How do I remove the liquid glass look from app icons on iOS 26?

Nwpray wrote:

It’s totally not, turning on the contrast makes a solid white line. With it off you still have the reflective glassy looking edges. Not to mention in some folders the icons overlap the edges now. I really want to turn off whatever nonsense this was.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/864d2285-1b6b-4952-9c73-fe6f94278b30

Why does the appearance bother you so much? the functions are the same or better in 26.

ridley_walker wrote:

This is one of the worst UI updates in memory. Apple needs to provide an option to revert to the previous style, liquid glass is awful.

I also think it's a giant step forward and adds a layer of visual interest which is terrific. You can choose to dislike it if you want. But remove it you can't, so maybe just get used to it and worry about something else which may have a greater meaning in the overall scheme of things.

segu1m1 wrote:

because some people actually care how their phone looks. this update is so bad, my lock screen looks like a weird sci fi thing

You gotta learn how to set it up I guess. Mine looks great.

segu1m1 wrote:

because some people actually care how their phone looks. this update is so bad, my lock screen looks like a weird sci fi thing

You're absolutely right! I LOVE how my phone looks with Liquid Glass. If your lock screen hasn't been customized to look like you'd like it to look, learn how to do that here --> Create a custom iPhone Lock Screen - Apple Support

Thanks for your tips! But, unfortunately, increasing contrast does nothing to remove the Liquid Glass blur on the icons, and reducing transparency just makes the Dock and system bars much darker, whether on iPhone, Mac, or iPad. It’s really frustrating. Apple should fix this, because we’re paying for Retina displays and incredible M-series screens, yet the icons end up looking blurry and uncomfortable to look at. The M5 has an amazing image and video resolution, but the icon blur completely breaks the visual experience.

I know this doesn’t help fix the issue that all of us are faced with. I just want to add my two cents that this was a horrible idea from Apple. To change the UI so much that you can’t go back to a normal looking icon and text. You change everything and put glass looking highlights around an app. They needed to put a disable or change theme instead of forcing you to view this hideous rollout. So much for being a stock holder.

Love it all you want, but anyone who made custom home screens has had them completely messed up. I have a page on my phone that was full of invisible icons (all leading to music albums) and now that entire effect has been broken. So, sadly, now have an entirely broken look to my phone.

Thank you for your help!

The only thing I don't like, because it really disturbs my eyes, is the fact that the icons are always blurry, no matter what I do.

I will write to the link you sent. Thanks!

margaleao wrote:

Thank you for your help!

The only thing I don't like, because it really disturbs my eyes, is the fact that the icons are always blurry, no matter what I do.

I will write to the link you sent. Thanks!

You're welcome.

It looks like no one has mentioned that you can just turn off the liquid glass effect from the home screen.

Hold down on the home screen for a couple of seconds to enter the edit mode. The app icons will start quivering with a minus sign and in the top right corner of the screen there will be an edit button. It beings up a screen that lets you select the glass look you want, or you can go back to default.

There are some other options that you might like to try instead of going back to default, like having slightly larger icons without any text underneath, or tinted glass, etc.

Juliet_tea wrote:

Is there a way to turn glass off? It feels almost like an optical illusion.. things look blurry. Apple was suppose to be intuitive. I’ve never wanted an android phone until now.

You can't turn it off comletely but you can make adjustments:

Liquid Glass - Love It Or Hate It - It's … - Apple Community

I've managed to get the clock numbers on the lock screen back to white, but I hate the rest. Just noticed when you swipe down from the top right corner, everything shows as Liquid Glass. Absolutely awful.

max-headroom wrote:

Try this;

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/20d0253f-47b1-4220-be60-1af08d4f3779

That is of absolutely no use for most users unless you explain that you changed icons for shortcuts, and even less use if you don't explain how, maybe in a User Tip if you stick around long enough to get promoted.

We live innovative tips, not simply grandstanding with no explanation.

I would be more than willing to write a walkthrough for anybody interested in changing the liquid glass look.My screenshots were for people to see that it is possible to lose the liquid glass look.As there was no replies I assume nobody is interested.

AKA FieryJack

max-headroom wrote:

I would be more than willing to write a walkthrough for anybody interested in changing the liquid glass look.My screenshots were for people to see that it is possible to lose the liquid glass look.As there was no replies I assume nobody is interested.

AKA FieryJack

You mean like what I already wrote here? --> Liquid Glass - Love It Or Hate It - It's … - Apple Community