iOS 26 Beta 4 is now available for developers. Below are the new features and changes compared to Beta 3, let’s take a look.
Update: iOS 26 Public Beta was released on August 24 with build number 23A5297m. On the same day, Apple also re-released iOS 26 Developer Beta 4, udating its build number from 23A5297i to 23A5297m to match the Public Beta.
In case you missed it, here are the features included in iOS 26 Beta 3 →
Liquid Glass is Back!
iOS 26 Beta 4 brings back Liquid Glass, no longer the frosted blur from Beta 3.
The transparency looks similar to Betas 1 and 2, but seems slightly more readable.
Apple is also reducing the blur layers behind areas that use the Liquid Glass effect. In the screenshot below, you can clearly see the blurred background disappears while scrolling in the Music app. Similarly in Safari, the blurred layer beneath the address bar shifts to a light or dark blur depending on the contrast of the content behind it. The blur is still there, but it’s much less noticeable than it was in Beta 3.
Notifications
When scrolling through notifications, the wallpaper now darkens slightly to improve readability.
Camera
The Camera icon has also been slightly refreshed.
When you open the Camera app for the first time in iOS 26 Beta 4, there’s a new “New Camera Design” splash screen. It clearly explains and briefly guides users through the redesigned interface.
Image credit @Genius_Corner25 (Thanks to Adam Adeali)
The behavior when swiping through modes in the Camera app has also changed. The selected mode is no longer fixed in the center, it can now slide freely in both directions.
Passcode
The passcode entry screen under Settings > Face ID & Passcode has been refreshed with a new lock icon and left-aligned content instead of centered.
Thanks to Adam Adeali
Maill App Icon
The Mail app icon has also been slightly updated in Beta 4, it now appears less translucent than before.
Notification Summaries for News Apps
iOS 26 Beta 4 can now summarize notifications from News and Entertainment apps using Apple Intelligence. This option was previously disabled in the iOS 18.3 update back in January.
Summary notifications from News and Entertainment apps now include a “Summarized by Apple Intelligence” label. Apps from other categories won’t show this.
Thanks to Adam Adeali
iOS 26 Dynamic Wallpaper
In Beta 3, Apple introduced three new color options for the default iOS 26 wallpaper: Dusk, Halo, and Shadow. Beta 4 adds a new Dynamic option that automatically shifts between all four colors depending on the time of day.
Screen Unknown Callers
The Calls from Unknown Numbers setting has been renamed to Screen Unknown Callers and now offers three options, replacing the single toggle from Beta 3.
The three options are:
- Never: Calls from unsaved numbers will ring, and missed calls will be displayed on the Recents list.
- Ask Reason for Calling: Calls from unsaved numbers will be asked for more information before iPhone rings. Calling and data rates may apply.
- Silence: calls from unsaved numbers will be silenced, sent to voicemail, and displayed on the Recents list. Calling and data rates may apply.
CarPlay Wallpapers
CarPlay in iOS 26 Beta 4 has dropped the default wallpapers from previous iOS versions, replacing them with iOS 26’s updated set featuring all new color options like Brown, Green and Red which aren’t available on iPhone.
It also includes three solid color choices each paired with a matching dark variant.
Image credit: 9to5mac
Aaronp613 shared these wallpapers on his personal account on X, feel free to download them if you like.
Safari
The Compact address bar in Safari now reduces the font size for longer domains or keywords, allowing more text to be displayed.
When translating a webpage (if your keyboard has three or more languages), iOS 26 Beta 4 introduces a redesigned language selection pop-up. The buttons are clearer, and it now includes a title and description for better context.
AutoMix
AutoMix in Apple Music now works with Dolby Atmos. In previous betas, you had to disable Dolby Atmos for AutoMix to work.
You can find these settings in Settings > Apps > Music.
Passwords
In Settings > Apps > Passwords, there’s a new option called Allow Contacting Websites, which is enabled by default. Here’s Apple’s description of this feature:
Passwords can privately contact websites to show names and icons for apps and websites you have saved items for and to inform you when a website supports passkeys.
Additionally, when viewing saved passwords in the Passwords app, there’s now a Notes field to quickly add comments. In previous versions, you had to tap Edit before you could add notes to a password.
New Animation for AirPlay Popup
When tapping the AirPlay icon, there’s now a new animation for the AirPlay popup. It still slides up from the bottom edge, but now with more bounce, and it disappears with a fade-out effect instead of sliding down like in previous betas.
Clock
I’m not sure if this is a bug, but iOS 26 Beta 4 has removed the recent timers in the Clock app.
Reduce Loud Sounds Setting
In Settings – Sounds & Haptics, the “Late Night Mode” option has been renamed to “Reduce Loud Sounds” with the following description:
Reduces audio volume range and creates softer sound effects, while maintaining the quiet details of the original audio.
Maps App Icon
The Maps app icon has been slightly tweaked, its edges are now highlighted in more areas, which is especially noticeable in dark mode. But the light mode screenshot doesn’t clearly show this change, even though the same lighting effect is present in reality.
Toggle Color
Toggle switch color when off is now a darker gray in Beta 4.
Preview App
Preview app adds a Scan Document button to the main toolbar. Previously, you had to tap Create New button, then choose “Scan Document.”
Background of the document picker now uses a Liquid Glass effect instead of plain white.
App Store
The blue “Done” button on the App Store account settings page has been replaced with a white “Cancel” button featuring an “✕” icon. The Game Center icon shown below the account has also been updated to match the new design introduced in iOS 26.
Heath App
In the Health app, the Sleep section’s main color has been changed from turquoise to purple. The Sleep icon on Apple Watch now also appears in purple.
Image credit @SteveMoser
Lock Screen Alarm
On the Lock Screen, the Stop button in the Alarm or Timer interface now uses a darker gray color, reflecting the color of the Repeat button above it.
The shape of the button remains the same, any difference you see in the screenshots below is simply due to different screen sizes.
Jiggle Mode
When you long-press an app icon on the Home Screen or enter edit mode, the “–” buttons used to hide or delete apps now have a white frosted background instead of being transparent like in Beta 3. This change also applies when editing the Control Center.
App Store
The App Store has a new splash screen highlighting the latest features of the App Store and Apple Arcade, including:
- More Granular Age Ratings: Better understand how appropriate an app is with updated age ratings.
- Accessibility Nutrition Labels: Learn if an app supports accessibility features like VoiceOver or larger text.
- Top Played Games Chart: Discover the most-played Game Center games every day.
Lock Screen
In iOS 26 Beta 4, swiping up to unlock replaces the full-screen album artwork with your Lock Screen wallpaper.
https://x.com/BetaProfiles/status/1950558552302760123
Bug Fixes 
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Search bar is back in Contacts tab of Phone app (for those using Classic layout)
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App Switcher no longer automatically moves recently opened apps to the front — behavior is back to how it was in iOS 26 Beta 2 and earlier
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Threads app icon no longer has that odd gray tint
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Fixed an issue where bookmarks couldn’t be added to the Home Screen
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Fixed an issue where the battery percentage would sometimes not appear in Control Center
I’ll keep adding more iOS 26 Beta 4 changes and new features here as I discover them. Stay tuned and follow @BetaProfiles on X or Threads!
