime, Apple Music, Apple Information, and Apple Podcasts.
Customisability has additionally been elevated with the brand new design language. On macOS Tahoe 26, users can customise the desktop and Dock with widgets and app icons that function new gentle and darkish tints. Moreover, throughout all platforms, apps are additionally getting a brand new, clear look. To enrich the looks, a brand new clear menu bar on Mac can also be being added with this upcoming replace.