iOS 27 Lets You Tame Liquid Glass Transparency – Here's How

Michael Bennett · 2026-09-15

Liquid Glass first showed up in iOS 26, and ever since, it's been the design choice everyone loves to argue about. Some people adore the fluid, glassy look, while others wish their iPhone felt a bit more... solid. If you're in the second camp, iOS 27 has some good news for you. With iOS 27, you can finally adjust how transparent Liquid Glass is. That means you can go full-on fluid or dial it back for a cleaner, more opaque finish. And the best part? It takes about 30 seconds to do. ### What You'll Need Before we dive in, make sure you've got an iPhone running iOS 27. If you haven't updated yet, don't worry – we'll cover how to do that at the end. ### The Short Version If you're the type who just wants the steps without the fluff, here you go: - Open Settings - Tap Appearance - Open Liquid Glass - Scroll the slider to your liking That's it. But if you want a little more detail, keep reading. ### Step 1: Open Settings First things first – make sure iOS 27 is installed. If you're not sure, head to Settings > General > Software Update. Once you're on iOS 27, open the Settings app. ### Step 2: Tap Appearance Scroll down in Settings until you see Appearance. It's usually nestled between other display-related options. ### Step 3: Open Liquid Glass Tap on Liquid Glass. You'll find it about halfway down the Appearance page. ### Step 4: Adjust the Slider Here's where the magic happens. You'll see a slider that lets you fine-tune the transparency. Slide left for a more transparent look, or slide right for more opacity. As you move it, you'll see a live preview in the widget above, so you can see exactly what you're getting. Once you're happy, just hit the back button or close the app. Your new setting will stick. ### Troubleshooting: How to Download iOS 27 If you're not on iOS 27 yet, here's what you need to know. First, check if your iPhone is compatible. These models support iOS 27: - iPhone 17 series - iPhone Air - iPhone 16 series - iPhone 15 series - iPhone 14 series - iPhone 13 series - iPhone 12 series - iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd gen) - iPhone 11 series If you've got an iPhone 11 or newer, you're good to go. Just open Settings, tap General, and select Software Update. Your phone will let you know if iOS 27 is available. One heads-up: your phone won't be usable while it's installing, and the whole process can take up to an hour. So maybe don't start it right before you need to make an important call. ### Why This Matters Design is personal. What looks sleek to one person might feel distracting to another. By giving you control over Liquid Glass transparency, Apple is acknowledging that one size doesn't fit all. Whether you want that futuristic, see-through vibe or something more grounded, you now have the power to choose. So go ahead – play with the slider. See what feels right for you. After all, it's your iPhone.