iOS 26.1 beta 4 is a focused update. You get two meaningful controls that change how your iPhone looks and behaves. The build appeared on October 20 with version 23B5073a, and the public beta followed the same day.
Liquid Glass: Clear vs Tinted
Apple added a Liquid Glass preference that lets you choose between Clear and Tinted. You find it in Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass. The Tinted option increases opacity behind elements like notifications and tab bars, which improves legibility while preserving the new design language. You keep the rest of the Liquid Glass look intact.
If you liked the bright, airy feel of Clear, leave it as is. If you want cleaner text edges and fewer distractions, switch to Tinted. The setting also appears across Apple’s current betas on other platforms, but on iPhone the change is most noticeable in busy screens.
Lock screen: Disable swipe to Camera
You can now turn off the swipe-to-open Camera gesture on the lock screen. Go to Settings > Camera > Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera and toggle it off. This prevents accidental launches in your pocket and reduces unwanted heat or battery drain when the Camera opens by mistake. You still have other fast ways to open Camera, including the Camera Control button on newer models.
This control adds flexibility without removing the default shortcut. If you rely on the swipe, leave it on. If you often trigger it while handling your phone, switch it off and use the button or the app icon instead.
New Phone haptics toggle for call
A fresh option lets you disable the short haptic that fires when a call connects or ends. This cuts noise in quiet environments and keeps your phone from buzzing during frequent call hops. Look for the setting in the Phone section of Settings.
Apple Intelligence icon no longer shows the beta label
In this build, the Apple Intelligence icon appears without the beta tag. Apple has not said the feature set is final, so treat this as visual housekeeping until the release notes clarify status.
Vision Pro developer strap reference surfaces
Strings in this beta point to a new Developer Strap for the M5 Vision Pro cycle, aligning with Apple’s ongoing hardware update. Apple recently detailed the M5 Vision Pro and new Dual Knit Band publicly, which frames the strap reference in context.
Control Center shadow “burn-in” reports
Some testers note a faint residual shadow after opening Control Center, which looks like temporary image retention rather than display damage.
Notification summaries look cleaner
Notification summaries flagged as powered by Apple Intelligence appear clearer in presentation than earlier betas. This continues Apple’s refinement of summary styling after prior adjustments.
Accented character placement corrections
Keyboard accents return to their expected positions in this build for several languages, addressing placement changes that frustrated multilingual typists in earlier versions. Check long-press accent menus in your primary keyboard to verify.
Widget highlight brightness in Dark Mode
Highlight glows on widgets still look brighter than surrounding app icons in Dark Mode. If you prefer a more even look, the new Liquid Glass Tinted option slightly reduces the contrast gap in many places.
App icon outline feels more uniform
Icon outlines look more consistent when using clear icons and while entering edit mode. Small visual inconsistencies noted in 26.0 appear reduced in this build.
Availability and build details
Apple lists iOS 26.1 beta 4 for developers with build 23B5073a, and the public beta is live. Install it from Software Update if you are enrolled, or wait for the stable 26.1 release if you prefer not to test pre-release software.
