iPhone users face slowdowns and issues with Liquid Glass design in iOS 26 update

iPhone users worldwide began reporting dissatisfaction shortly after the official release of iOS 26 this week. The update, introducing the Liquid Glass design, promised a smoother and more modern interface but has led to complaints about overall system slowdowns. Owners of various models, from the latest to older generations, noticed that animations seem more sluggish, impacting daily navigation.

The issue primarily centers on transparency effects, which create confusing visual overlaps in notifications and the control center. Many describe the experience as frustrating, as interface elements blend together, requiring more attention to interact correctly. Additionally, battery consumption has increased in initial tests, worsening the perception of inefficiency.

• Icons display visible blurriness, especially in dark modes.
• Notifications lose clarity with translucent backgrounds.
• Transition animations take longer compared to the previous iOS.
• Extra taps are needed for simple screen actions.

These issues surfaced in online discussions, where device owners share screenshots highlighting the flaws. Apple released the stable version aiming for broad compatibility, but initial feedback suggests additional optimizations will be necessary to balance aesthetics and functionality.

Visual elements of Liquid Glass spark controversies

The Liquid Glass design marks a significant shift in Apple’s visual language, inspired by liquid glass effects to add depth and reflections to the interface. Elements like search bars, app folders, and the dock now feature dynamic transparencies that react to ambient light, creating an immersive feel. However, this innovation has divided opinions, with criticism focusing on reduced legibility in everyday scenarios.

Owners of older iPhones, such as the 13 Pro, report that the heavy effects strain hardware, resulting in choppy animations. One user likened the experience to a “sluggish performance,” where simple tasks like scrolling lists require extra patience. Conversely, owners of high-end devices, like the iPhone 16, note that the modern look offsets minor inconsistencies, though they admit text contrast still needs tweaks.

Excessive transparency particularly affects the control center, where buttons and icons blend into the background, making quick identification difficult. This leads to touch errors, especially in varied lighting conditions. Additionally, the design retains remnants of the previous iOS, creating a mix some call inconsistent. To mitigate this, a reduce transparency option is available in accessibility settings, but it only tones down effects, not eliminates them.

Another point of contention involves typing on the virtual keyboard, which now includes translucent edges. Users note that letters appear less sharp, complicating accuracy in long messages. Despite the complaints, there are positive reports about the overall minimalism, with icons gaining a three-dimensional feel without overwhelming the home screen. Apple tested the concept in earlier betas, but the final release extended it to all compatible users.

Performance impact across various devices

iPhone models released before 2022 face the greatest challenges with iOS 26, where Liquid Glass demands more processing to render effects in real time. App opening animations and screen transitions now consume extra resources, leading to noticeable frame rate drops. On an iPhone 12, for instance, fluidity dips during multitasking, like switching between Safari and Mail simultaneously.

The slowdown manifests in specific ways, such as delayed touch responses and brief interface freezes. Owners observe that the system heats up faster during prolonged use, potentially accelerating battery wear throughout the day. Compared to iOS 18, the new update adds visual layers that, while striking, prioritize style over efficiency on limited hardware. This results in an experience that feels “heavy” for those accustomed to prior simplicity.

• Devices from 2020 or older show animations 20% slower on average.
• Battery drains up to 15% faster with effects enabled during moderate use.
• Multitasking reveals lags when loading images or videos in native apps.
• Reboots temporarily resolve issues, but problems return after app updates.
• Recent models maintain stable performance with gains in graphic rendering.

For devices like the iPhone 14 Pro, the impact is less severe, but inconsistencies persist in games or editing apps relying on heavy graphics. Apple optimized the system kernel to support these demands, but feedback suggests graphic drivers need refinement. Users recommend disabling unnecessary animations via accessibility settings to regain speed, though this alters the core Liquid Glass experience.

Options to adjust interface transparency

Apple included built-in tools to customize Liquid Glass, allowing users to tweak effect levels without uninstalling the update. Accessing accessibility settings reveals options like “Reduce Transparency,” which dulls translucent elements and boosts overall contrast. This setting impacts notifications, control center, and icons, making them more solid and readable against complex backgrounds.

Enabling high-contrast mode adds defined borders to interface items, countering reported blurriness in icons and text. For those preferring the modern look, adjusting screen brightness or choosing neutral wallpapers minimizes overlaps. These changes don’t fully disable Liquid Glass but balance usability and aesthetics, especially in low-light indoor environments.

Users tested combinations, like reducing motion alongside low transparency, which smooths animations without sacrificing visual depth. On compatible iPads, effects extend to multitasking, where overlapping windows gain extra clarity. Despite the flexibility, the lack of a complete toggle for the design frustrates those seeking a full return to the prior style, forcing manual tweaks.

Mixed reactions among fans and critics of the update

While some praise Liquid Glass for bringing freshness to iPhone routines, others see it as a risky move compromising reliability. Fans highlight how dynamic reflections enhance the lock screen, integrating better with custom widgets. However, critics argue that excessive visual layers distract during focused tasks, like reading emails or navigating maps.

In online communities, discussions reveal about 40% of initial reports favor the flat design of iOS 18, citing simplicity as a priority. Owners of pro iPhones note the update benefits creative apps, with more vivid renderings in photo editors. Still, the perception of a “childish toy” emerges in descriptions of the pinkish hue in certain settings, clashing with the expected brand sobriety.

• Reflections on colorful wallpapers create positive illusions for 30% of testers.
• 3D icons aid quick identification in crowded grids.
• Pop-up notification effects add visual urgency without overload.
• Critics report 25% more touch errors on sensitive screens.
• Adaptation takes about three days on average, per shared reports.

The debate extends to integrations with other Apple devices, where Liquid Glass syncs effects on Macs and iPads, unifying the experience. Despite divisions, most agree that upcoming patches, like the expected 26.0.1, will address performance spikes. Savvier users suggest waiting for optimizations before updating mid-range models.

Technical details behind common complaints

Liquid Glass employs advanced shaders to simulate glass properties, processing light and shadows in multiple layers during rendering. This technique, borrowed from modern graphic engines, demands more from the GPU in iPhones, explaining heating during extended sessions. On models with A14 chips or older, the computational overhead causes performance dips, particularly at high resolutions.

Third-party app developers face challenges adapting interfaces to the new standard, leading to initial incompatibilities. Apple provided guidelines for transparencies, but the transition affects legacy libraries, causing blurriness in custom elements. Usage statistics show 60% of complaints involve the control center, where multiple taps stem from altered hitboxes due to effects.

For diagnostics, tools like Battery Analyzer reveal consumption spikes tied to visual effects, recommending deactivation in low-battery scenarios. In comparative tests, iOS 26 runs 10% slower in animation benchmarks than its predecessor but gains in static task efficiency. The company monitors feedback to refine balancing, prioritizing broad compatibility in upcoming betas.

• Glass shaders increase GPU usage by 15-20% during interactions.
• Touch hitboxes expand by 5 pixels to accommodate soft edges.
• SwiftUI libraries ease adaptations, but Objective-C apps lag.
• Benchmarks show an 8% gain in crisp text rendering after tweaks.
• Idle consumption rises 7% with effects always active.

These technical aspects highlight how Liquid Glass innovates but requires robust hardware to shine without compromising daily usability.