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Liquid, Not Static:
How Toggle Switches Reveal a Quiet Revolution in Interface Design
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If you’ve been using Apple devices for a while, you’ve probably noticed something subtle: the humble toggle switch has changed. A lot. It might seem like a small detail, but when you look closer, it tells a much bigger story. This story is about how Apple designs not just with visuals, but with motion, depth, and feeling.
The evolution of the iOS toggle switch—from glossy and tactile in early versions to today's soft, fluid, and almost breathing form in iOS 17—is not just about aesthetics. It reflects how Apple has quietly refined a living design language over the years, one that now has a name: Liquid. If you’re a developer, designer, or creative, this is something worth paying attention to.
Image by Milad Fakurian
Apple’s design philosophy has always leaned into realism. Not the kind where things look like real objects, although it did start there, but the kind where things behave like they exist in a real, responsive world. Think bounce, spring, light, shadow, and compression. Apple wants interfaces to feel alive, not just look visually pleasing.
Take a look at the toggle switch in iOS 3. It was glossy, rounded, and gave you a little visual nudge when you tapped it. Fast forward to iOS 7, and the design turned flat, translucent, and minimal. But Apple did not abandon depth. Instead, it redefined it. Rather than relying on shadows and textures, it used light, blur, and movement. The toggle compressed slightly when tapped. It responded with a subtle shift, as if it had weight.
Image by Milad Fakurian
Now in iOS 17, the toggle is softer and more fluid. It has a sense of space around it. It moves with intention. And it behaves consistently across the system, thanks to Liquid, Apple’s new design system built around motion and material.
If we compare this to Microsoft’s Aqua-style UI, the difference is striking. Aqua gave us shiny buttons, glowing outlines, and blurred windows. It was visually rich, no doubt. But it often felt surface-level. Elements would light up or animate, but they did not react in a way that felt responsive or grounded. Apple’s design, on the other hand, is deeply behavioral. Every blur, shadow, or movement exists to support a sense of touch and space. It is not just decoration. It is function.
As designers and developers, there is a lesson here. Apple is not just styling components. It is crafting experiences. Interfaces are no longer static. They are environments. And with Liquid, Apple is giving us tools to design for that space.
This shift is not about following a trend. It is about rethinking the fundamentals. It is about creating UI that feels responsive, real, and human. It encourages us to consider behavior and emotion as essential parts of our design toolkit.
The toggle switch is just one example, but it is a powerful one. When you look at it, you see a decade-long journey of refinement. You see the transition from texture to behavior. You see Apple’s design thinking evolving in real time.
For developers, this means better tools and a clearer system. For designers, it means being able to prototype and create with motion and feeling from the beginning, not as an afterthought. And for users, it means interfaces that feel more natural and intuitive.
So next time you tap a toggle, pause for a moment. Notice what it does. Notice how it feels. That small moment is not accidental. It is the result of years of thoughtful design. And it is a glimpse into where interface design is heading.
The design world is watching Apple closely, and for good reason. Apple is not just iterating on visuals. It is shaping the future of how we interact with technology.
What this means for Your Brand?
If you’re building a brand that aims to:
- Connect with people on a deeper level
- Tell a story that’s meaningful and memorable
- Use smart tools without losing the human touch
…you’re in the right place!
We believe in designing with purpose, combining the efficiency of AI with the empathy of human creativity. Because when those two work together, the result isn’t just beautiful. It’s meaningful.