macOS 27 to refine the Liquid Glass design approach, but nothing too dramatic

Whether you like it or not, it’s “clear” that Apple is not giving up on Liquid Glass. It is just trying to make it a little less… blindingly futuristic on Macs.

After the mixed reception to macOS Tahoe’s translucent interface, Apple is reportedly preparing a softer, cleaner version of the design language for macOS 27. But if anyone was expecting a dramatic rollback, that is apparently not happening.

What’s new with Liquid Glass in macOS 27?

According to Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter, Apple is preparing what insiders reportedly describe as a “slight redesign” for macOS 27 to address complaints surrounding the Liquid Glass interface introduced in macOS Tahoe.

The biggest issues reportedly involve transparency effects, shadows, and readability problems in areas like Finder, Control Center, and apps with dense sidebars or text-heavy layouts. On larger Mac displays, some of these glass-like effects can make interface elements harder to read or visually confusing.

Part of the problem seems to be the hardware itself. Gurman notes that Liquid Glass was originally designed with modern OLED screens in mind, like the ones found on newer iPhones and Apple Watches. Macs, meanwhile, still largely rely on LCD panels that do not render translucency and layered effects as cleanly. That mismatch is reportedly what Apple now wants to refine in macOS 27.

Apple isn’t backing away from Liquid Glass

Despite the criticism, Apple reportedly still sees Liquid Glass as a net positive and a major part of its future design language. So instead of removing it, macOS 27 is expected to focus on refining the experience. Reports suggest Apple is adjusting shadows, transparency behavior, contrast, and readability to make the interface feel more polished without dramatically changing how it looks.

And honestly, this sounds very similar to what happened after iOS 7. Apple introduced a bold visual redesign, got hit with complaints, then spent the following release quietly sanding down the rough edges instead of starting over. Gurman even directly compares the situation to the iOS 7-to-iOS 8 transition. That also lines up with broader rumors around iOS 27 and macOS 27, which are both expected to focus more on refinement, bug fixes, battery improvements, and usability rather than giant visual overhauls.