It’s been almost a month since Apple rolled out iOS 26, and the company hasn’t slowed down since. We already have two betas of iOS 26.1 for developers – the first showed up two weeks ago, and the second landed just yesterday, on Monday, October 6. We took a look at the release notes Apple quietly posted on its site and, at first glance, there’s nothing interesting inside. Still, after running the update on our team’s iPhones all morning, we spotted a few small but noticeable visual changes that Apple didn’t bother to mention. They do not transform how the iPhone works, but they slightly adjust the experience, and we decided they deserve a quick look.
What’s New We Noticed in iOS 26.1 Beta 2
Before we start, let us set expectations clearly. The visual tweaks our team observed in iOS 26.1 beta 2 affect the appearance, not the core behavior, of the system. We did not find any entirely new apps or features (were Apple to add something wildly new, we’d be writing a very different post).
We tested this build across several iPhones, including a few units from the iPhone 17 line. Still, our view remains partial. Even with multiple testers, we cannot catch every tweak hidden in Settings, buried inside apps, or tucked into less-used functions. What follows is a list of the changes we detected. If you notice something we’ve missed, you’re awesome.
- Previously, you could stop an alarm with a single tap on the Lock Screen. In iOS 26.1 beta 2, Apple replaced that with a slide action, so now you need to swipe to stop it. A tap still snoozes the alarm. It’s a small change that saves you from turning it off by mistake when you only wanted a few more minutes of sleep.
- In Settings and similar system menus, the section headers, such as “General,” “Bluetooth,” “Privacy & Security,” now align to the left. Previously, they stood centered.
- The same layout appears in Home Screen Folders. When you open a folder on the Home Screen, its name now sits flush left rather than centered.
- Within Display options, the preview wallpaper now matches the iOS 26-themed background. If you peek here before choosing a wallpaper, you see something closer to what the final result will look like.
- When you adjust a Lock Screen wallpaper, instructions like “Pinch to Crop” appear briefly and then fade once you begin manipulating the image. Apple seems to have decided you don’t need a nanny telling you obvious steps.
- Accessibility got a tweak. In Display & Text Size settings, Apple replaced “Button Shapes” with “Display Borders.” Enabling this draws borders around tappable controls to separate interface elements more clearly.
- Apple walked back a design shift from the earlier beta: calendar events no longer appear with full-color banners. They now follow the familiar standard style from the original iOS 26. People who check their calendar often will probably notice this change right away. To be honest, we’re a bit disappointed. The full-color look in the earlier beta made the schedule easier to read at a glance. It felt livelier and more organized. Hopefully, Apple brings that view back, as it actually made sense.
- In the Photos app, Apple also moved a few action buttons for managing multiple photos. Play Slideshow, Favorite, and Hide now sit at the top of the menu instead of further down. It’s a tiny adjustment, but it slightly changes how your eyes move across the options.
- The Apple Vision Pro app now shows your device as a detailed 3D model instead of a static image. It looks polished and feels like Apple’s quiet preparation for the upcoming Vision Pro 2 launch. Nothing earth-shattering, but it’s a neat touch that hints the next big hardware reveal isn’t far off.
iOS 26.1
New really cool 3D model in Apple Vision Pro app pic.twitter.com/0FBDPMZzpQ— SOUIC ᯅ (@SSOUIC) October 6, 2025
- For iPhones that support external mics, users now see gain adjustment control in the Control Center’s audio panel. They also gain a new choice for where to store locally recorded files. Useful for creators and podcasters, and a reminder that Apple still teases pro-level features.
Apple also released iPadOS 26.1 beta 2 to developers on that same Monday. The update brings many of the same under-the-hood fixes and subtle design tweaks that we saw on iPhone. Its headline change is Slide Over multitasking returns. (In the original iPadOS 26 release, Apple removed Slide Over, so its comeback matters to iPad users.) Beyond that, the iPad version shows no major new features, and it largely mirrors what the beta delivers on the iPhone side.
Final Thoughts
Well, we don’t have much to add about iOS 26.1 beta 2. The update feels light, mostly about visuals, but if Apple decided to include these changes, then clearly there’s a reason for it. Some of the tweaks look experimental, others just make the interface cleaner.
As for performance, our team didn’t notice anything unusual during testing. No freezes, no overheating, no battery draining faster than usual – everything stayed within normal limits. So, it’s safe to say this build behaves stably on all tested devices.
We’ll keep watching for Apple’s next steps. If the usual schedule holds, another beta (iOS 26.1 beta 3) is expected to appear around October 20, along with updates for other systems. Let’s see what Apple surprises us with next time.
