Exploring Liquid Glass

Post Date: 24 June 2025

Same is my hobby app on the Apple App Store. After the developer release of Tahoe I booted it up to see if any changes will be needed before the release. I'll at very least need to update the icon as Same's icon has been sent to Squircle Jail.

See below some screenshots of what happened to my app when running in Mac Tahoe and also a few ideas I've been toying with.

Squircle Jail

What else changed?

Opening on Tahoe - not recompiled

I can see a little colour coming through the sidebar when running Same on Tahoe. No other obvious changes at this stage.

Recompiled using xCode-beta

After recompiling with the new xCode, no code changes, Same is quite different.

• The contrast around the text inputs is gone, I cannot see where they end as the background is also white.

• The sidebar is now rounded and is also showing a bit of colour.

• The toolbar buttons are floating above the toolbar.

• Corner radius for the window are larger.

Return to contrast, using the the elements

I have mocked up one design update in which I did the minimum.

• I've changed the background colour of the text inputs.

• Card that shows the comparison no longer has rounded corners (we want it to look like it extends under the sidebar).

• The Compare button and paste buttons uses glass effect, note: I intend for this to use glassProminent effect for the compare which would make the button blue but this is not yet included in the beta.

Letting liquid glass shine

My style of app doesn't have images which are what really allow liquid glass to shine. Why don't I just stick a background behind it?

I actually don't mind this and might go down this path a little.

I especially like how the toolbar looks wihtout a border and with everything just floating.