Apple has seeded its fifth developer preview of iOS 26, labeled build 23A5308g, bringing incremental refinements to its major system redesign ahead of the slated public release next month.
iOS 26 Beta 5 update emphasizes polish across the Liquid Glass user interface introduced earlier in the beta cycle. Animations have been subtly tuned to appear more dynamic and springy, especially noticeable on the lock screen while unlocking with Face ID, Touch ID or passcode entry.
The lock screen bounce effect and refreshed swipe animations in Control Center enhance the overall responsiveness of the UI.
On the home screen editing interface, the minus buttons on app icons now display the Liquid Glass aesthetic, replacing the previously opaque style inherited from iOS 18 and earlier betas. A new AirDrop icon has also been added to the share sheet, styled to match the glass‑like system visuals.
In the Camera app settings users will discover a toggle called Classic Mode Switching that restores the traditional swipe interface for moving through shooting modes.
The Mail app has regained a missing feature: the Select button now appears again in the message list view, enabling bulk actions like marking read or archiving messages, restoring user control that generated feedback in prior betas. iPhone users have also noticed a new low‑battery notification indicator at 20 percent charge, presenting a distinctive notification banner style.
Meanwhile, iPad users with an external display will benefit from a refined behavior: the updated menu bar within apps now remains visible when using an external screen, improving workflows across iPadOS and external devices.
Beyond these changes, the beta includes hidden references to a potential Apple Watch Ultra 3 display upgrade. An asset in the OS hints at a slightly larger resolution of 422×514 pixels, possibly reflecting a modest screen boost over the current Ultra 2 model.
Check out a detailed run down of all that’s new in iOS 26 Beta 5 in the folliwing Zollotech video.
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