How To Explore the Top 5 New Features in iOS 26 Beta 2

Getting your hands on the latest iOS 26 Beta 2 can be pretty exciting, but it’s not all perfect—there are quirks, and sometimes things don’t work as smoothly as you’d hope. Maybe the Control Center isn’t super transparent, or the new ringtone isn’t showing up right away. Sometimes, stuff just feels a little unstable during beta phases, but with some fiddling, many of these issues can be fixed. This guide hits the main features that stood out, plus some tips on troubleshooting or customizing them because, honestly, Apple adds some new settings that aren’t exactly obvious. Expect to get a taste of the fresh interface changes, personalization options, and handy updates—plus what to do if they don’t cooperate right out of the box.

How to Fix iOS 26 Beta 2 Visual and Functional Glitches

Make the Control Center fully transparent—sometimes it doesn’t stick

If the transparency isn’t showing up as you’d like, you’ll want to start here. Head into Settings, then Accessibility. From there, go to Display & Text Size. You’re looking for Reduce Transparency. Turn it OFF if it’s on — yeah, it’s kinda weird, but sometimes the toggle doesn’t survive a reboot. Turning it off should make the Control Center and Notification Center get that transparent, immersive effect. It helps visually, especially if you’re into that sleek look, but on some setups, it’s hit or miss until you reboot your phone or toggle the setting a couple of times. Expect a slightly cleaner interface after, but don’t be surprised if the transparency disappears after a restart—sometimes the beta acts funny like that.

Adding and refreshing new ringtones — not always available immediately

The new ringtone in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone is a nice touch — kind of refreshing. But, on some phones, it takes a few seconds, or even a restart, for the new sound to show up in the list. If it’s not showing, try closing Settings entirely and opening it again. You can also try toggling Sound & Haptics off and on or restarting your device. Sometimes, the update just takes a little longer to register, or it gets stuck in the cache. Expect to see the new tone available after a little patience, but on some setups, it might be a bit temperamental.

Safari’s new UI can be janky—especially the bottom bar shift

The Safari redesign is pretty neat—bottom right address bar gives quicker access, but, again, it’s kinda buggy sometimes. If it’s not showing properly, check in Settings, then Safari and toggle Show Bottom Tab Bar. Also, try restarting Safari or even rebooting the phone. Sometimes, the new navigation feels laggy or doesn’t position correctly on certain screen sizes or if you have a bunch of tabs open. Expect some quirks, but once it settles in, it’s still a decent change. Just don’t be surprised if the interface temporarily acts weird after switching modes or updating the beta.

Custom Lock Screen Clock — needs a workaround sometimes

Personalizing the lock screen clock is supposed to be straightforward, but on some devices or after certain updates, pressing and holding to modify the clock size or position doesn’t work right away. To fix this, go into Settings, then Wallpaper & Lock Screen. Tap Edit after selecting your lock screen, then try customizing the clock there. If it still refuses to budge, a quick restart or resetting the wallpaper often helps. Because of course, Apple has to make this harder than necessary. Expect it to sometimes get stuck after you apply themes or change wallpapers, so keep trying a few times or reset the animation cache in settings if needed.

Live Radio in Apple Music Widget — sometimes it’s not updating

The live radio feature is pretty cool if it works, but it’s still a work in progress. If you’ve added the widget to your home screen via Edit > Add Widget and the live radio isn’t appearing or streaming, try toggling the widget off then back on. Also, ensure your Apple Music app has the latest updates and you’ve granted all relevant permissions in Settings > Music. Sometimes, the widget gets a little laggy or fails to refresh immediately. A reboot or re-adding the widget often helps clear things up.

Summary

• Adjust transparency settings in Accessibility for better Control Center visuals.
• Be patient with new ringtones—they might need a reboot or cache cleared.
• Safari’s new bottom tab bar is good but can act up, so check settings if it’s misbehaving.
• Lock screen customization sometimes requires multiple tries or a restart.
• Live radio widget needs permissions and refreshes—don’t give up if it’s slow at first.

Wrap-up

Beta software is always a mix of fresh features and some rough patches. Many of these quirks seem fixable with a bit of patience—restarts, toggles, or cache resets. Sometimes, the beta just needs a couple of patches to stabilize, so don’t get discouraged if things act weird initially. Expect some features to be spotty until the full release drops. Still, it’s pretty exciting to poke around the new stuff, even if it’s not perfect yet. Fingers crossed this helps someone get their beta experience a little smoother.