In other words: while many features are already testable in beta, large-scale deployment is imminent.
Main features and improvements
While iOS 26 introduced sweeping changes, update 26.1 focuses on refinement, usability adjustments, and responding to user feedback:
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Musical commands: In iOS 26.1, Apple Music mini player now supports a left/right swipe gesture to skip songs.
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User interface customization: Beta reports show a toggle for Liquid Glass design: users can choose between the high-transparency “Clear” mode or a more readable “Tint” mode under Settings → Display & Brightness.
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Security Improvements: A new “Background Security Improvements” toggle automatically installs critical patches without user intervention.
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Translation and linguistic expansion: iOS 26.1 adds support for new languages in Live Translation for AirPods and Apple Intelligence, expanding accessibility.
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User interface changes: The Phone app keyboard adopts the Liquid Glass aesthetic; Photos app introduces video cleaner overhaul; The Calendar app’s list view displays full-width color highlights of events.
For many iPhone users, the move from iOS 26 to 26.1 will seem subtle, but that’s the point. Apple is moving from big visible changes to improving the experience, improving readability, improving security, and listening to feedback on the new UI style.
