Apple has released iOS 26 Beta 3 for iPhones, bringing subtle but important visual refinements. The update follows earlier betas introduced in June, with changes aimed at improving readability and user experience, especially after mixed feedback about the Liquid Glass UI launched at WWDC 2025.
One of the biggest design changes in iOS 26 Beta 3 involves Apple’s Liquid Glass interface, which introduced translucent, glass-like iconography reflecting surrounding content. While visually striking, the feature drew criticism from users who found it hard to read text against light wallpapers.
Responding to this, Apple has darkened the Liquid Glass effect slightly in Beta 3. This helps improve text legibilityparticularly in media-heavy apps like Apple Music and Podcasts.
Apple has expanded customization options for the stock iPhone wallpaperallowing users to choose from four new colour palettes: Shadow, Sky, Halo, and Dusk. These options look especially distinct when Dark Mode is enabled, offering a more immersive visual experience on the home and lock screens.
Another change in iOS 26 Beta 3 is the centering of dock iconseven when fewer than four apps are present. In earlier versions, icons would align left if there were less than four. Apple has also introduced minor icon adjustments for the Files and Photos apps, refining visual consistency.
The iOS 26 Beta 3 is currently available over-the-air (OTA) for registered Apple developers and public beta testers using iPhone 11 and later. However, the headline Apple Intelligence features remain exclusive to the iPhone 16 seriesand iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models.
Apple is expected to launch the final, stable release of iOS 26 to the general public in Septembercoinciding with the launch of the iPhone 17 lineup.
