iOS 26.1, the first major update since the release of iOS 26 in September, introduces several new features and improvements. Users can now adjust the transparency of Liquid Glass with a new toggle in the Display settings, allowing for a more opaque look to enhance contrast. The update also addresses a common complaint by allowing users to disable the Lock Screen gesture that opens the Camera app, preventing accidental activation. Additionally, the Phone app now offers an option to turn off haptic feedback during calls.
The update revamps the interface for alarms and timers, replacing the tap-to-stop button with a Slide to Stop bar, requiring more precision to dismiss alarms. Apple Intelligence expands its language support, adding Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPods Live Translation now includes Japanese, Korean, Italian, and both Mandarin Traditional and Simplified Chinese.
Apple Music introduces a new gesture for switching songs, and AutoMix transitions can now be experienced over AirPlay. The Apple TV app gets a new icon and a rebranding, dropping the “Plus” from its name. The Fitness app allows for fully custom workouts, offering more flexibility than previous structured options.
Several visual tweaks are made across the system, including alignment changes in the Settings app and Home Screen folders, and a refined look for the Phone keypad and Photos app. Safari’s Tab Bar sees adjustments for better space utilization, and a new feature allows automatic downloading of security updates.
iOS 26.1 also brings enhancements to FaceTime audio quality in low-bandwidth conditions and adjusts Communication Safety settings for child accounts. The update is available for iPhone 11 and later models, as well as the iPhone SE 2. iPadOS 26.1, which shares many of these updates, reintroduces Slide Over multitasking and adds a Vision Pro app to the iPad. Users can download the update via the Software Update section in the Settings app.
