- How to give your iPhone a whole new vibe with the Liquid Glass look and Skeuomorphic icons in iOS 26.
- How to try the "Clear" layout and one-tap buttons for a home screen that's less cluttered and faster to use.
- How to tweak your Lock Screen using new camera swipes and a flash for alerts.
Does your iPhone home screen feel a bit stale? Good news. With iOS 26, Apple has packed in a bunch of new ways to make your phone look different. You get powerful tools built right in, so you don't have to mess with complicated shortcuts.
What You'll Need
- An iPhone that's been updated to iOS 26.
- About 5 to 10 minutes of your time.
Compatible Devices: Everything in this guide needs iOS 26. The steps work the same on any iPhone model that can run this update.
How to Customize Your Home Screen Layout and Icons
Editing your home screen feels different in iOS 26. Apple moved away from the classic "jiggle mode" for a lot of tasks, which is a nice change.
Method 1: Accessing the New Edit Menu
-
Enter Edit Mode
Go to any Home Screen page. Tap and hold on an empty spot on your wallpaper until you feel a haptic tap. -
Open the Customize Menu
Tap the Edit button that shows up at the bottom of your screen. This opens the new customization menu. -
Choose Your Customization
From that menu, tap Customize. You'll now see your Home Screen icons with a bunch of new editing options around them.
And that's it. You're now in the main Home Screen customization view. Your app icons are there and ready for you to change things up.
Method 2: Using the New "Clear" Layout Option
If you're into a minimalist style, you'll want to check out the "Clear" layout in iOS 26.
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Follow Steps 1-3 from Method 1
Get to the Home Screen customization view by tapping and holding, then hitting Edit > Customize. -
Find the Clear Option
Look for the new Clear option in the customization view. Tap it to apply a minimalist layout to your current Home Screen page. It really cuts down on the visual noise.
✅ Pro Tip: Try using the "Clear" option to make a page just for your favorite widgets. You can keep your other pages for the normal app grid.
Enabling Skeuomorphic Icons (Liquid Glass Design)
Remember those detailed, realistic icons from way back? iOS 26 brings them back with a modern twist called "Liquid Glass."
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Open Settings
Tap the Settings app on your Home Screen. -
Navigate to Display Settings
Scroll down and tap Display & Brightness. -
Access Home Screen Settings
Look for and tap on Home Screen (you might find it under a section like "Appearance"). -
Choose Liquid Glass
Find the option for icon style or design. Select Liquid Glass to turn on the new Skeuomorphic icons. Your Home Screen will update right away.
Once it's enabled, you'll see your app icons change. They get a cool glass-like texture and more detailed, realistic shading. This change works across your whole phone.
How to Customize Your Lock Screen in iOS 26
The Lock Screen gets some major upgrades in iOS 26. You've got new ways to change how it looks and how you interact with it.
Method 1: Set a Wallpaper Directly from Settings
-
Go to Wallpaper Settings
Open Settings > Wallpaper. -
Add a New Wallpaper
Tap Add New Wallpaper. You can pick from Apple's collections, your own Photos, or other sources. -
Customize and Set
Adjust your wallpaper how you like, then tap Add. You can choose to set it for your Lock Screen, Home Screen, or both.
Method 2: Customize Directly from the Lock Screen
-
Wake Your iPhone
Wake your phone to see the Lock Screen. -
Enter Customization Mode
Tap and hold on the Lock Screen. This takes you into the Lock Screen gallery view. -
Create a New One
Tap the blue + button in the bottom-right corner to make a brand new custom Lock Screen.
⚡ Quick Trick: When you're customizing your Lock Screen, look for the new one-tap actions. They replace the old sliders for things like the flashlight and camera. It's faster and more precise, which is a nice touch.
Using the New Camera Swipe Gesture
Getting to the camera from the Lock Screen works differently now in iOS 26.
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Wake to the Lock Screen
With your finger, swipe from the right edge of the Lock Screen toward the center. This new gesture opens the camera.
⚠️ Important: The old swipe-left gesture probably won't work for the camera anymore. You'll want to practice this new right-edge swipe to get the hang of it.
Enabling the New Screen Flash for Notifications
If you want your alerts to be impossible to miss, iOS 26 has a screen flash option.
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Open Accessibility Settings
Go to Settings > Accessibility. -
Navigate to Audio/Visual
Tap Audio/Visual. -
Enable LED Flash for Alerts
Find and tap LED Flash for Alerts. Toggle the switch to ON (green). You can also turn on Flash on Silent if you want it to work when your ringer is off.
When this is on, your iPhone's camera flash will blink every time you get a notification. You definitely won't miss it.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Issue 1: Edit or Customize Button Not Appearing
Problem: You tap and hold the Home Screen, but the new "Edit" button doesn't show up.
Solution:
- Make sure you're tapping and holding on a blank spot between app icons or widgets, not right on top of an app.
- Your phone has to be running iOS 26. Check by going to Settings > General > About > Software Version.
- Try restarting your iPhone, then give it another go.
Issue 2: Liquid Glass or Clear Option Not Found
Problem: You can't find the Liquid Glass icon design or the Clear layout option anywhere.
Solution:
- These are iOS 26-only features. Double-check that your software update finished installing.
- For Liquid Glass, the path is Settings > Display & Brightness > Home Screen. If you don't see it there, the feature might not be available on your specific iPhone model.
- The "Clear" option only appears when you're in the Home Screen customization view (Tap-hold > Edit > Customize).
Issue 3: New Lock Screen Camera Gesture Not Working
Problem: Swiping from the right edge doesn't open the camera.
Solution:
- Check that your screen is awake and showing the Lock Screen.
- Start your swipe from the very edge of the screen.
- See if "Press to Unlock" or other touch settings are getting in the way. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch and look over your settings there.
Bonus Tips and Hidden Features
- Redesigned Alarm Interface: The alarm screen on the Lock Screen looks different in iOS 26. When an alarm goes off, look for the new Snooze and Stop buttons. Get familiar with where they are now so you don't accidentally turn off your morning alarm.
- One-Tap Actions: Look for other spots in iOS 26 where sliders got swapped for one-tap buttons. The volume and brightness quick controls are good examples. It makes adjustments much faster.
- Widget Management: In the new Home Screen edit mode (Tap-hold > Edit > Customize), you can tap on widgets directly to resize or remove them. You don't have to make everything jiggle first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will customizing my Home Screen slow down my iPhone?
Nope. Using the built-in stuff in iOS 26, like Liquid Glass icons or the Clear layout, won't hurt your iPhone's performance or battery life in any way you'd notice.
Can I revert to the old icon style?
You sure can. Liquid Glass is just an option. You can switch back to the standard icons anytime by going to Settings > Display & Brightness > Home Screen and picking the default style.
Is the "Clear" layout the same as hiding all apps?
Not at all. The "Clear" layout just rearranges your Home Screen page to look cleaner. It doesn't hide or delete your apps. They're all still there, just often in a more spaced-out arrangement that works better with widgets.
Does the screen flash for notifications work with all apps?
It works for any notification that would normally make a sound or show a banner on your Lock Screen, as long as you have "LED Flash for Alerts" turned on. It's a system feature, so it doesn't depend on the app.
What if I don't like the new camera swipe gesture?
In iOS 26, the right-swipe is the main way to open the camera from the Lock Screen. There isn't a setting to switch back to the old left-swipe. It might feel weird at first, but you'll get used to it pretty quick.
Are these features available on older iPhones?
They're available on any iPhone that can update to iOS 26. Apple hasn't given the final list of compatible devices yet, but it usually leaves out models that are more than 4 or 5 years old.
Final Thoughts
iOS 26 is a big step forward for making your iPhone truly yours. You get deep customization for your home and Lock Screens, and it's all built right in. Between the slick look of Liquid Glass icons and the handy speed of one-tap actions, you've got a lot of control. The new Clear layout helps cut the clutter, too. Give these settings a few minutes of your time. You might just find a whole new way to enjoy your phone.
Sources
- https://www.reddit.com/r/Engadget/comments/1r4l2hh/how_to_customize_your_iphone_home_screen_with_ios/
- https://9to5mac.com/2026/02/13/ios-26-recently-added-five-new-ways-to-customize-your-iphone/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDU_G26rDzk
- https://x.com/engadget/status/2022658609889386792
- https://www.stuff.tv/features/best-ios-26-tips-and-tricks-ive-found-so-far/
- https://mashable.com/article/ios-26-how-to-make-custom-lock-screen