iOS 26.1 is the first major update to the iOS 26 software that came out in September, and it's now available for everyone. There are some useful new features in iOS 26.1 that address complaints about Liquid Glass and fix a longtime Lock Screen irritation.


We've complied a list of all of the new features in iOS 26.1, down to the tiniest interface change.

Liquid Glass Transparency Toggle

There is a new setting for customizing the look of Liquid Glass. You can now opt for a more tinted look that adds opacity.


Under Settings > Display and Brightness, there's a new option to switch between Clear or Tinted settings. Clear is more transparent and is the standard version of Liquid Glass that displays the background underneath buttons, menu bars, and other interface elements, while Tinted increases the opacity of Liquid Glass to improve contrast.

You'll see the most noticeable difference in apps and with Lock Screen notifications when Tinted mode is enabled.

Lock Screen Camera Swipe

Apple finally added a way to turn off the Lock Screen gesture that opens the Camera app, which means no more accidentally turning on the camera when your iPhone is in your pocket.


In the Camera section of the Settings app, there's a Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera setting, and turning it off disables the left swipe that opens the Camera app.

There was previously no way to turn off Lock Screen camera activation without disabling the camera app entirely.

Phone Haptics

The Phone app includes a toggle to turn off haptic feedback when a call is connected or dropped, so if you find that little buzz irritating, you can now disable it.

Alarms and Timers

Apple updated the interface of alarms and timers in iOS 26.1. There's now a Slide to Stop bar on the Lock Screen instead of a tap to stop button.



You can still snooze an alarm with a tap on the oversized button, but to turn it off entirely, you need to use a slide gesture that requires more dexterity.

If you've accidentally dismissed an alarm while trying to tap the snooze button and then overslept, this will be a welcome change. Unfortunately, there is no option to choose to stick with the tap to stop button.

New Apple Intelligence Languages

Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese.

The new languages join English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), Japanese, and Korean, opening up ‌Apple Intelligence‌ to more people.

AirPods Live Translation Languages

AirPods Live Translation works with additional languages in iOS 26.1, including Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Chinese (both Mandarin Traditional and Simplified).

At launch, Live Translation was limited to English (US, UK), French (France), German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain).

You can translate to and from all of the above languages with the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, or AirPods 4 with ANC.

Apple Music

There's a hidden Apple Music gesture in iOS 26.1. You can swipe on the music player in the ‌Apple Music‌ app to switch songs. Just slide a finger over where the song title is listed, and it'll go to the next song or back to the previous song.

AirPlay

‌Apple Music‌ AutoMix now works over AirPlay, so you'll hear AutoMix transitions when playing music over ‌AirPlay‌ 2-compatible speakers.

Apple TV App

The Apple TV app has a new, more colorful icon that adopts the Liquid Glass aesthetic. The redesign coincides with Apple's decision to drop the "Plus" from its ‌Apple TV‌ streaming service. ‌Apple TV‌+ is now called ‌Apple TV‌ in the ‌Apple TV‌ app.

Fitness App

You can now create fully custom workouts in the Fitness app on ‌iPhone‌. There are options for selecting workout type, estimated Active Calories, effort, duration, and start time.



There were workout creation options before, but they were more structured than the open, custom creation options that are in iOS 26.1.

Settings App

Apple changed the alignment of icons and text in the Settings app. All settings with headers that feature text now have that text aligned to the left instead of center aligned. It's a small change that makes a big visual difference.


This includes General, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Cellular, Personal Hotspot, Accessibility, ‌Apple Intelligence‌, and more.

Home Screen Folders

When you tap into a folder on the Home Screen, the name of the folder at the top is left aligned instead of center aligned, matching the changes made in the Settings app.

Phone

The Phone keypad now uses Liquid Glass for the numbers, fixing a visual issue present in ‌iOS 26‌.

Photos

The slider for scrubbing through videos in the Photos app has a new look.


The ‌Photos‌ app navigation bar has a slightly more frosted look that makes it easier to see on light backgrounds.


The interface for managing multiple photos that you've selected has been tweaked slightly. Play as Slideshow, Favorite, and Hide have been relocated to the top of the menu.

Safari

The Tab Bar (Bottom) in Safari is wider with less padding around the edges, so there's less wasted space. In Reduce Transparency mode, there's more padding, so it no longer looks odd.

Background Security Improvements

The Privacy and Security section of the Settings app has a toggle to automatically download and install security improvements. It's a revamp of the prior Rapid Security Responses feature that allows Apple to provide security updates without having to offer a full new version of iOS.

Display Settings

The Display section of the Settings app now has iOS 26-themed wallpaper instead of iOS 18 wallpaper, fixing an ‌iOS 26‌ oversight.

Liquid Glass

The light refraction effect around apps is now more subtle with darker icon colors and background colors. It's a subtle change that most might not notice.

Wallpaper

When setting a wallpaper on the Lock Screen, instructions like Pinch to Crop show up momentarily and then disappear rather than being shown all the time, which gives a better view of your wallpaper when you're choosing how you want it to appear.

Display Accessibility

Under the Display and Text Size section in the Accessibility settings, there is a "Display Borders" toggle. It adds a border to all buttons, and replaces the prior "Button Shapes" setting.

Local Capture Settings

There's an option to set a location in the Files app for audio and video recordings from calls. It's available by going to Settings > General > Local Capture.

External Microphones

There's an option to adjust input gain when using an external microphone with local capture.

FaceTime

FaceTime now supports improved audio quality in low-bandwidth conditions.

Communication Safety

Communication Safety and Web content filters that limit access to adult websites are not enabled by default for existing child accounts for ages 13-17.

iPadOS 26.1 - Slide Over

Many of the changes above are in iPadOS 26.1 too, and iPadOS 26.1 also includes major changes to multitasking. With iPadOS 26.1, Apple reintroduced Slide Over. Slide Over works alongside the window-based iPadOS 26 multitasking functionality, so you can have multiple windows open and still swipe over to quickly access a Slide Over app.


You can only have one Slide Over app at a time in iPadOS 26.1, and you can use the feature by tapping on the green window resizing button and toggling on Enter Slide Over.

The iPadOS 26.1 update also brings a Vision Pro app to the iPad.

Download iOS 26.1

You can get the update by opening up the Settings app, choosing the General section, and tapping on Software Update.

Compatibility

iOS 26.1 is available on all devices that are able to run ‌iOS 26‌, which includes the ‌iPhone‌ 11 and later along with the ‌iPhone‌ SE 2.

iPadOS 26.1 is available on all iPads able to run ‌iPadOS 26‌.
This article, "iOS 26.1 Features: Everything New in iOS 26.1" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple updated the logo and name for its Apple TV streaming service today, and it looks like Apple One might be next. On the revamped Apple TV website, there's a new, more colorful ‌Apple One‌ logo available.


The logo features an Apple icon that's split into six slices, and each slice includes the color that Apple uses for one of the services included in ‌Apple One‌ Premium.

‌Apple One‌ is Apple's paid service that combines several subscriptions in a single bundle price. Apple hadn't designed a recognizable logo for ‌Apple One‌ until now, and the new design still hasn't been added to the standalone Apple One website.

Since Apple is rebranding the ‌Apple TV‌ streaming service, it makes sense for the company to also push the ‌Apple One‌ subscription bundle. ‌Apple One‌ is priced at $19.95 per month for the individual plan, which includes 50GB of iCloud+ storage, ‌Apple TV‌, Apple Music, and Apple Arcade.

The $25.95 per month Family option offers the same services with 200GB of ‌iCloud‌+ storage and access for up to five people, while the $37.95 per month Premier plan includes access to 2TB of ‌iCloud‌+ storage, ‌Apple TV‌, ‌Apple Music‌, ‌Apple Arcade‌, Apple News+, and Apple Fitness+. Apple's bundles offer savings ranging from $12 per month to $32 per month.
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Apple plans to end support for the previous version of Apple Home on February 10, 2026, according to an updated support document published today. Apple previously said that the older architecture would no longer be supported as of fall 2025, but customers now have a few more months to update.


Users will need to transition to the new HomeKit architecture by next February to avoid interruptions with accessories and automations.

The underlying ‌HomeKit‌ architecture was revamped in March 2023 alongside iOS 16.4, so Apple has been supporting both the new and old architecture for the last two years. There were initial problems with stability that may have discouraged some users from upgrading, but those problems have now been addressed.

When Apple stops supporting the original ‌HomeKit‌ architecture, it will break support for the Home app on devices running older versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS 13.1, tvOS 16.2, and watchOS 9.2 are the minimum versions of Apple's platforms that work with the updated Apple Home app, and older devices will lose access.

The update includes support for features like guest access, support for robot vacuum cleaners, and Activity History. Apple says it also provides faster, more reliable performance, especially for smart homes with a lot of ‌HomeKit‌ and Matter accessories installed.

The upgrade can be installed in the Home app by tapping on the More button, choosing Home Settings, and then tapping on Software Update. Apple says that customers who do not install the update manually may be automatically upgraded to the latest version of Apple Home.
This article, "Apple Delays Home App Update Requirement Until February 2026" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released iOS 26.1, the first major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.1 comes over a month after iOS 26 launched. ‌‌iOS 26‌‌.1 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌‌iPhone‌‌ SE.


The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

iOS 26.1 adds a toggle to increase the opacity of Liquid Glass for those who want less translucency. Alarms and Timers now require a swipe to turn them off, and there's finally an option to turn off the Lock Screen Camera swipe.

Apple Intelligence and AirPods Live Translation are available in additional languages, and there are small changes to Settings, Music, TV, Phone, Fitness, Photos, and Safari.

Apple's release notes for the update are below.

This update includes the following features and enhancements:
- Liquid Glass setting gives you the option to choose between the default clear look or a new tinted look which increases opacity of the material in apps and notifications on the Lock Screen
- Live Translation with AirPods support for Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean and Italian
- Apple Music MiniPlayer swipe gesture to go to the next or previous track
- Apple Music AutoMix support over AirPlay
- Gain control is available for external USB microphones when recording with local capture
- Local capture files can be saved to a specific location
- Manual workout logging is available directly from the Fitness app
- New Camera setting to turn on or off Lock Screen swipe to open Camera
- Improved FaceTime audio quality in low-bandwidth conditions
- Communication Safety and Web content filters to limit adult websites are enabled by default for existing child accounts for ages 13-17 (Age varies by country or region)

For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit:
https://support.apple.com/100100

Some features may not be available in all regions or on all iPhone models. To learn more, please visit:
https://apple.com/ios/feature-availability/

Software updates, like this one, add new features and improvements that may affect performance and/or battery life. To learn more, please visit:
https://support.apple.com/125039

For more on the new features in ‌iOS 26‌, we have a dedicated roundup.
This article, "Apple Releases iOS 26.1 With Liquid Glass Toggle, Slide to Stop Alarm, New Apple Intelligence Languages and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released iPadOS 26.1, the first major update to the iPadOS 26 operating system released in September. iPadOS 26.1 comes six weeks after ‌iPadOS 26‌.


The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

iPadOS 26.1 reintroduces Slide Over, a multitasking feature that was removed with the multitasking overhaul in ‌iPadOS 26‌.

Slide Over works alongside the window-based multitasking functionality in ‌iPadOS 26‌, so you can open up multiple app windows and still swipe over to quickly access a Slide Over app. Only one Slide Over app is supported at a time in iPadOS 26.1, and the feature is accessible by tapping on the green window resizing button and choosing Enter Slide Over.

iPadOS 26.1 also includes almost all of the new features that are in iOS 26.1, such as a toggle to reduce Liquid Glass transparency and Apple Intelligence support for new languages. Apple's release notes for the update are below.

Apple's release notes are below.

Slide Over
- Slide Over lets you keep a window on top of other windows, and easily hide off screen when not in use
- Resizable windows in Slide Over let you choose your preferred size and aspect ratio

Local capture
- Gain control is available for external USB microphones when recording with local capture
- Option to let you choose where local capture files are saved

This update includes the following features and enhancements:
- Liquid Glass setting gives you the option to choose between the default clear look or a new tinted look which increases opacity of the material in apps and notifications on the Lock Screen
- Apple Music MiniPlayer swipe gesture to go to the next or previous track
- Apple Music AutoMix support over AirPlay
- New Camera setting to turn on or off Lock Screen swipe to open Camera
- Improved FaceTime audio quality in low-bandwidth conditions
- Communication Safety and Web content filters to limit adult websites are enabled by default for existing child accounts for ages 13-17 (Age varies by country or region)
- Discover new content, spatial experiences, and quickly access information about your device using Apple Vision Pro app, now available on iPad

For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit:
https://support.apple.com/100100

Some features may not be available in all regions or on all iPad models. To learn more, please visit:
https://apple.com/ios/feature-availability/

Software updates, like this one, add new features and improvements that may affect performance and/or battery life. To learn more, please visit:
https://support.apple.com/125039

A list of features in iOS 26.1 can be found in our iOS 26.1 launch post, and more info on ‌iPadOS 26‌ is available in our roundup.
This article, "Apple Releases iPadOS 26.1 With Slide Over Multitasking" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.1, the first major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.1 comes 49 days after Apple first released macOS Tahoe.


Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings.

macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds a toggle that allows you to select a Tinted mode for Liquid Glass, adding additional opacity. There are also improvements to AirPlay and FaceTime, with Apple's full release notes below.

This update includes the following features and enhancements:
- Liquid Glass setting gives you the option to choose between the default clear look or a new tinted look which increases opacity of the material in apps and notifications on the Lock Screen
- Apple Music AutoMix support over AirPlay
- Improved FaceTime audio quality in low-bandwidth conditions
- Communication Safety and Web content filters to limit adult websites are enabled by default for existing child accounts for ages 13-17 (Age varies by country or region)

For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit: support.apple.com/100100.

Some features may not be available in all regions or on all Apple devices. To learn more, please visit: apple.com/macos/feature-availability.
Software updates, like this one, add new features and improvements that may affect performance and/or battery life. To learn more, please visit: support.apple.com/125039.

More information on the features in macOS Tahoe can be found in our macOS Tahoe roundup.
This article, "Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.1 With New Liquid Glass Setting and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released visionOS 26.1, the first big update to the visionOS 26 operating system that came out in September.


visionOS 26.1 adds a Vision Pro app for the iPad, allowing users to discover Vision Pro content and spatial experiences. The app also now supports AirPlay for viewing experiences from the Vision Pro on both iPhone and ‌iPad‌.

Apple's release notes for the update are below.

This release includes improvements and bug fixes, including the expansion of the Apple Vision Pro app to iPad, and updates to Spatial Gallery.

• Discover new content, spatial experiences, and quickly access information about your device using Apple Vision Pro app for iPad when you upgrade to iPadOS 26.1


• Apple Vision Pro app on iPhone and iPad now allows you to turn on AirPlay to view experiences from Apple Vision Pro


• Videos in Spatial Gallery will show playback controls and video length while in immersive view

Additional information on the new M5 Apple Vision Pro and visionOS 26 can be found in our roundup.
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Apple today released tvOS 26.1, an update to the tvOS 26 operating system that came out in September. tvOS 26.1 is available on the Apple TV 4K and the ‌Apple TV‌ HD models, but Liquid Glass is only available on the second-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K or later.


tvOS 26 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to tvOS 26.1 automatically.

Apple shares release notes for tvOS in its tvOS support document when new versions are released, but no new features were found during the beta testing process.
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Apple today released watchOS 26.1, an update to the watchOS 26 operating system that came out in September. watchOS 26.1 comes a month and a half after Apple launched ‌watchOS 26‌.


watchOS 26.1 can be downloaded for free on an iPhone running iOS 26.1 by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update, or initiating an update in the Settings app on the watch. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.

No new features were discovered in watchOS 26.1 during the beta testing process, and Apple's release notes say the update includes unspecified "improvements and bug fixes."
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Alongside iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1, Apple has released new HomePod 26.1 software for the ‌HomePod‌ and the HomePod mini. The updates come almost seven weeks after Apple released the ‌HomePod‌ 26 software.


According to Apple's release notes, ‌HomePod‌ Software 26.1 includes performance and stability improvements.

‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ software is installed automatically on the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌ unless the feature is disabled‌‌‌‌, but the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ can also be manually updated in the Home app on iPhone, iPad, or Mac by tapping on the More button, choosing Home Settings, and then selecting the Software Update option.
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Apple today updated three more of its apps for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe, introducing new Liquid Glass-compatible icons for GarageBand, Photomator, and Pixelmator Pro across its platforms.


GarageBand for iPhone and iPad has an overhauled icon featuring a realistic-looking guitar instead of the silhouetted neon guitar icon that Apple previously used. Apple uses this same icon for the Mac, but curiously, the GarageBand for Mac app hasn't been updated yet.

We first saw the new GarageBand icon on Apple's ‌iPhone‌ tech spec pages after the September ‌iPhone‌ event, and now it has rolled out. Apple is also planning new Liquid Glass icons for iMovie, the App Store, Keynote, Numbers, and Pages, but these apps haven't had icon updates yet.

Apple bought Pixelmator, Pixelmator Pro, and Photomator in November 2024, and some of those apps were also updated today. Photomator for Mac, ‌iPhone‌, and ‌iPad‌ got an update with a new icon. The icon actually looks the same on ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌, but on Mac, it no longer has the unappealing border design in macOS Tahoe.

Pixelmator Pro for Mac was updated as well, and while it has the same general icon design, it also no longer has the awkward squircle border around it.

With macOS Tahoe, Apple made updates to icon design requirements. App icons that don't comply with the updated size and design rules are displayed with a translucent gray border around them until developers provide updated artwork.
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Apple launched a new App Store on the web today, allowing users to browse through and search for apps across all of its platforms.


The updated apps.apple.com site provides a drop down for each platform, and it includes the Today section with app and game recommendations, categories, and Apple Arcade titles.


There is a search interface for looking up a specific app, and clicking on "View" on any app in the store provides screenshots and information optimized for a web view. The design mirrors the App Store on each of Apple's platforms, but it has a much friendlier web interface.


Apps that you search for on the web can be shared, or you can opt to open an app directly in the ‌App Store‌ if you have it installed.

Prior to now, Apple provided webpages for each app in the ‌App Store‌, but there was no central site for content discovery.
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Apple's planned Apple TV+ rebrand is official as of today, with Apple updating the ‌Apple TV‌+ page on its website to read just "‌Apple TV‌." Apple also shared a short YouTube video announcing the rebrand, featuring a rainbow-colored, animated ‌Apple TV‌ logo and a sound composed by Finneas. "This is just the beginning," reads the title of the video.


On Instagram, Finneas shared the same video, and said that he was honored to create the sound.

Never thought I'd get to do something like this but I am so honored and truly couldn't have enjoyed working on it more. hope this very short piece of music feels like it matches the things I love about Apple so much- They make such beautiful tools. Lucky to use em

The sound that Apple shared today will be played before every Apple original TV show and film, according to an interview that Finneas did with Variety. There are three versions of the mnemonic, including a main five-second long version, a one-second version that Finneas describes as a "sting" that might play for movie trailers, and there's longer-form 12-second version that will play in movie theaters at the start of an Apple Studios original film.

Apple's Head of Music, David Taylor, said that Finneas provided Apple with a "completely original sound that feels cinematic and magical."

The rebrand is still rolling out on Apple products, and the TV app continues to read ‌Apple TV‌+ for now. Apple will likely update all ‌Apple TV‌+ wording in the ‌Apple TV‌ app with the upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, tvOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 updates.
This article, "Apple TV+ to Apple TV Rebrand Now Official, Here's the New Intro" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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