iOS 26 Photos App: Everything That's Changed

[Mac Fly (film)]

wtf 😂
You can still view the photos just fine lol

Many people hated the Photos app in iOS 18. She wasn’t fond of it at all, found the default photo gallery better on Android. There were other aspects, like the inability to silence text sounds without silencing the ringer too—she’s a doctor and wanted this. Android doesn’t have this problem. And she liked how Android has several volume toggles right there you can interact with easily. I’m sure there was more, but those are some reasons she preferred to stick to Android. As an iPhone user, I agree with her criticisms. I sent feedback.

 

[Ipadonly1]

The Photos app was redesigned in iOS 18, and in iOS 26, Apple has adjusted some of those original design changes and update the navigation. iOS 26 also includes new 3D image features and a few other useful updates.

Navigation

In iOS 18, Apple introduced a unified Photos app view that did away with tabs. The Tab bar is back in iOS 26, with buttons to swap between the newly separated Library and Collections sections in the Photos app.

Apple also added a separate Search button that's at the bottom of the Photos app, relocating it from the top.

The Library view offers an overview of all the images and screenshots that you've taken, much like the iOS 17 Photos app. There is a larger Select button at the top of the Photos interface, along with a clearly visible button for accessing filters and view options for zooming in, zooming out, and excluding things like screenshots and Shared With You images.

Filters were available in iOS 18, but the button was hidden unless you started scrolling through the Photos Library, which could be confusing. The new layout makes it easier to find all of the different options in the Photos app.

Scrolling in the Library View continues to bring up the options to swap to Years and Months, with buttons for returning to the tab bar or launching a search.

In the Collections tab, you'll see all of the different viewing options that used to be included in the unified view. Recent Days is at the top of the app, along with dedicated views like People and Pets, Pinned, Memories, Trips, Albums, and Featured Photos.

The dedicated view means you can see more of your Collections on one screen. The Media Types and Utilities sections under Collections have larger, more distinct buttons that make it clearer you can swipe or tap to get to more options.

Liquid Glass Design

As with all iOS 26 apps, Photos has a Liquid Glass redesign. It's one of the apps where the Liquid Glass look is the most noticeable.

The two-button tab bar uses translucency to show the photos that are behind it, and when it expands into the larger navigation bar that has options for months and years, it remains clear. With the more transparent look, focus is on the photos while buttons fade into the background.

The tab bar, the search button, the select button, and other buttons in the Photos app have the same translucency, and use the more rounded look that Apple adopted this year.

Spatial Scenes

iOS 26 includes a Spatial Scenes feature that adds extra depth and realism to any image. It separates the subject from the background, introducing slight motion when you move your phone back and forth.

Spatial Scenes works with all photos, even those that have been in your Photo Library for years.

To use Spatial Scenes in the Photos app, tap into an image and tap on the small hexagon icon on the upper right side of the display. Once enabled, if you move your phone, you will see the depth effect.

Spatial Scenes uses generative AI to add depth to flat images, but it does not require Apple Intelligence. The feature is available on the iPhone 12 and newer.
Collections Customization

There's a more noticeable Reorder button in the Collections section, making easier to see that you can rearrange what you see. You can still grab and drag to reorder, but there is no longer an option to exclude certain types of collections.

Collections can be collapsed down until you tap into them, which is a new interface option. When collapsed, you'll only see the name of the collection rather than a thumbnail preview of what it includes.

There's a quick access interface option at the top where you can collapse all collections, show all collections, reorder, or choose a different view.

You can see collections in a view that makes the top collection thumbnails larger than the others, a view with all larger thumbnails, or a view with all smaller thumbnails.

Read More

We have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup that goes into detail on all of the new features that are available in the update.

Article Link: iOS 26 Photos App: Everything That's Changed

"You can still grab and drag to reorder, but there is no longer an option to exclude certain types of collections."

and until I can organise my collections as I wish, this app still isn't fixed

 

[paulcons]

Not one word about Photomator? So they will continue to have 2 separate apps that do pretty much exactly the same thing (except better editing tools in Photomator). What is the plan, assuming there is one...

 

[sos47]

the search function in iOS 18 is the worst. what a mess

 

[applegoogle]

Still no way to separate out the photos and videos saved from Safari or some other app and just view photos taken from phone’s camera?

 

[sunman42]

The Photos app was redesigned in iOS 18, and in iOS 26, Apple has adjusted some of those original design changes and update the navigation. iOS 26 also includes new 3D image features and a few other useful updates.

Navigation

In iOS 18, Apple introduced a unified Photos app view that did away with tabs. The Tab bar is back in iOS 26, with buttons to swap between the newly separated Library and Collections sections in the Photos app.

Apple also added a separate Search button that's at the bottom of the Photos app, relocating it from the top.

The Library view offers an overview of all the images and screenshots that you've taken, much like the iOS 17 Photos app. There is a larger Select button at the top of the Photos interface, along with a clearly visible button for accessing filters and view options for zooming in, zooming out, and excluding things like screenshots and Shared With You images.

Filters were available in iOS 18, but the button was hidden unless you started scrolling through the Photos Library, which could be confusing. The new layout makes it easier to find all of the different options in the Photos app.

Scrolling in the Library View continues to bring up the options to swap to Years and Months, with buttons for returning to the tab bar or launching a search.

In the Collections tab, you'll see all of the different viewing options that used to be included in the unified view. Recent Days is at the top of the app, along with dedicated views like People and Pets, Pinned, Memories, Trips, Albums, and Featured Photos.

The dedicated view means you can see more of your Collections on one screen. The Media Types and Utilities sections under Collections have larger, more distinct buttons that make it clearer you can swipe or tap to get to more options.

Liquid Glass Design

As with all iOS 26 apps, Photos has a Liquid Glass redesign. It's one of the apps where the Liquid Glass look is the most noticeable.

The two-button tab bar uses translucency to show the photos that are behind it, and when it expands into the larger navigation bar that has options for months and years, it remains clear. With the more transparent look, focus is on the photos while buttons fade into the background.

The tab bar, the search button, the select button, and other buttons in the Photos app have the same translucency, and use the more rounded look that Apple adopted this year.

Spatial Scenes

iOS 26 includes a Spatial Scenes feature that adds extra depth and realism to any image. It separates the subject from the background, introducing slight motion when you move your phone back and forth.

Spatial Scenes works with all photos, even those that have been in your Photo Library for years.

To use Spatial Scenes in the Photos app, tap into an image and tap on the small hexagon icon on the upper right side of the display. Once enabled, if you move your phone, you will see the depth effect.

Spatial Scenes uses generative AI to add depth to flat images, but it does not require Apple Intelligence. The feature is available on the iPhone 12 and newer.
Collections Customization

There's a more noticeable Reorder button in the Collections section, making easier to see that you can rearrange what you see. You can still grab and drag to reorder, but there is no longer an option to exclude certain types of collections.

Collections can be collapsed down until you tap into them, which is a new interface option. When collapsed, you'll only see the name of the collection rather than a thumbnail preview of what it includes.

There's a quick access interface option at the top where you can collapse all collections, show all collections, reorder, or choose a different view.

You can see collections in a view that makes the top collection thumbnails larger than the others, a view with all larger thumbnails, or a view with all smaller thumbnails.

Read More

We have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup that goes into detail on all of the new features that are available in the update.

Article Link: iOS 26 Photos App: Everything That's Changed

Whatever else Liquid Glass may or may not be good for, that icon is just terrible.

 

[LightProtector]

Many people hated the Photos app in iOS 18. She wasn’t fond of it at all, found the default photo gallery better on Android. There were other aspects, like the inability to silence text sounds without silencing the ringer too—she’s a doctor and wanted this. Android doesn’t have this problem. And she liked how Android has several volume toggles right there you can interact with easily. I’m sure there was more, but those are some reasons she preferred to stick to Android. As an iPhone user, I agree with her criticisms. I sent feedback.

I agree with your points. I just think the Photos app hate is blown out of proportion. It's not that bad and iOS 26 basically is the best of both worlds now.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

I agree with your points. I just think the Photos app hate is blown out of proportion. It's not that bad and iOS 26 basically is the best of both worlds now.

I prefer iOS 17 Photos to iOS 26 and 18. Many reasons, but to list a couple, when you scroll to the bottom to see your most recent photos, that’s where it should tell you how many photos and videos you have, not tiny in the upper top-left corner, and there should be a gap between the bottom toolbar and your photos (some visual breathing room), they shouldn’t be crammed together like they are.

Having the two buttons on the bottom left with a gap with the search button separate makes no sense and look silly. Apple doesn't even have to innovate, they already had this idea before in Music on iPhone years ago: give the bottom toolbar four or five buttons and make the toolbar customisable so people can change the buttons to the ones they prefer, like on macOS.

Collections view is a UX mess.

Often I find Photos app has paused sync and sticks an amber dot on my account pic to indicate this. If it doesn’t sync, then put the sync button right there at the bottom, not hidden on my profile page behind the ambiguous amber dot. There are certainly reasons to not like this app, it needs work. My friend said the photo gallery app on Android is nicer, she didn’t need to suffer Apple’s sudden design quirks with this app when she had something she was happy with.

The Camera app, they simplified and made it more usable, Photos they changed it with iOS 18 making it worse, and now it’s a bit less worse. There is opportunities to make it better, but Apple are mostly not listening to what users want in a Photos app on the phone and thinking they can outsmart us. Spoiler: they are only outsmarting themselves.

A user customisable bottom toolbar, and a more clear and utilitarian interface (as opposed to minimal and lacking) would go a long way to improving the Photos app. And many basic features, like the ones people use most often, require too many taps.

 

[dburkhanaev]

I’m surprised they eliminated the option to exclude certain types of Collections.
The ability to collapse Collections is nice, but there are some I’d still rather exclude just to reduce clutter.

This^^

Some of these are made redundant by other collections, albums, or filters. Most of them are space wasting.

 

[dburkhanaev]

This^^

Some of these are made redundant by other collections, albums, or filters. Most of them are space wasting.

I filed a feedback ticket for this.

Maybe if we submit a lot of these with similar language, it’ll hit the radar.