Should you upgrade to iOS 26? The pros and cons of the Liquid Glass update.

The latest version of Apple iOS has been out for more than a month, but plenty of folks are probably still undecided as to whether or not to install the upgrade.

iOS 26 features the biggest design overhaul to Apple's mobile OS in a decade, bringing the new Liquid Glass aesthetic to iPhones. But in the weeks since iOS 26 launched, users have shared as many opinions about it as there are apps in the App Store. Its new translucent visual style, user complaints about battery drain, and other quirks have led some users to conclude that they don't need to download it just yet. After all, once you download iOS 26 and switch to Liquid Glass, there's no going back.

However, there are positives to iOS 26, as well. Here are just a handful of reasons why you should (or shouldn't) download iOS 26 on your iPhone.

Pro: Some of the new features are great

Every new version of iOS comes with new feature drops, of course. Some years bring very little, while other years bring a lot. There are at least a couple of new features in iOS 26 that put this year's update in the latter category.

For starters, it's got Live Translation in Messages, FaceTime, and phone calls. Two people who speak different languages being able to mutually understand each other over the phone is probably the best application yet of Apple Intelligence. Sure, it might be a little awkward having to wait to listen to a translation of what was just said to you before responding, but not as awkward as not understanding what was said at all.

That's genuinely kind of transformative, but there are other standouts, as well. Being able to make polls and set custom backgrounds in group chats in Messages seem small, but they could inject a lot of personality into spaces where you commune with your loved ones and friends. That's not nothing, and you can only do it on iOS 26.

Pro: You might like Liquid Glass

Credit: Apple

Liquid Glass didn't just come to the iPhone. Thanks to macOS Tahoe 26, iPadOS 26, and other OS updates, it's also changing the look of MacBooks, iPads, and Apple Watches. Mashable's tech editor gave iPadOS 26 a positive review, thanks in part to the new Liquid Glass design. Many users like the translucent glass effect.

To quote our review:

Per Apple, Liquid Glass "combines the optical qualities of glass with a fluidity only Apple can achieve." What does that mean? Core elements of the user interface are now translucent and expressive, so when objects overlap or interact, new liquid-like animations cause a transparent light effect, as if you're looking through glass or water...I haven't experienced any lag with the subtle animations that occur when different widgets or icons meet at the edges. Liquid Glass also makes the simplest interactions a lot more satisfactory. In the updated camera app, switching between Photo, Video, Pano, and other settings causes the text to bend and refract.

Liquid Glass also comes with new custom lock screens, which allow you to add a touch of personalization to your iPhone.

Con: You might not like Liquid Glass

A custom lock screen in iOS 26. Credit: Apple

Again, the most noteworthy change Apple made with iOS 26 is Liquid Glass, and the new design language permeates the entire UI on your iPhone after you install the update. It makes everything look, well, like liquid glass, with lots of transparency effects and dynamic animations that make everything flow very nicely — when it works.

There's just one problem: Not everyone likes Liquid Glass. While you have some control over how it looks, the added effects and transparency don't work for everyone. You also can't really turn it off. One of the latest iOS 26 beta builds has a new "tinted glass" mode that lets you exert a little more control over how Liquid Glass looks, but it still falls short of just allowing users to retain the old UI, and it's just a beta feature. I don't personally mind Liquid Glass (although I did tweak it a bit to make a little less glassy), but if you absolutely hate it, you might want to hold back on installing iOS 26.

Pro: Crucial app redesigns

Why wasn't it always like this?! Credit: Screenshot: Apple

Aside from new features and a new design language, iOS 26 also introduced at least one vitally important app redesign. Of course, I'm talking about the Photos app.

On previous versions of iOS, Photos had become a jumbled mess with multiple confusingly laid out tabs. It was harder than it should be to just find your library or your Favorites folder, for example, at least until you got used to it. On iOS 26, Photos has been streamlined so there are just two tabs, Library and Collections, at the bottom of the screen. One of them shows you everything on your phone, while the other shows you everything you've put into folders.

It's so simple that it makes you wonder why it wasn't always this way.

Con: Your battery might suffer

Last but certainly not least, there have been numerous user complaints that iOS 26 is affecting — or even outright ruining — the battery life on their iPhones. To be perfectly clear, this has not affected everyone or even a majority of iOS 26 users, but that doesn't mean it isn't real.

There are some potential explanations for this. Apple itself says that this is a temporary setback as your phone gets used to the new update (my words, not theirs). Some have claimed that updating all your apps and power cycling the device helps. Low Power Mode (and the new Adaptive Power setting) could alleviate this, at least, potentially. It's also possible that none of those will work, at which point you might need to make an appointment with Apple support.

I personally don't have anything against iOS 26, having used it since it launched, but there are good reasons not to upgrade.