Apple released iOS 26.1 more than a month and a half after iOS 26. This update isn't just a bug fix; it adds several new features and improvements, along with an extra layer of security, making it a significant update that shouldn't be overlooked. Here are the most important features of iOS 26.1. In this article, we'll review each of the new features in detail.
Greater control over liquid glass design
In iOS 26.1, Apple gives you more control over customizing the Liquid Glass feature, allowing you to adjust the transparency to your liking. You can even make it slightly opaque for better readability. To enable this:
Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass.
Here, you can choose between two main options: Clear or Tinted.
According to Apple, “Clear is more transparent, revealing the content underneath, while tinted increases density and adds greater contrast.”
This change affects elements such as the notification center and some search bars in apps, but it does not directly change the home screen.
To customize the liquid glass on your home screen, long-press on the screen, then tap Edit in the top corner and select Personalize. Now you can make app icons more transparent or tinted, and then choose Light, Dark, or Automatic from the bottom of the menu. You can also go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and enable the Reduce Transparency option to further adjust the overall design.
If you want a less distracting screen, choose a tinted option for better focus. Or, if you enjoy night browsing, the automatic option adapts to the ambient light.
Automatic security updates
The iOS 26.1 update includes a simple yet powerful security feature called “Background Security Enhancements.” This feature allows your iPhone to automatically download and install security updates between major releases, keeping you protected without the need to check for updates daily. To set this feature up:
Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Background security enhancements.
Apple says: “These improvements provide additional protection for your iPhone between software updates. In rare cases of compatibility issues, they may be temporarily removed and then enhanced in a later update.”
This is reminiscent of Apple’s Rapid Security Response (RSR) feature, introduced in 2023, which was intended to deploy fixes quickly, but has not been used much since iOS 16.5.1.
If you use your phone for work or store sensitive data, this feature is essential.
Prevent the camera from opening accidentally
This happens quite often: you swipe your hand across the lock screen to open the camera because you want to quickly capture something. However, the camera might open unintentionally when you're not shooting, which drains the battery and could even start recording without your knowledge.
Sometimes I take my phone out of my pocket and find the camera and flashlight on randomly. Apple has worked on a fix for this problem.
The iOS 26.1 update resolves this issue with a simple switch: the option to swipe the lock screen to open the camera. To configure it:
Go to Settings > Camera and scroll down. You will find the Lock Screen Swipe option to open the camera. Activate it or turn it off as you prefer.
By disabling this, you prevent accidental opening, especially if you are carrying your phone in your pocket or bag.
Controlling vibrations during phone calls
Apple added a new feature in iOS 26 that allows users to disable vibrations that occur when phone calls begin or end. This feature aims to reduce confusion caused by vibrations that might be mistaken for new notifications or messages. To enable or disable this option:
Go to Settings > Apps > Phone, and from there you can control the "Vibration" button. This addition provides the user with a quieter and clearer experience while using the phone.
Local call recording options
The Local Capture feature is a great and easy way to record high-quality video and audio during iPhone video calls. It does this by placing a screen recording seed in the Control Panel. With the iOS 26.1 update, a new settings menu was added specifically for this feature. To access it,
Go to Settings > General > Local Capture.
This menu allows you to choose where to save recordings, as well as a setting that allows you to record only audio while using this feature.
Apple explains on the feature's settings page:
“Add the local capture feature to Control Center to record your audio and video during a call, so you can save and edit them later.”
New options in user-friendly interfaces
The iOS 26.1 update introduces a new option that allows users to prioritize one-touch actions over swiping on the iPhone screen. This feature can be helpful for users with disabilities, making navigation easier, especially for those with mobility issues. To access this setting:
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch, then scroll to the bottom of the page, then choose One Touch over Swiping.
Alarm update
One of the more subtle upgrades in iOS 26 is the ability to change the snooze duration of the alarm. In iOS 26.1, Apple added another improvement that makes it more difficult to accidentally turn off the alarm.
After the update, you can no longer stop the alarm with the press of a button; instead, you must swipe to stop it.
This may seem annoying to those who want to turn off the alarm quickly, but on the other hand, it helps you to make sure that you are actually awake before you turn it off.
Additional language support for instant translation and Apple's intelligent translation capabilities
The iOS 26.1 update adds more languages to the new "Instant Translation" feature, now supporting Chinese (Mandarin, Simplified, and Traditional), Italian, Japanese, and Korean. Apple's intelligent translation capabilities also extend to Traditional Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, and Vietnamese.
This expands global reach, especially for users in the Middle East.
New scroll bar in images
The iOS 26.1 update brings a subtle change to the video scrolling bar within the Photos app. If you open a video in Photos, you'll notice that the bar at the bottom of the screen is now more streamlined and elegant compared to the previous one, which had the play/pause and volume buttons on top of it.
It's another subtle adjustment that you might not notice at first glance, but it adds a touch of harmony to the viewing experience.
This is not all; there may be hidden features that the user will discover through using his phone and exploring its features.
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