Apple has released iOS 26.1 beta 4 to testers, and while it’s an incremental release, it contains not one but two user-facing changes that are worth way more than their KB size…
There is a new control to tone down the liquid glass appearance of the system; another finally allows you to prevent accidental launching of the camera from the lock screen.
Pour that becomes tinted: a quieter liquid glass option
Liquid Glass came with iOS 26 with a cloudy, fuzzy look that relies on blur and depth to communicate hierarchy. It’s cool, but not everyone likes text and UI hovering over busy backgrounds. Beta 4 introduces a “tinted” option that reduces this transparency across the system.
You can find it in Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass. Switch to Tinted and the OS now steps up behind things like notifications, widgets, Control Center tiles, and system sheets. The change doesn’t kill the design language or anything; this simply reduces the visual effect that can make it difficult to read text on brightly colored or patterned wallpapers.
Apple had previously provided some relief in the Accessibility settings, but by introducing a clear toggle in Display & Brightness, this option is likely to be checked first by most users.
It also complies with Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines, which favor contrast and clarity, as well as W3C contrast recommendations which warn that translucency can compromise readability in various lighting conditions.
Case in point: If you’re stuck on a morning or evening commute and the auto-brightness is struggling with glare, the translucent notification banners can suddenly become very difficult to read without squinting like an old man. With Tinted, more text and icons appear more often without losing the layered look that arrived this cycle.
Control camera swipe on lock screen to avoid misses
The second involves resolving a long-standing irritation: accidental camera launches. On today’s iPhones, a swipe right from the left edge of the lock screen immediately opens the camera. It’s good for speed, not above average if your palm or pocket triggers it.
You can now disable this gesture entirely in iOS 26.1 beta 4. Go to Settings > Camera and turn off “Lock screen by swipe to open camera”. The camera is still accessible from the app and other entry points you intentionally invoke, but disjointed swipes won’t wake the sensor or drain your battery in your pocket.
It’s a quality-of-life win for parents and runners, as well as anyone who tends to hold their phone tightly, and it now gives IT administrators another middle-of-the-road option. On managed devices, it is already possible to disable the camera entirely using mobile device management; This gesture toggle allows you to control app activity without deleting it.
Who can install the beta and how to get it safely
Developers enrolled in the Apple Developer Program and with the appropriate configuration profile can install the update using Settings > General > Software Update. As always, take a backup before installing beta software, and this specific snippet is from the second page where Apple reminds users to avoid putting beta versions on primary devices when availability is high.
Why these adjustments are important for clarity and usability
Small switches can also make a little difference. Usability research from the likes of Nielsen Norman Group has long noted that surprise interactions and design candy create cognitive load. By displaying a transparent liquid glass interface while allowing users to self-declare how the lock screen will behave, Apple replaces the default flash with optional clarity and momentum.
The point is simple: personalization is not limited to wallpapers and widgets. It’s also about how the system values readability and unintended behavior. The Beta 4 additions are therefore only part of Apple’s attempt to calibrate this balance without going back on the overall aesthetic introduced in iOS 26.
How to test new settings and easily reverse them
- To decrease transparency: Settings > Display & brightness > Liquid glass > Tint.
- To prevent accidental camera launches: Settings > Camera > turn off lock screen swipe to open camera.
Both changes are easily reversible, so try a day in normal life – commuting, working out, reading in low light – and adopt the setting that feels calmest and most intentional.
