What’s new with Liquid Glass in iOS 27
Liquid Glass is the translucent design Apple introduced in iOS 26. iOS 26.1 added two presets, Clear and Tinted. iOS 27 replaces them with a continuous slider, so you can land anywhere between barely-there glass and heavy frost.
The control lives in Appearance, a new Settings section that gathers options that used to be scattered around Display & Brightness, such as Light and Dark mode and text size. Apple also tuned the default look to diffuse busy content behind the glass and separate layers more clearly.
How to use the Liquid Glass slider
- Open Settings.
- Tap Appearance, then Liquid Glass.
- Drag the slider left for a clearer, more transparent effect, or right for more tint and opacity.
The preview updates as you drag, so you can see the change without leaving Settings. The midpoint is Apple’s default. You also see this slider once during setup after installing iOS 27.
What the slider changes
The setting is system-wide. It affects:
- Lock Screen notifications and buttons
- Control Center
- Home Screen folders
- Menus, tab bars, and overlays inside apps
Adjust the Lock Screen clock’s glass separately
The Lock Screen clock has its own glass setting (added in iOS 26.2) that the Appearance slider doesn’t touch. It’s saved per Lock Screen, so each wallpaper can have its own look.
- Touch and hold the Lock Screen and tap Customize, then Lock Screen.
- Tap the clock.
- Choose Glass and drag the opacity slider — toward transparent to show more wallpaper, toward opaque for easier reading. Or choose Solid for a fully opaque clock.
- Tap outside the panel, then tap Done.
While you’re there, try the new compact clock layout in the top-right of the Font & Color panel. It’s covered in what’s new on the iOS 27 Lock Screen.
Reduce transparency even further
If the most tinted slider position still isn’t enough, go to Settings → Accessibility → Display & Text Size and turn on Reduce Transparency. It’s much more aggressive than the slider and removes most of the see-through effect. Increase Contrast in the same menu can make text stand out further.
Choose wallpapers that stay readable
- Clear glass looks best over calm wallpapers: gradients, skies, soft textures, and minimal art.
- Busy photos (crowds, foliage, patterns) read better with the slider moved toward tinted.
- Keep the top third of the wallpaper simple so the clock and widgets stay legible.
- Browse iPhone wallpapers and wallpaper packs for calm backgrounds that pair well with clear glass, or follow our guide to set a wallpaper in iOS 27.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Liquid Glass setting in iOS 27?
Open Settings → Appearance → Liquid Glass. Appearance is a new section in iOS 27 that also holds Light and Dark mode and text size.
What happened to the Clear and Tinted options?
iOS 27 replaces the two presets from iOS 26.1 with a continuous slider. The far left is the clearest look, the far right is the most opaque and tinted, and the middle is Apple’s default.
Does the slider change the Lock Screen clock?
No. The clock’s glass effect is set separately: touch and hold the Lock Screen, tap Customize, tap the clock, choose Glass, and drag its opacity slider — or choose Solid.
Can I turn Liquid Glass off completely?
Not completely, but turning on Reduce Transparency in Settings → Accessibility → Display & Text Size removes most of the see-through effect.