Apple has released iOS 26.1 RC, which is in the last testing phase. Just ahead of its official public rollout of the operating system. The update will further bring in more personalization, device intelligence and user-controlled features. Everything from visual updates to privacy and performance optimizations is included.
Liquid Glass Toggle and Lock Screen controls
One of the major highlights of iOS 26.1 has got to be the Liquid Glass interface that first appeared in the beta 4 build. Found under Settings > Display & Brightness, this feature allows users to adjust system transparency between Clear and Tinted modes, providing a unique visual experience.
Not to be left out, iPhone users can finally disable the lock screen camera swipe under Settings > Camera to prevent accidental camera launches – a feature long asked for.
New audio and gesture enhancements
A new Local Capture section in Settings will enable the user to manage microphone gain and choose where locally recorded audio is stored.
Swiping left or right on the MiniPlayer is how you'll change tracks in Apple Music. In other areas, like alarms and timers, users will be sliding to stop rather than tapping them. This makes interactions smoother.
Apple Intelligence to understand more languages
iOS 26.1 will deliver Apple Intelligence and Live Translation support in more languages, including Mandarin Chinese, Italian, Japanese, and Korean. Further, eight additional languages are being added for users around the world, such as Dutch, Portuguese, and Turkish.
Apple to open ecosystem with new Developer Kits
Apple is testing new developer tools to improve cross-platform compatibility: AppMigrationKit helps users migrate app data from an iPhone to an Android. PhotoKit allows third-party photo apps to perform a background backup of photos. These frameworks signal Apple's growing openness toward a more flexible ecosystem.
Eligible iPhones for iOS 26.1
The update will be available for the iPhone 11 series and newer, including the iPhone SE (2nd Gen and above).
