Hidden iPhone tips
Hi, I’m Kaycee. Welcome to Hidden iPhone Tips, a weekly column where I dig up the best iOS features that Apple isn’t telling you about.
Liquid Glass is one of the most visible design changes in iOS 26. Some people like it. Some find it heavy, distracting, or overwhelming during daily use. iOS 26.4 adds two settings that give you control over how powerful Liquid Glass is.
These aren’t complete design upgrades, but they do allow you to dial in the brightest features of Liquid Glass without changing the overall look of the system. Here’s how to enable them.
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1. Reduce Bright Effects
This new design focuses on the beautiful glow that occurs when you interact with buttons, connectors and other taped parts. With specially tempered Liquid Glass, these features produce crystal clear details when pressed. Reduce Bright Effects reduces this brightness significantly.
Open Settings, Input, Display & Text Size and turn on Reduce Brightness Effects.
This setting is especially useful in low-light areas where glare occurs. Using your iPhone at night with Low Brightness enabled makes the screen feel harsher on your eyes.
Reduce Bright Effects does not eliminate all Liquid Glass effects. Animations, transitions, and flash effects are still there. It’s focused on light, not movement. To reduce vibration, you need a second level.
2. Slow Motion Enhancement
Reduce Motion was available before iOS 26.4, but Apple has improved it to better handle Liquid Glass animations. In the past, turning on Reduce Motion reduced some animations but did not properly handle fluid transitions and special motion effects in Liquid Glass. The version updated to iOS 26.4 is more functional.
Open Settings, Accessibility, Motion and turn on Reduce Motion.
This is especially helpful for users who are sensitive to screen motion. The constant animations in Liquid Glass may be confusing or distracting to some people. Reduce the volume of Motion significantly while keeping the interface functional and responsive.
You can enable both Brightness Reduction and Motion Reduction at the same time for a significant reduction in Liquid Glass power. Together, they deal with the light and movement of the design elements, creating a very calm structure.
Why these settings are important
These two settings don’t completely remove Liquid Glass, but they do address its most powerful features. Flashing and constant liquid movement are the things that people complain about the most. Reduce Glare Effects and improve Motion Reduce Motion specifically targets these.
For visually sensitive users, these settings make iOS 26 more usable. Exposure to light can cause discomfort or headaches. Regular movement can cause similar problems. Having controls for these features is more important than an aesthetic choice – it’s a matter of availability and comfort during daily use.
Even for unsympathetic users, these settings improve focus. A light, lifeless link can feel like it doesn’t need a lot of attention. Your iPhone still works the same way, but it doesn’t constantly demand visual attention with every tap and swipe.
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