Instagram is looking very different for iOS users.
That's because the Meta-owned social media platform is slowly rolling out the new Liquid Glass visual rolled out by Apple across every device last autumn. One of the standout features of the iOS 26 update now available on iPhone and iPad, Liquid Glass adds see-through visual elements that create a sense of depth and ensure your photos, webpages, documents, and videos are always the main focus on-screen.
Apple refreshed all of its apps to support Liquid Glass at launch, but third-party developers like WhatsApp and Instagram have taken a little longer to embrace the new visuals.
Ever since it was announced, Liquid Glass has been controversial, with some iPhone owners loving the life-like refractions and translucency... while others hated the refresh. Apple announced several tweaks to the design to attempt to reduce complaints, which will ship with its free iOS 27 update in the autumn.
Instagram's update brings an all-new navigation bar at the bottom of your screen, adopting the glass-like look. Despite the update now looking more in line with the rest of the iOS 26 update, users have taken to Reddit to express their strong dislike for the new navigation bar, particularly as you're scrolling through your feed.
As soon as you scroll up or down, the navigation bar will shrink, so you can see more of your feed. However, it also leaves room for you to accidentally tap on another user's post as you scroll.
The overhauled navigation bar shrinks as you scroll through your feed on Instagram
|GB NEWS
One user wrote: "I just hate that all liquid glass updates make it so the home/tab bar minimises."
Comment
by u/FieldComprehensive98 from discussion
in ios26
Others don't like Instagram's specific update, whereas other apps such as WhatsApp are said to have a cleaner implementation. A Reddit user wrote: The WhatsApp one does look cleaner, to be honest. Instagram's version feels half-baked, like they just slapped a blur on it and called it a day."
Comment
by u/EmphasisSilent2469 from discussion
in ios
Another wrote: "Instagram's adaptation of Liquid Glass is pretty ugly where Threads and WhatsApp have the nice looking implementation."
Comment
by u/EmphasisSilent2469 from discussion
in ios
And there are still several users who haven't received these updates yet.
For apps like WhatsApp and Instagram, users getting treated to the upgrades are account-specific. As an example, we found that one of our personal accounts had acquired the update, but when logging into our business account on the same iOS device, it's still sporting the old navigation menu.
Companies like Meta typically roll out major updates like the Liquid Glass design gradually instead of all at once to reduce risk and improve the user experience
|GB NEWS
Companies like Meta typically roll out major updates like the Liquid Glass design gradually instead of all at once to reduce risk and improve the user experience. A phased rollout allows the company to identify bugs, fix performance issues, and ensure the new interface works properly across different devices, operating systems, and accessibility settings.
Meta also uses server-side feature flags, meaning it can enable the update for selected users without requiring a new app download. By releasing the redesign to smaller groups first, Meta can collect feedback, monitor engagement, and measure how users interact with the new design before making it available to everyone worldwide.
Comment
by u/FieldComprehensive98 from discussion
in ios26
Comment
by u/FieldComprehensive98 from discussion
in ios26
Since Apple's Liquid Glass release across its devices, the feedback has been less than positive.
As a result, the Californian company will adjust Liquid Glass in the upcoming iOS 27 update, because many users praised the visual style but complained that some interface elements were difficult to read, especially when text appeared over busy backgrounds.
In response, Apple has refined how Liquid Glass handles transparency, added stronger visual separation between content layers, sharpened icons, and introduced a new slider that lets users control the amount of transparency across the system.