iOS 26.1 Released: Slide-to-Stop Alarm and Liquid Glass Opacity Control

Apple has released iOS 26.1 to compatible iPhones, delivering a mix of modest and useful tweaks. The update brings adjustments to the Liquid Glass interface and introduces a small but practical change to the Clock app that has quickly drawn user approval.

The update adds a new "Slide to stop" gesture to alarms to reduce accidental silencing. Until now, users sometimes tapped the wrong button when an alarm sounded and stopped it instead of hitting snooze. The slide gesture makes turning alarms off more deliberate, addressing common oversleeping incidents.

It is not as intrusive as some third-party alarm solutions that require puzzles or physical movement to disable alarms, but the new gesture aims to strike a balance between ease of use and preventing mistakes.

Liquid Glass Opacity Adjustment

iOS 26.1 also adds a control for Liquid Glass, the glossy visual effect introduced in iOS 26. Users who found the effect attractive but sometimes hard to read can now reduce its opacity for improved legibility and comfort.

iOS 26.1: Compatibility and Update Steps

The update is available for iPhone 11 and newer devices. Apple Intelligence features, which add AI-powered capabilities, remain restricted to iPhone 15 Pro and later models.

To install, open Settings → General → Software Update and follow the prompts. Apple recommends ensuring the device has at least 30% battery and adequate free storage before starting the update.

A Note of Caution

Apple warns that users may observe temporary changes to performance or battery life as the system completes background tasks after the update. Some features may appear gradually, depending on location.

Overall, iOS 26.1 focuses on practical refinements rather than major new features — small adjustments intended to improve daily use, from smarter alarm handling to a less intrusive interface.