During the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025, Apple unveiled a significant overhaul of its software platforms, marking the first major redesign since the launch of iOS 7 in 2013. The new design, referred to as Liquid Glass, incorporates a translucent material that mimics the properties of glass in real-time. This innovation will affect iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26. The revamped user interface will influence not only the system components and home screen but also the company’s suite of first-party apps.
What is the Liquid Glass Design Language?
In a blog post, Apple elaborated on the Liquid Glass design language, attributing its inspiration to “the depth and dimensionality of visionOS” and involving new graphic technologies. The design’s hallmark is its glass-like material, which dynamically reflects and refracts the colors of the content behind it.
According to Apple, this intricate effect is achieved by allowing the material to render background shapes and colors in real-time, responding to user interactions and movements. Developed through a collaborative effort between the company’s design and engineering teams, the material is said to intelligently transition between light and dark settings.
Liquid Glass has been employed in various elements, from smaller components like buttons, switches, and sliders to larger features such as tab bars and sidebars. Users will notice its presence across the Lock Screen, Home Screen, notifications, Control Center, and beyond.
Furthermore, the redesign introduces additional user interface enhancements. Toolbars, tab bars, sidebars, and app windows now feature rounded corners, moving away from previous rectangular aesthetics. In-app controls are composed of Liquid Glass and are designed to appear above the applications, expanding as users require more options.
In the updated versions of iPadOS and macOS, sidebars crafted from Liquid Glass dynamically change as users scroll, expanding and reflecting the content that lies behind them. The new design elements will be visible in numerous first-party applications, including Camera, Photos, Safari, FaceTime, Apple Music, Apple News, and Apple Podcasts.
In addition to visual upgrades, the new design language enhances customizability. Users on macOS Tahoe 26 will have the ability to personalize their desktop and Dock with widgets and app icons featuring updated light and dark shades. Across all platforms, applications will exhibit a more transparent appearance, complemented by a new transparent menu bar set to debut in the upcoming update for Mac.
