4 New Ways to Customize Your iPhone in iOS 26.1
▼ Summary
– iOS 26.1 introduces a new Liquid Glass toggle in Display & Brightness settings, offering Clear or Tinted options to adjust opacity and contrast.
– Users can now disable the Lock Screen swipe to open Camera via a new toggle in Settings to prevent accidental activation.
– The update replaces the large Stop button for alarms and timers with a Slide to stop gesture to reduce accidental dismissals.
– A new Accessibility setting called ‘Prefer Single-Touch Actions’ allows users to revert sliding gestures to single-tap buttons for alarms and timers.
– Local Capture settings in iOS 26.1 add options to change the save location and enable Audio Only mode for on-device recordings.
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update delivers several significant customization options that give iPhone users greater control over their device’s appearance and functionality. These four new settings address common user requests while maintaining Apple’s signature intuitive design approach.
Liquid Glass design receives its first major adjustment since its initial introduction. While the transparent aesthetic appealed to many, others found it challenging for readability. The new Display & Brightness menu now contains a Liquid Glass section with Clear and Tinted options. The Tinted setting increases opacity and enhances contrast throughout the system, offering a practical alternative for those who prefer more defined visual elements.
Apple has finally addressed the long-standing camera activation method that many users accidentally trigger. The Lock Screen swipe gesture for launching the Camera app, which remained active despite numerous newer alternatives, now has a dedicated toggle. Within Settings ⇾ Camera, the ‘Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera‘ option appears enabled by default but can be disabled for those who prefer using the dedicated camera button, Action button, or Camera Control features instead.
The alarm and timer interface undergoes another refinement in response to user feedback about accidental dismissals. iOS 26.1 replaces the oversized Stop button with a ‘Slide to stop’ gesture that requires more intentional interaction. For users who prefer the previous method, Accessibility settings provide an alternative. The ‘Prefer Single-Touch Actions‘ option within Settings ⇾ Accessibility ⇾ Touch converts sliding gestures back to traditional tap buttons for alarms and timers.
Local Capture functionality expands with new customization options for recording management. The feature, which enables direct podcast creation and media recording on iPhone and iPad, now offers two important settings. Users can modify where files get stored through the Save Location option and choose audio-only recording with the Audio Only toggle. Both settings are accessible through Settings ⇾ General ⇾ Local Capture, providing greater flexibility for content creators.
These thoughtful additions demonstrate Apple’s continued commitment to refining the user experience based on real-world usage patterns and feedback.
(Source: 9to5 Mac)
