Apple UI Transparency Complaints

Users complain about transparency, blur, and low-contrast effects in macOS and iOS UIs making elements hard to see, and recommend accessibility settings like Reduce Transparency and Increase Contrast for solid backgrounds and better readability.

➡️ Stable 1.6x Hardware
2,652
Comments
20
Years Active
5
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#1039
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Keywords

apple.com HazeOver CoreAnimation MacHack YouTube OS hazeover.com API IE preview.redd accessibility transparency background transparent gray ui dark window contrast reduce

Sample Comments

NaomiLehman Oct 11, 2025 View on HN

I know it's shit. But for all of you, regardless of whether it's Mac OS or iOS, go to accessibility options and enable high contrast. It removes transparency/liquid glass.

philistine Jun 14, 2025 View on HN

I think they refuse to pick a shade of grey for their UI's background, so we're stuck with transparent elements.

anovikov May 15, 2022 View on HN

cool widget but sucks on a mac where default background is white. yellow stuff is almost invisible.

blister Jun 3, 2014 View on HN

System Preferences > Accessibility [Display] -> Check "Reduce Transparency"

robin_reala Sep 15, 2025 View on HN

A reminder, if you dislike the liquid glass look, that going into System settings / Accessibility / Display and toggling “Increase contrast” gets you a properly nice design with actual borders and solid backgrounds. 100% recommended.

internet2000 Jan 7, 2019 View on HN

Apple doesn’t let you set a black background?

asidiali Feb 17, 2021 View on HN

This is awesome! Would love the ability to alter the background of the window beyond light & dark.

burnte Nov 28, 2025 View on HN

Indeed. I didn't look at a dark mode. Might just be me, I hate the transparency effects in ios26 and on Ollama web UI too.

Watabou Jun 10, 2013 View on HN

Some of the apps like Weather, notification center, Stocks look brilliant, other seem too white. Why is it so damn white?

Due_Winter_5330 Jun 10, 2025 View on HN

How does it look if you enable "Reduce Transparency" in Accessibility - Display settings?