iOS 26, released in August 2025, introduces a system-wide redesign called Liquid Glass and adds a setting that lets users display app icons in a transparent style on the iPhone home screen. The update also includes all-new icons for Apple’s built‑in applications. Previously, iPhone icons displayed solid colors; the new feature allows the background wallpaper to show through the icons.

To enable the transparent appearance, users touch and hold an empty area on the home screen until the icons begin to jiggle, then tap Edit in the top‑left corner. Selecting Customize, the second option in the menu, reveals a Clear icon type at the bottom of the screen. Tapping Clear applies the transparent style; Light is selected by default, with Dark and Auto options available for switching based on system theme. After making the selection, tapping anywhere on the home screen saves the change. To revert, repeat the steps and choose Default instead of Clear. iOS 26 also provides choices to always use dark icons, to switch automatically between default and dark icons according to the device’s light or dark mode, and a Tinted mode that combines transparent styling with a new light variant and a redesigned dark variant.

The same icon customization options are available in iPadOS 26, where the steps are identical, and in macOS Tahoe 26, which adds dark, clear, and tinted icon styles under Settings > Appearance > Icon & widget style for the first time. Clear mode also affects home screen widgets, applying the same visual effect.

Apple has not announced plans to extend clear icon mode to the Apple Watch or Apple TV.