Apple is testing in the first beta for developers iOS 26.1 brings a specific improvement to its music service: Apple Music's MiniPlayer now supports a gesture Swipe to change songs without touching the classic buttonsThe new feature follows the interface changes introduced in iOS 26 at the bottom of the app. Although the MiniPlayer is sometimes more compact, interaction gains agility with this gesture that allows you to move forward or backward with a simple movement of the finger.
What exactly does the new gesture do in the iOS 26.1 beta?
The operation is direct: Swiping left takes you to the next track from the queue, and swiping right returns you to the previous one. This applies whether the MiniPlayer is displayed above the tab bar or collapsed next to it.
The action is accompanied by a haptic feedback touch and a subtle "liquid glass" visual effect that reinforces the sense of change. For those who prefer gestures, it's a handy alternative to the fast-forward/rewind controls on the Now Playing screen.
This subtle but beautiful change to Apple Music on iOS 26.1 pic.twitter.com/VT84zcnswV
—Jay Ai (@thetechvengers) September 23, 2025
Where it integrates into the interface
With iOS 26, the bottom of Apple Music changed: when the tab bar is collapsed, It is in the same row as the MiniPlayer and the search access.Despite the more compact format, the new gesture responds consistently in both views.
In other words, it doesn't matter what state the player is in: Sideslip works the same whether you're browsing your library or have the player partially visible.
How to use it step by step if you have the beta installed
There's no loss: instead of pressing buttons, swipe in the MiniPlayer area to go forward or back in your play queue.
- Open Apple Music and play any song.
- Locate the MiniPlayer at the bottom of the screen.
- Swipe left to skip to the next song.
- Swipe right to return to the previous track.
Availability and schedule
The feature is already being tested in iOS 26.1 beta 1 for developers. It should then reach the public beta and, when Apple considers it stable enough, the final version for compatible devices. As usual, timings may vary, but everything points to a progressive implantation throughout the 26.1 release cycle.
The gesture of skipping songs with a swipe is not new in the sector. Spotify has been offering a similar interaction for some time now., and the arrival of Apple Music reduces friction in everyday actions, especially when using the phone with one hand.
Those who have tried it say that after a few minutes, the gesture becomes almost automatic. In addition to saving taps, it prevents you from constantly opening the Now Playing screen, simplifying tasks like skipping a song or repeating the previous one. The combination of swipe, visual effect, and haptics provides clarity on track changes and helps avoid errors when navigating the app. A seemingly small update that, without fanfare, Press the right key: fast and convenient to manage playback from any corner of Apple Music.