Apple has released the second beta of iOS 26.1 and iPadOS 26.1, adding a number of updates and minor changes, writes MacRumors.
Alarms now require a swipe to turn off rather than a tap, making it harder to accidentally turn off instead of snoozing. Timers work the same way. There's a toggle in Settings for automatically downloading and installing security updates — an updated version of Rapid Security Responses.
In the Fitness app on iPhone, you can create your own workouts with a choice of type, calories, duration, and intensity. In Settings, the text alignment of the title text has changed to be on the left, and the wallpaper in the display section matches the iOS 26 theme. Folder names on the home screen are also now aligned to the left.
The iPad has returned to Slide Over, which lets you open one additional window on top of others in multitasking mode, and gain control for external microphones has also been added.
Liquid Glass design has a more subdued glare effect. When changing wallpaper, cropping instructions are only shown briefly. Accessibility settings have added a "Display Borders" option that outlines all buttons, replacing the previous "Button Shapes" option.
Some previous changes have been removed: for example, in Calendar, events no longer have a solid color background. In Photos, the menu for multiple selected photos has been slightly updated - the Slideshow, Favorites, and Hide commands are now at the top.