iOS 26.1 Release Candidate: The Final Polish Before Public Launch
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Apple has just dropped the Release Candidate (RC) for iOS 26.1 to developers and soon to public beta testers. This RC build marks the final major step before the official public release, indicating the software is essentially complete. Alongside it, RCs were also released for iPadOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS, audioOS 26.1, and VisionOS 26.1.
This update brings some significant refinements and highly requested user controls, especially for the new Liquid Glass design. Let's dive into the details of what's new and improved in this RC.
Build Details and Performance
The iOS 26.1 RC update arrived as a substantial download, clocking in at around 8.5 GB on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, coming from the previous Beta 4 build.
New Build Number: The build number is 23B82, which is highly likely to be the same build used for the final public release.
Modem Firmware: The modem firmware for the iPhone 17 series is noted as 1.10.05.
Performance: Early Geekbench 6 tests show a slight increase in both single-core (3843) and multi-core (9867) scores compared to Beta 4. This small bump in performance is typical for an RC build as background logging is reduced.
Battery Life: Battery life performance, which was reported to be excellent in Beta 4 (the best yet for iOS 26), is expected to remain consistent in the RC.
Key New Features and User Controls
While the RC release surprisingly lacks the usual, detailed official change log directly in the Settings app, digging into the changes reveals several major updates:
1. Liquid Glass Customization
Responding to user feedback on the new design language, Apple has added a dedicated toggle for the Liquid Glass interface.
Location: Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass.
Options: You can now switch between the default, highly transparent "Clear" look, and a more opaque, "Tinted" (frosted glass) version. This tinted look is very noticeable in elements like notifications, the music player, and tab bars, providing a cleaner aesthetic for those who found the original too busy or hard to read.
2. Camera Lock Screen Swipe Toggle
For the first time in a long time, users can disable the quick-access camera gesture.
New Setting: Settings > Camera > Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera.
Functionality: This toggle lets you completely disable the ability to swipe left on the Lock Screen to open the Camera app, preventing accidental launches. The default setting is On.
3. 'Slide to Stop' for Timers
A delightful change to a core function, timers now use an old-school gesture reminiscent of the classic "slide to unlock."
Interaction: When a timer goes off, the notification now features a "slide to stop" control instead of a simple tap button, which should reduce accidental dismissals. The RC build appears to have refined this interaction further, making it smoother and more responsive.
4. Music App Gesture Controls
The now-playing bar in the Music app gets a functional upgrade with new swipe gestures.
Gesture: You can now swipe left or right on the mini-player or the full now playing view to skip forward or backward between tracks.
5. Phone App Haptics Control
You now have control over haptic feedback for calls.
New Setting: Settings > Phone > Haptics.
Functionality: A new toggle allows you to disable the haptics that play when a call is connected or dropped, giving users a way to customize the physical feedback experience. The keypad also now incorporates the Liquid Glass effect.
Other Important Fixes and Changes
Beyond the major features, the RC build addresses several bugs and introduces subtle system changes:
Apple Intelligence Status: The Beta tag for Apple Intelligence has returned to the settings menu after being missing in Beta 4, confirming that the AI features remain in beta testing.
Background Security Improvements: A new section under Settings > Privacy & Security called Background Security Improvements appears to be a refinement of the former Rapid Security Response feature. It now shows the currently installed version (iOS 26.1 Release Candidate) and allows the user to remove the background improvement (which Apple warns will reduce security).
Bug Fixes:
An issue with devices sleeping unexpectedly while using certain apps (like Calculator, Timer, Notes) on the Lock Screen has been resolved.
Visual defects on the AirDrop icon in the share sheet have been fixed.
Final Release Date Prediction
The release of the RC build, even on a slightly unusual Tuesday, suggests that the public launch of iOS 26.1 is imminent. Based on Apple's typical release schedule following an RC, we can confidently expect the final public release early next week, most likely on Monday, November 3rd, or Tuesday, November 4th.
This is shaping up to be a strong x.1 release, not just for bug fixes, but for adding key user-requested controls and refinements to the iOS 26 experience.
Are you excited to get the new "Tinted" Liquid Glass option, or is the ability to turn off the Lock Screen Camera swipe the feature you've been waiting for?
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