Apple releases iOS 26.1, macOS 26.1, other updates with Liquid Glass controls and more

After several weeks of testing, Apple has released the final versions of update 26.1 of its various operating systems. These include iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS, and the HomePod operating system, all of which moved to a new unified year-based version numbering system this fall.

This isn’t the first update these operating systems have received since their September release, but it is the first to add significant changes and tweaks to existing features, addressing the early complaints and bugs that inevitably accompany any major operating system update.

One of the biggest changes on most platforms is a new translucency control for Liquid Glass that dims it without completely disabling the effect. Users can keep the default Clear look to see the lighter, glassier look that lets more of the content show through under Liquid Glass, or the new tinted look to achieve a more opaque background that only shows vague shapes and colors to improve readability.

For iPad users, the update adds an updated version of Slide Over multitasking, which uses quick swipes to call up and dismiss an individual app in addition to the apps you already use. The iPadOS 26 version is a bit different and includes some functional changes compared to the previous version: it is more difficult to change which app is used in Slide Over mode, but the Slide Over window can now be moved and resized like any other iPadOS 26 app window.