Last year, with iOS 18, Apple tried to shake up the Photos App by making it more streamlined. They put everything under one view, and for most people, it was a flop. Instead of making it simpler to navigate, it was actually even more tedious to use. It felt like nothing really had its own place, and everything was just on one never-ending page. Apple seemed to have heard us and changed up the look and feel of the Photos App with iOS 26 and I think they nailed it. They took the best parts of the old design, layered in some new looks and features of iOS 26, and now we have the best version of the Photos App that we’ve seen. Here are some of the best features you should know!
Be sure to check out our in-depth walkthrough, which covers everything the Photos app has to offer below:
Now lets get into some of the best features and changes that the iOS 26 Photos App can do.
Simplified navigation
As I mentioned above, the changes Apple made to the Photos app in iOS 18 really overcomplicated an app that is meant to be simple. But they returned to a streamlined and simple layout with two primary tabs: Library and Collections. When you open the app, you are greeted with your photo library in chronological order of most recent photo taken. That is precisely how I want to view my photo library. Then, if you want to get all the rest of the photos app features and categories, there is a tab option on the bottom left that lets you switch between your library and the collections section. The collections section is where you can go to view your memories, pinned photos, albums, utilities, and anything else you need to find in the Photos app.
This layout is much easier to navigate, use, and even experience. It makes much more sense, and there is less friction in finding what you need and want. A little bonus tip: on the bottom right, you have the search button. I encourage you to try it because it has gotten light-years better than before!
Spatial scenes
This one is so fun to use and is probably my favorite new feature in iOS 26 Photos app. I STRONGLY recommend watching our video because it is impossible to show this off in a still image; you need to see it on video. But basically, what this does is add a 3D effect to any image in your photo library that has a subject.
This can be any photo, new or old, from the iPhone or another camera. As long as you see that small hexagonal button on the top right of the picture, you can convert it to a Spatial scene. Once you press that, the image will crop in a bit, pulling the subject forward. When you move your phone around, the background moves with the phone, but the subject stays put. It creates this amazing immersive photo that brings it to life. Best part about this is that it is not an Apple Intelligence exclusive feature. You need to have iOS 26 installed, and it works on an iPhone 12 or newer!
Event recognition
This is one of those features that really baffles you because you get so much information just from one image taken. This works by using all the metadata from an image you took to put together an event recognition experience. For example, I attended an Ed Sheeran concert a year ago at MetLife Stadium. I went and found a blurry photo I had of it (I used the improved search function, typed in Ed Sheeran, and it took me to all the photos of the concert). When I pulled up the photo, a small ticket icon at the bottom showed up, indicating that the iPhone had recognized this. You tap in there, and it knows it is an Ed Sheeran concert because it uses the metadata like location, date, time, and everything else it collects in the back end. Then you can tap in again to get more detailed information like the artist, tour dates, Apple Music songs, and more information on the concert itself. It really is a cool feaeture.
Your experience may vary, right now it has only been working with big time venues, but I am sure as time goes on it will work with more local and smaller events. Regardless, its a fantastic feature and a great proof of concept.
Final thoughts
These are just a few of the best features added to the Photos app with iOS 26. There are a ton of other features that I go over, some new and some old, that have gone under the radar. Photos in iOS 26 is simple again, but also more intelligent and more powerful than ever. And I’ve only scratched the surface. There are a ton more tricks like Live Text, live translations, type to create memory, and more. So be sure to checkout the video here and let me know what you think!
Best Apple deals & accessories