How To Compare iOS 26 and iOS 18 Control Center Features

Overview of Control Center Changes

The transition from iOS 18 to iOS 26 brings some pretty noticeable changes to the Control Center, which is basically your quick-access hub for toggles and controls. If you’ve used both, you’ll see that while the layout still feels familiar, a bunch of visual tweaks and some functional stuff have shifted around. Sometimes it’s an upgrade, other times, it just makes things a little more fiddly. So yeah, it’s worth paying attention to what’s new or different before updating, especially if you rely heavily on quick toggles.

User Interface (UI) Differences

The major thing I’ve noticed—the new design is kinda more “pronounced,” if you wanna call it that. It’s brighter, with bigger buttons, and the background transparency got cranked up a notch in iOS 26. That can be a double-edged sword. On some setups, it’s nice because controls pop out a bit more; on others, it’s kinda cluttered because the background behind the Control Center can blur together with what’s underneath. On iOS 18, it’s a lot cleaner and less distracting, especially if you’re into a minimal look.

Control Center Layout and Functionality

Everything’s pretty much there—the same core controls exist, and you can tweak what shows up, like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and screen brightness. The buttons in iOS 26 are a bit bigger and seem to have a slightly more modern look. If you’re into customization, nothing major has changed—you can still long-press or tap “Edit Controls” in Settings > Control Center (or when editing, accessible directly via the edit button). Just be aware that sometimes, on certain devices, these larger buttons don’t always respond flawlessly right after update. It might require some toggling or even a restart sometimes.

Accessibility of Controls

The darker, more transparent background can make controls harder to differentiate against busy backgrounds, especially in bright environments or with dynamic wallpapers. I’ve found that on some iPhones, the controls are a little less intuitive to find at first, especially when the transparency kicks in. Expect some of that adjustment period—on some setups, it feels less quick to access stuff than it did on iOS 18. On my older device, a restart helped a lot with responsiveness, but that’s not always the case.

Performance and Glitches

This is where things get kinda weird. On newer models like the iPhone 14 and up, Control Center is quick and snappy, but on older devices, like some earlier iPhone 12s or SEs, there are reports of lag, unresponsive controls, or… sometimes the entire Control Center just refusing to slide down properly. Restarting the device often helps, but it’s definitely worth noting that iOS 26 still isn’t perfect performance-wise. You might have to be patient or do some troubleshooting—like resetting settings if things get super wonky.

Conclusion: Real-World Impact of the Update

All in all, upgrading from iOS 18 to iOS 26 feels like a mixed bag. The visual changes can be nice, especially if you like the chunkier buttons and richer backgrounds. But those transparency effects and occasional bugs might drive you a little crazy, especially on older hardware. If quick access is your jam, be prepared for some minor annoyances at least initially. Sometimes, a clean install or a good reboot helps a lot. Just a heads-up—don’t expect everything to be perfect right out of the box.