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iOS 26 Clear App Icons: How to Customize Your iPhone Home Screen

Upgrading to iOS 26 opens the door to one of Apple’s most visually stunning features yet—clear app icons. If you're wondering how to make your iPhone look more transparent and modern, this new customization option is just what you're looking for. With the introduction of Apple’s Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, users now get the choice to apply a “Clear” visual style to both app icons and widgets, giving the Home Screen a sleek, glass-like appearance. Whether you're aiming for minimalism, better wallpaper visibility, or just curious about the new aesthetic, learning how to enable clear app icons on iOS 26 is quick, simple, and instantly transforms your iPhone experience.

Image : Google

What Are Clear App Icons in iOS 26?

Clear app icons in iOS 26 are part of Apple’s all-new Liquid Glass design overhaul that affects various elements of the iOS interface. This visual upgrade introduces translucent design effects to parts of the system like the dock, folders, widgets, and now—your app icons. Clear icons remove traditional color from your apps and give them a semi-transparent, glassy appearance that blends with your wallpaper, creating a seamless visual flow across your Home Screen.

There are three customization modes within the clear icon style—Light, Dark, and Auto. In Light mode, the icons and widgets maintain a soft transparency that slightly darkens the background beneath them, creating a subtle layered effect. Dark mode retains transparency but deepens contrast for better visibility, while Auto mode switches styles based on your iPhone’s appearance setting. This makes the Clear icon style not only visually striking but also adaptable to different lighting environments.

The Clear style builds upon Apple’s past innovations. iOS 18 introduced Dark Mode and Tinted icons. With iOS 26, Apple has now elevated the personalization experience by offering more control over the visual language of your Home Screen. The result is a cleaner, more modern interface that highlights content while letting your background artwork shine.

How to Enable Clear App Icons on Your iPhone

Turning on clear app icons in iOS 26 only takes a few taps. Whether you're running the public beta or waiting for the final release, the process will remain the same. Here’s how to apply the Clear style on your Home Screen:

1. Tap and Hold: On your Home Screen, long press any empty space until the icons start to jiggle.

2. Access Customization: Tap the “Edit” button in the top-left corner of your screen. Then choose “Customize” from the pop-up menu.

3. Select Clear Style: At the bottom of the screen, a new customization panel appears. Tap “Clear” to apply the transparent style.

4. Choose Display Mode: You’ll be prompted to pick between Light, Dark, or Auto modes. Each one adapts icon and widget transparency to your current appearance setting.

5. Adjust Visibility: If the icons are hard to read or disappear against your wallpaper, tap the sun icon in the top-left of the panel to dim the background for better visibility.

Once applied, your app icons and widgets will adopt a striking, modern appearance. You can switch styles anytime using the same method. This level of flexibility is part of Apple’s broader push to enhance user control over visual customization in iOS 26.

Why You’ll Love the New Clear Icon Look

Customizing your Home Screen with clear app icons isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s also about function. A clutter-free, visually calming interface can reduce cognitive overload and make using your device more pleasant. Here’s why the Clear style might become your favorite new setting:

• Enhanced Wallpaper Visibility: Say goodbye to cluttered icon grids that cover your favorite wallpapers. The Clear style makes your background art part of the user experience.

• Minimalist Design: The glass-like effect strips away distractions while maintaining the functionality of icons and widgets.

• Dynamic Adaptability: Auto mode seamlessly matches the visual style to your current display settings, making transitions between light and dark modes feel smoother.

• Accessible Customization: Unlike third-party themes that require complicated workarounds, Clear icons are built into iOS 26, making them secure, stable, and easily reversible.

Apple’s move toward more visual personalization echoes growing demand for tech that adapts to individual style preferences. Whether you're a productivity-focused user or someone who loves visual harmony, the Clear style adds polish to your Home Screen experience.

What Else is New with Liquid Glass in iOS 26?

Beyond the transparent app icons, iOS 26’s Liquid Glass theme revamps other key UI elements. The search bar, dock, and even app folders now feature translucent layers, giving your entire interface a depth that feels immersive yet intuitive. The layered design is also present in stock apps, adding consistency across the system.

These changes reflect Apple’s broader design philosophy of merging digital functionality with organic visual cues. Liquid Glass brings a touch of realism to iOS—icons look like floating panels, UI components feel more responsive to context, and the entire operating system feels lighter and more fluid.

Combined with the new Clear style for icons and widgets, your iPhone can now feel uniquely yours—without the need for jailbreaks, third-party launchers, or complicated setup processes.