Rolling-back to an earlier version of iOS/iPadOS is not possible. All System Updates are digitally signed by Apple - and can only be installed whilst the digital signatures remain valid. After release of a new iOS/iPadOS version, the digital signatures of the preceding version are revoked within days, preventing reinstallation of the earlier version.
As mentioned by Mac Jim ID, iOS/iPadOS 26.1 introduced a new setting that subtly charges the appearance of Liquid Glass:
Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass - select Clear or Tinted
Sadly, for iPad, this new setting makes very little difference for those that struggle with both the appearance and overlapping screen elements introduced with Liquid Glass - an issue that is often not understood by those that don't have or regularly use an iPad. While iOS for iPhone and iPadOS for iPad are closely related, some features can have substantial differences in how they appear on related devices.
If you are experiencing difficulty with the new Liquid Glass UI, there are other settings that can significantly improve the appearance and suppress the majority of unwanted effects:
- Settings > Accessibility > [Vision] Display & Text Size > Reduce Transparency - set to ON
- Settings > Accessibility > [Vision] Display & Text Size > Increase Contrast - set to ON
- Settings > Accessibility > [Motion] Reduce Motion - set to ON
Each if these settings can be used individually, or in combination. Setting Reduce Transparency alone (1) will likely suppress the majority of your issues. The Reduce Motion setting (3), if used, will eliminate the "lensing" effects of the Liquid Glass UI. Experiment; you should find a combination that works for you.
I suggest that you begin with setting Reduce Transparency to ON - and then, if needed, experiment with additional use of one or more of the other options.
NB: The new Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass setting can only be changed/toggled while Reduce Transparency is set to OFF. You might find that setting Liquid Glass to Clear, prior to enabling Reduced Transparency to ON, may give the best result.
Liquid Glass is here to stay - and will likely evolve throughout the lifespan of iPadOS 26. Hopefully, Apple will provide additional controls with which to selectively eliminate some aspects of the new UI to better meet the functional and visual needs of the wider user population. Liquid Glass is very "pretty" - but for some is arguably form over function, reducing legibility and usability.