iOS 26: How to Get a Clear Home Screen while Keeping Widget Colors

After updating to iOS 26, you can switch your iPhone to Clear mode. This makes your Home Screen look glassy and lets widgets “float” elegantly.

One common downside: in Clear mode, some widgets also change their appearance or lose their original photo colors. Good news—using the latest WidgetClub app, you can keep your photo’s original colors while the background stays clear 🙌. This guide shows you how.

How to Get a Clear Home Screen while Keeping Widget Colors

What you’ll need

• An iPhone updated to iOS 26 (Eligible for iPhone 11 +)
• Two quick steps:
1. Turn on Clear mode on your iPhone
2. Add WidgetClub widgets without a background image

Heads-up:

On iOS 26 in Clear Mode, iPod-style widgets and video widgets may pause or stop playing. Clear Mode adds extra system processing, which can delay updates for moving/animated widgets. (Status as of September 19, 2025.)

Part 1: Turn on Clear Mode

1. Long-press on your Home Screen.
2. Tap “Edit“ at the top-left.

3. Select “Customize“.
4. Choose “Clear“.

5. Set “Light, Dark, or Auto“ (Light shows more transparency).

That’s it—your icons and layout will switch to the transparent look introduced in iOS 26.

Part 2: Show Colorful Widgets in Clear Mode (with WidgetClub)

Prep

Download/update the WidgetClub app

Add a WidgetClub widget (no background image)

1. Open WidgetClub and tap the ＋ button.
2. Choose Widget.

3. Pick the size you want (Small/Medium/Large).
4. Select the widget template you’d like to use.

5. Turn Background Image OFF (set to None).


- With Background Image ON: the widget gets a glass/tinted panel and photos can look muted.

- With Background Image OFF: the background stays transparent and your photo colors are preserved.- In Clear Mode, iOS forces widget text to white.


6. When you’re done customizing, tap Set.
7. Choose a widget slot to apply the settings.

8. After you choose a widget slot to save/apply the settings, add it to your Home Screen. For a quick walkthrough, watch the video below—it shows exactly how to add a WidgetClub widget from the “+” menu and select the slot you just set.

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Widget ideas that look amazing on a transparent Home Screen

• Flip Widget (Small/Medium): tap to flip between views—perfect for a dynamic, minimal setup.
• Auto-slideshow Photo Widget: cycles through your photos for subtle motion and personality.
• Weather Widget with no background: clean, airy, and super aesthetic in Clear mode.

Tips

• If your photo looks “washed” by Clear mode, double-check that Background Image is off in WidgetClub—the background should be clear, but your photo remains in full color.
• Want more contrast? Use high-contrast photos or bold subjects so they pop against the transparent layout.
• iOS forces some text elements to white in Clear mode. Plan your photo choices so white text stays readable.

Wrap-up

That’s all you need to create a transparent Home Screen without losing your photo’s original colors. Have fun crafting your aesthetic setup with WidgetClub!