Your iPhone Feels 'Off' After iOS 26? Here’s How to Fix It.
Every time a big iOS update drops, it’s a mix of excitement and a little bit of anxiety. For many, the transition to iOS 26 has been a bit bumpy. You might be seeing weird visual effects, your battery life seems to have vanished, or apps are just not behaving. The good news is, you're not alone, and for most of these issues, there are simple solutions.
Let’s dive into the most common problems and how to get your iPhone running smoothly again.
Problem 1: The "Liquid Glass" Look and Blurry Text
The biggest change in iOS 26 is the new "Liquid Glass" design. It’s supposed to be a cool, translucent effect, but for many, it's just an "optical nightmare" that makes things look blurry or tilted, especially in Dark Mode.
Your Quick Fix: This is one of the easiest problems to solve.
Go to Settings.
Tap on Accessibility.
Go to Display & Text Size.
Turn on Reduce Transparency.
This simple step will disable the translucent effects, giving you better contrast and a clearer view.
Problem 2: Battery Drain and Overheating
After updating, your phone might feel hot or lose charge much faster than before. Apple has stated that a temporary hit to battery life is "normal" after a major update.
How to Save Your Battery: While you wait for things to settle down, try these tips:
Enable Adaptive Power Mode: This is a new feature in iOS 26 that intelligently extends your battery life by managing performance based on your usage.
Use Low Power Mode: This is a classic tip for a reason. It reduces background activity to save power.
Check for Strong Signal: Using your phone in an area with a strong Wi-Fi or cellular signal uses less energy. If you're somewhere with no service, turn on Airplane Mode.
Adjust Your Settings: Dim your screen brightness and use
5G Autoinstead of always-on 5G to save power.
Problem 3: Apps Freezing and Glitches
Some users are reporting that their apps are freezing, lagging, or even crashing after the update.
Also Read: 5 Ways to Save Your PC After Windows 10 Support Ends
What You Can do:
Update Your Apps: Go to the App Store and check for app updates. Make sure all your apps are on the latest version.
Restart Your Phone: A simple restart can fix minor software glitches and get things running smoothly again.
Clear App Cache: If an app is still acting up, offloading it or clearing its cache can help. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, tap the misbehaving app, and choose to Offload it.
Problem 4: Keyboard and Connectivity Issues
Have you noticed your keyboard not working quite right or your Bluetooth devices randomly disconnecting? These are other common bugs with a new OS release.
How to Fix These Bugs:
For Keyboard Issues:
Reset Keyboard Dictionary: This can fix problems with autocorrect or keys not working.
Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Keyboard Dictionary.
Re-enable Keyboard: You can also try deleting and re-adding your keyboard in Settings > General > Keyboard.
For Bluetooth Problems:
Restart Your Phone: Again, a restart can resolve minor glitches.
Forget and Repair: Go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap the "i" next to the device, and select
Forget This Device. Then re-pair it.Reset Network Settings: If all else fails, you can reset your network settings. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Just remember this will clear all your saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords.
Final Thoughts
Most of the problems with iOS 26 are typical "teething issues" that come with any major software update. While waiting for Apple to release a more stable update (like iOS 26.1) is often the best long-term solution
Also Read: How to Fix iOS 17/18 Update Not Showing on iPhone