It has been almost a month since Apple deployed iOS 26, and the company has not slowed down since. We already have two Bettas of iOS 26.1 for the developers – the first presented itself two weeks ago, and the second landed yesterday, Monday, October 6. We took a look at the Liberation notes Apple has quietly posted on its site and, at first glance, there is nothing interesting inside. However, after having updated our team’s iPhones all morning, we spotted some small but notable visual changes that Apple did not bother to mention. They do not transform the functioning of the iPhone, but they slightly adjust the experience, and we decided that they deserved a quick look.
We must note that iOS 26.1 BETA 2 is only available for recorded developers. If you are not part of this club, please resist the temptation to search for installation methods on random sources. It is better to wait for the public beta version or the final version, your nerves and your iPhone will thank you later.
What’s new that we noticed in iOS 26.1 Beta 2
Before starting, let us clearly define expectations. The visual adjustments that our team has observed in iOS 26.1 Beta 2 affect appearance, not the central behavior of the system. We did not find any entirely new application or functionality (if Apple added something very new, we wrote a very different article).
We have tested this construction on several iPhones, including some units from the iPhone 17 line. However, our point of view remains partial. Even with several testers, we cannot catch each adjustment hidden in the settings, buried inside the applications or nestled in less used functions. The following is a list of the changes we have detected. If you notice something we have missed, you’re great.
Just so that no one is lost while scrolling the screenshots below – the new iOS 26.1 Beta 2 is right, and the previous Beta 1 iOS 26.1 is on the left. In this way, you can spot what Apple has changed without stopping to determine which version is which.
- Previously, you could stop an alarm with a single tap on the locking screen. In iOS 26.1 Beta 2, Apple replaced this with a slide action, so now you have to slide to stop it. A tap always soothes the alarm. It is a small change that prevents you from extinguishing it by mistake when you only wanted a few minutes of sleep more.
- In similar parameters and menus, section headers, such as “general”, “Bluetooth”, “Privacy & Security”, now align on the left. Previously, they stood centered.
- The same provision appears in home screen folders. When you open a folder on the home screen, its name is now on the left rather than centered.
- In the display options, the preview wallpaper now corresponds to the background of the iOS 26 theme. If you take a look here before choosing a wallpaper, you see something closer to what the end result will look like.
- When you adjust a locking screen wallpaper, instructions like “pinching to be crop” appear briefly, then merge once you have started to handle the image. Apple seems to have decided that you don’t need a nanny telling you obvious steps.
- Accessibility has obtained an adjustment. In the display and text size settings, Apple replaced the “button shapes” with “display borders”. The activation of this attracts borders around carpable controls to separate interface elements more clearly.
- Apple has decreased a design change from the previous beta version: calendar events no longer appear with color banners. They now follow the standard style of the original iOS 26. People who check their calendar will often notice this change right away. To be honest, we are a little disappointed. The color look in the previous beta version has made the calendar easier to read at a glance. He was more alive and more organized. Hopefully Apple brings this view, because it made sense.
- In the Photos Application, Apple has also moved a few action buttons to manage several photos. Play a slideshow, favorite and hide now, sit at the top of the menu instead of the lower. It is a tiny adjustment, but it slightly changes the way your eyes move through the options.
- The Apple Vision Pro application now shows your device as a detailed 3D model instead of a static image. He looks polished and looks like the Silent Preparation of Apple for the next launch of Vision Pro 2. Nothing overwhelming, but it is a neat touch which suggests that the next great material revelation is not far away.
iOS 26.1
New really cool 3D model in the Apple Vision Pro application pic.twitter.com/0fbdpmzzpq– Souic ᯅ (@ssouic) October 6, 2025
- For iPhones that support external microphones, users now consult the control of the gain in the audio panel of the control center. They also get a new choice to store locally saved files. Useful for creators and podcasters, and a reminder that Apple always teases pro functionalities.
Apple also published iPados 26.1 Beta 2 to developers this same on Monday. The update brings several of the same fixes under the cap and subtle design adjustments that we have seen on iPhone. Its change of title is to slide on multitasking yields. (In the original version of the iPados 26, Apple deleted the slide, so its return counts for users of the iPad.) Beyond this, the iPad version shows no new major feature, and it largely reflects what the beta version offers the iPhone side.
Final reflections
Well, we don’t have much to add to iOS 26.1 beta 2. The update seems light, mainly visuals, but if Apple decided to include these changes, then there is clearly a reason for this. Some of the adjustments seem experimental, others simply make the interface cleaner.
As for performances, our team has not noticed anything unusual during the tests. No frost, no overheating, no battery flowing faster than usual – everything has remained within normal limits. It is therefore sure to say that this construction behaves stable on all devices tested.
We will continue to monitor the next Apple steps. If the usual calendar is valid, another beta (iOS 26.1 beta 3) should appear around October 20, as well as updates for other systems. Let’s see what Apple surprises us next time.
