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How to set up the Liquid Glass effect on the iOS 26 lock screen clock

shamsigai

October 12, 2026

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What is the Liquid Glass effect on the lock screen?

Liquid Glass is the headline visual change in iOS 26, and also the most debated one. Apple spread a frosted, translucent material across the entire system, from app icons and the Control Center to widgets. One of the most eye-catching places it shows up is the lock screen clock, which can be made almost completely transparent so your wallpaper shines right through the digits.

The effect looks stunning in screenshots, but the transparency control is easy to miss. It is not in the main Settings app. Instead, it lives inside the lock screen editor, next to the clock color picker. Here is how to find it and dial in the exact glassy look you want.

How to adjust the Liquid Glass transparency on the lock screen clock

You do everything right on the lock screen itself. The whole process takes about thirty seconds:

1. Wake your iPhone so the lock screen is visible, then press and hold anywhere on the lock screen to enter editing mode. If nothing happens, unlock the phone with Face ID or your passcode first, then try again.
2. Tap Customize at the bottom of the screen.
3. Tap directly on the clock at the top of the screen.
4. A font and color panel appears. Use the transparency slider at the bottom to make the clock more or less see-through. Drag it toward transparent for the full Liquid Glass look, or back the other way for solid digits.
5. Tap Done to save your changes.

If it still doesn’t work

The transparency slider does not appear for every clock color. Some colors are fixed and stay opaque no matter what you do. If you do not see the slider, pick a different color first, then look for the slider again. Also confirm your iPhone is running iOS 26 or later by checking Settings, then General, then Software Update. The Liquid Glass lock screen options simply do not exist on older versions. If the lock screen editor refuses to open at all, make sure the phone is unlocked before you long-press.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make the lock screen clock fully transparent?

You can push the slider very far toward transparent, which makes the digits look like frosted glass floating over your wallpaper. Fully invisible is not possible, though. Apple keeps a minimum opacity so the time always stays readable at a glance.

Does the Liquid Glass clock use more battery?

There is no noticeable difference. The effect is drawn by the same system compositor that renders the rest of the lock screen, so adjusting the clock transparency has no meaningful impact on battery life.

Conclusion

The Liquid Glass clock is one of those small iOS 26 touches that makes your iPhone feel brand new. Long-press the lock screen, tap Customize, tap the clock, and play with the transparency slider until the digits melt into your wallpaper exactly the way you like. If a color does not offer the slider, just switch colors and try again.

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Sources: MacRumors’ iOS 26 roundup and Apple Support for iPhone