Apple Liquid Glass design: How a New Visual Language Is Redefining Digital Transparency

Apple has introduced Liquid Glass, a bold new design system redefining how digital surfaces feel and behave. Launched across iOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and tvOS 26, the concept represents more than a visual refresh—it’s a philosophical shift toward tactile minimalism, where light, depth, and motion interact in real time.

Through its Liquid Glass Gallery, Apple invites designers and developers to explore a softer and more immersive interface language. The gallery showcases how transparency can become functional, not decorative—guiding attention to key content while allowing visual calm to flow through every layer of interaction.

Brands such as Crumbl, American Airlines, Lowe’s, and Photoroom have already adapted their apps to embrace this new design paradigm. Typography breathes, buttons melt into context, and edges blur with intention. The result is a digital experience that feels alive—balancing precision and organic flow.

Originally unveiled at WWDC 2025, Liquid Glass reflects Apple’s long-standing vision of merging physical realism with digital refinement. On macOS Tahoe, glowing window edges diffuse ambient light; on iPhone and iPad, navigation bars morph fluidly as users scroll. Even the Apple TV rebrand intro channels this aesthetic through real filmed glass, bridging material and interface design.

At its core, Apple Liquid Glass design is less about decoration and more about emotional interface design—a move toward visual empathy in technology. By softening rigidity and amplifying motion, Apple is once again setting the tone for how modern UI can feel: human, luminous, and alive.

Written by Otávio Santiago, a multidisciplinary designer exploring the intersection of emotion, form, and technology. His practice spans graphic, motion, and 3D design, bridging digital and physical experiences.