Apple introduces a Liquid Glass design language across its software platforms, adding transparency and glass shine effects to in-app operating system interfaces

Liquid Glass is coming to iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, and more. … Apple is introducing a new Liquid Glass design across its software platforms today.

The Verge 2025-06-10 Tom Warren

Context & Ripple Effects

This is the rollout point for an OS-wide visual overhaul that had been previewed as setting the stage for refreshed hardware. The same redesign was subsequently carried into Apple’s CarPlay, iPadOS, and visionOS updates, making it a shared interface layer rather than a single-device refresh.

Later releases show the design became adjustable: Apple added a tinted, higher-contrast option and then a transparency control. That follow-through matters because it turns a signature visual system into a setting users can tune.

First-order effects

Users of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe encounter a common visual treatment across Apple’s software interfaces, while Apple’s app teams must apply it consistently.
Third-party developers face a changed platform presentation layer: their in-app interfaces will sit alongside transparent and glass-like system controls.

Second-order effects

The shared look raises the value of cross-platform interface consistency, pushing developers that span Apple devices to revisit visual hierarchy, contrast, and navigation choices.
The later user-controlled transparency slider indicates that visual ambition creates a practical need for fallback modes, especially where readability and contrast matter.

Third-order effects

If Apple continues to make major visual systems configurable, platform design may shift from one fixed aesthetic toward adaptable interface layers that balance brand identity with user preference.
The pattern points to software design becoming a more durable differentiator across device categories, with Apple using a common visual language to make its ecosystem feel more continuous.

The trend: Liquid Glass is one instance of fashionized computing, where consumer platforms use distinctive, adaptable visual systems to unify experiences across devices.

Discussion

@benjedwards.com Benj Edwards on bluesky
The self-congratulatory wording in the Apple Liquid Glass news release seems excessive even by corporate PR standards. Like they have to remind themselves constantly this was a good idea — “delightful and elegant” “even more harmony” — “fluidity only Apple can achieve” — w…
@carnage4life Dare Obasanjo on bluesky
Apple unveiled a new Liquid Glass design language yesterday which adds glass-like transparency and shine to all of its operating systems. — As an ex-Microsoft guy who remembers Aero Glass, it's fun to see Apple borrowing design ideas from Windows Vista.
@michelbestaat.thereforeiam.eu Michel Bestaat on bluesky
The next iOS will look like liquid glass. — Seems that 90% of new development is about cosmetics. Things must look different, ‘more slick’. — Millions of devs will have to work hard to rework their apps to comply with the new looks. — The days of true development are over.…
@seldo.com Laurie Voss on bluesky
Cannot wait for Apple to bring back Wet Floor effects www.theverge.com/news/682636/ ...
@tim_cook Tim Cook on x
Expressive. Delightful. But still instantly familiar. Introducing our new software design with Liquid Glass. [video]
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
Cool
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
This redesign is unbelievably cool.
@stevesi Steven Sinofsky on x
Vista triggered. [image]
@carmguti Carmen on x
apple is wasting so many developers' entire careers on rendering beautiful glassmorphic squircles and not enough on rethinking all of human computer interaction in the context of AI
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
The Windows Vista update with aero glass was a huge part of my childhood, so I'm getting serious flashbacks
@joshuatopolsky Joshua Topolsky on x
I am sorry apple fanboys but this is actually terrible and I think you know it [image]
@dhh @dhh on x
Everything would be so much easier for Apple, if we'd all just stop writing apps for other platforms or the web! Just commit all your efforts to their proprietary platform where you may be evicted or extorted as a developer at any time. What's not to love!?
@dhh @dhh on x
It's wild to think back upon this, but work at 37signals would collectively stop for an hour or two when Steve was speaking. We'd all gather around the Campfire to ohh and ahh at all the new stuff. What a fun era that was! Don't cry that it's over, be happy it once was so.
@teroterotero Tero Kuittinen on x
I can't believe this is what they spent years doing. It's a cult
@thekitze @thekitze on x
steve jobs would've cornered you in a dark alley and beat the shit out of you with a metal pipe if you even SUGGESTED something like this [image]
@dhh @dhh on x
Unless your app belongs to a niche where supremacy is settled by squeezing out the last 0.1% of UI fidelity, you'd be foolish to to all in on native iOS. Go hybrid with stuff like Hotwire Native or at least cross-platforn with React Native. Most users can't tell the diff anyway.
@dhh @dhh on x
Nothing lasts forever. But I'm still surprised that Google was been able to leapfrog Apple with keynotes worth watching live. These precorded studio clips kill the vibe, and as much as I like a clean new UI skin, it can't hold a candle to Veo 3 etc for excitement.
@km Kanyi Maqubela on x
looks like  shipped its org chart.
@xeetechcare Zaryab Khan on x
..... [image]
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
Developers I know why you all like your own design language in your apps But PLEASE try to adopt liquid glass Apps without feel significantly worse already
@alexeheath Alex Heath on x
this is so very clearly designed for an interface that sits on top of the real world, not a phone something you would need for... AR glasses
@stevesi Steven Sinofsky on x
@MKBHD I'm traumatized. [image]
@vlad_smolyanoy @vlad_smolyanoy on x
Just installed iOS 26 Beta! [image]
@bzamayo Benjamin Mayo on x
Time is a flat circle, something something. [image]
@producthunt @producthunt on x
Apple re-introducing glass-like design ME: [image]
@joshuatopolsky Joshua Topolsky on x
Like WHAT useful information does the blurred content behind the panels communicate? How does it make navigation clearer or simpler? This is a parlor trick that degrades usability for no clear gain. [image]
@paultassi Paul Tassi on x
Every other tech company jamming AI in everywhere and Apple's over here like “what if water got in your phone.” I appreciate that
@techdroider @techdroider on x
iOS 26 Apple.. You Okay? [image]
@chan_k Chan Karunamuni on x
The latest project I've been working on is the design of Liquid Glass, alongside an army of designers and engineers. We're designing it to bend and shape light while feeling like an elastic, flexible material that can dynamically shape shift, to make apps feel fluid and organic. …
@fkasummer Akhil on x
apple is about to have their windows vista moment
@atupem Carl Atupem on x
This is just a bunch of stuff I'm gonna have to turn off on my parents devices #WWDC25
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
I really like the new Home Screen and Lock Screen with liquid glass Camera app too, it's way similar with settings and controls. Makes it easier to see the full view as well.
@munster_gene Gene Munster on x
✅$AAPL announces Liquid Glass. New universal designed across all products. As expected. My take: Apple focusing on the basics. Something that only Apple can do. It's more than the look and feel. It's seamless functionality across devices. The reason why the average Apple c…
@stevesi Steven Sinofsky on x
iOS is at a point where a major visual redesign like this will run into countless places where the old UI surfaces or the UIs get mixed in an app.
@carlfranzen Carl Franzen on x
To me it looks like they are trying to lift some of the (cool, in context) UI ideas from Vision Pro (floating transparent/lucent planes of glass). Not sure it works so well in 2D...
@dudufolio Dudu on x
Apple used to be the pinnacle of design not anymore [image]
@ilyamiskov @ilyamiskov on x
This is the first time I want to prevent my mom from installing the new iOS. [image]
@wsbmod @wsbmod on x
boomers in shambles. they will never find the right app ever again [image]
@scobleizer Robert Scoble on x
Cynical take on Apple's WWDC: just doing things Microsoft did back in 2003. Liquid glass. Menus on tablets. Dark take on it: it's way behind in AI, and didn't demonstrate any attempt to catch up. Light take: Lots of new AI features, like your phone will wait on hold for you
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
They called this new version of iPadOS a gamechanger - and they say that word a lot, but this one I actually agree with. They just did SO many things I thought they'd never do to avoid overlapping the Mac.
@jonyiveparody @jonyiveparody on x
Introducing Liquid Glass #WWDC25 [Screenshot of Windows Vista]
@loudmouthjulia Julia Alexander on x
Only problem with Apple showing how pretty the new design looks is that every app is in isolation to show off the design. I need an honest, feral demo. Have 15 different apps open, constant group chat pings, and the computer running at 40% speed because Chrome is gobbling ram.
@sdw Sebastiaan de With on x
Glass icon builder. Neat. [image]
@dennishegstad Dennis Hegstad on x
Apple glass 🤝 win amp themes everything comes full circle
@wongmjane Jane Manchun Wong on x
New iOS design just dropped [image]
@snazzylabs Quinn Nelson on x
Windows Vista is back, baby!!!
@sdw Sebastiaan de With on x
That full glass look is dope. [image]
@sdw Sebastiaan de With on x
Good luck recreating this in Figma lol [image]
@aaronp613 Aaron on x
Liquid glass is HOT #WWDC25 [image]
@bengeskin Ben Geskin on x
OMG 👀 iOS 26 Liquid Glass design mode #WWDC25 [image]
@mgsiegler M.G. Siegler on x
And we're also introducing ‘Liquid Metal’ with a new product we're calling T-1000. #AppleEvent
@zollotech Aaron Zollo on x
Love the new design. #WWDC25
@vadimyuryev Vadim Yuryev on x
Apple killed the new Liquid Glass design! #WWDC25 [image]
@stevemoser Steve Moser on x
😍 Expanding context menus! Looks like this redesign is more than skin deep. [image]
@anshelsag Anshel Sag on x
Liquid Glass is what Apple calls its new design language for its cross-platform UI and is content-aware and looks very 3D, built on ideas from VisionOS and I believe will prepare most Apple apps for 3D use in AR. #WWDC25 [image]
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
First big update is the massive overhaul of design language across every OS using “liquid glass” aesthetic [image]
r/apple r on reddit
Details of Liquid Glass UI/UX
r/iphone r on reddit
Apple literally packed 19 minutes with the entire design philosophy on Liquid Glass

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