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
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