Apple’s latest iOS 26 public beta has officially been released, and after trying it out, I have to say I really enjoy the most debated feature: The new Liquid Glass design. While it can occasionally make your phone feel a bit slow, it does provide a transparent aesthetic. If the standard appearance isn’t liquid enough, check out our guide on how to truly enhance transparency.

However, after using the iOS 26 beta on my primary device, I discovered a feature that is often more obstructive than beneficial. I’m talking about the new Unified appearance for the Phone app. Though it’s not activated by default, the iPhone will prompt you to turn it on, which I agreed to. The Unified look merges Recents, Favorites, and Voicemail into one screen and eliminates the search bar at the top, substituting it with an icon on the bottom right.

While it may appear to be a sensible adjustment to simplify the Phone app and minimize clutter, it has been perplexing for me. Typically, I access the Phone app to return a missed call or to dial one of the few contacts I routinely reach out to. I often do this in a rush—maybe a delivery has arrived and I missed the call, so I’m hurriedly trying to reach the caller back. In most instances, I only need a straightforward list of recent call log items with a search option at the top, not Favorites or Voicemail.

Luckily, switching back to the Classic appearance is still possible. You can achieve this by navigating to the Calls tab, tapping the three lines icon at the upper right, and selecting Classic. Everything will revert to its original state.

As an added benefit, the Classic view provides a convenient, one-tap toggle between All and Missed calls at the top of the interface, which is absent in the Unified format.

Apple probably foresaw that the new design might take some time to acclimate to, which is why the previous version remains available. However, I suspect that many users, myself included, may find the new layout frustrating without realizing they have the option to switch back. So, if you enjoy the Unified look, feel free to keep it; but if you favor the Classic design, it’s still there for you.