• iOS 26's second developer beta is now available
• Control Center gets improved readability with reduced transparency
• New features include order tracking, Recovery Assistant, and accessibility upgrades

Apple has released the second developer beta of iOS 26, bringing a subtle but impactful update to the Control Center along with several new features and refinements.

One of the major visual themes in iOS 26 is the 'Liquid Glass' design language, which emphasizes transparency and blur effects across the interface. However, in the first beta, the Control Center's excessive transparency made it difficult to distinguish controls against busy wallpapers or app backgrounds.

Apple has already addressed this in the second beta by increasing the opacity of both the Control Center background and its icons. As shown in the comparison image below (courtesy of MacRumors), the version on the left displays the original, overly transparent design, while the right side shows the updated, more legible layout.

This adjustment should significantly improve usability, especially in bright environments or with vibrant wallpapers.

Beyond the visual tweaks, the beta introduces a new ‘Reduce Transparency’ toggle in the Accessibility settings, giving users even more control over the appearance of interface elements. Additionally, App Store listings now feature a dedicated Accessibility section, allowing users to quickly see which assistive features an app supports.

Order tracking and device recovery enhancements

The Wallet app now supports Siri-powered order tracking, even for purchases made outside of Apple Pay—making it easier to monitor deliveries from various retailers.

Other additions include a new default ringtone (which has sparked mixed reactions), a Live Radio widget for Apple Music, and a relocated new tab button in Safari’s tab group interface for better ergonomics.

A notable under-the-hood addition is the Recovery Assistant, described in Apple’s beta notes as “a new way to recover your device if it doesn’t start up normally. It can look for problems and attempt to resolve them if found.” This could streamline troubleshooting for users experiencing startup issues.

Additional minor updates include a revised description for Low Power Mode, and more changes are expected to be discovered as developers continue exploring the beta.

Want to try it yourself? If you're using a compatible iPhone and are enrolled in the Apple Developer Program, you can install the beta by following our step-by-step guide on how to download the iOS 26 developer beta.

That said, we recommend avoiding beta software on your main device unless absolutely necessary—beta builds can be unstable, with potential bugs and performance issues. The public release of iOS 26 is expected in September.

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