At the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025, Apple introduced a bold new design system called Liquid Glass, representing the company’s most significant visual redesign in over a decade. The new interface will be rolled out across all major Apple platforms, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, unifying the user experience across devices.
Liquid Glass reimagines the Apple interface with a sleek, translucent, and dynamic look. Inspired by the design aesthetics of Apple’s Vision Pro headset, it integrates glowing edges, semi-transparent elements, and floating layers, giving the impression that UI components hover over the screen. The redesign is intended to create a more immersive, fluid interaction for users.
Key Features of Liquid Glass
Unified Visual Language Across Devices:
For the first time, Apple has introduced a single, cohesive design system for all its hardware platforms. This creates a consistent user experience whether one is using an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, or Apple TV.
Translucent Interface Elements:
Buttons, toolbars, and background panels now incorporate a glass-like transparency that subtly reflects the content behind them, adding depth and spatial context to the interface.
Smarter Navigation Tools:
Navigation bars now automatically shrink when users scroll down and reappear when scrolling up, providing more screen space for content without sacrificing ease of access.
Rounded, Device-Matched Elements:
In line with the hardware’s physical design, software elements have been reshaped to reflect the rounded corners and smooth curves of Apple devices.
Floating Visual Layers:
Menus, alerts, and controls now appear to float above the app interface, supported by layered depth effects and smooth animations that respond to user movement.
Updated Icons and Widgets:
Icons and widgets have been redesigned with added depth, subtle lighting effects, and a richer color palette. The result is a more vibrant and engaging interface that adapts to system themes and wallpapers.
How Apple’s Approach Differs
While Apple’s Liquid Glass design is not the first to explore translucent UI elements — with Microsoft’s Fluent Design and Google’s Material You having similar features — Apple’s implementation is notably more refined. The new design is deeply integrated into the operating system architecture and optimized for real-time responsiveness across devices.
Apple’s approach also emphasizes dynamic responsiveness, with UI components that shift and animate based on context, motion, and user interaction. This ensures a seamless experience that aligns with Apple’s hardware performance and design ethos.
Developer Tools and API Support
To enable developers to adopt Liquid Glass across their applications, Apple has introduced a suite of updated APIs. These allow developers to incorporate features such as live reflections, layered motion effects, and adaptive visual behavior directly into third-party apps.
Looking Ahead
Apple’s Liquid Glass design represents more than just a cosmetic update — it signals a shift toward a more immersive, adaptive, and unified digital environment. With all major Apple platforms adopting the design this year, users can expect a consistent and visually rich experience across their ecosystem.
The rollout of Liquid Glass is expected to begin with the upcoming software updates scheduled for release later in 2025.