How Apple Is Changing the Way You Find and Enjoy Photos
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During its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple finally revealed what iOS 18 and all the major updates will look like by the end of 2024.
Most iPhone users are happy that iOS 18 is one of the biggest software updates we’ve seen in years. It includes a bunch of new apps, features, and improvements that will change the way we use our iPhones.
However, there are a handful of apps that stand out from the rest, and one of them is the Photos app. Apple went back to the drawing board and completely redesigned the Photos app.
Apple is changing the way we’re using the Photos app on our iPhones, and this is how.
Say Hello to the New Photos App
During this year’s WWDC, Apple Photos was one of the biggest winners of iOS 18. As Apple explained during the keynote presentation, the app was completely changed to feature a more straightforward design.
You’ll find everything in the same place now. Unlike the older Photos app, the new version doesn’t have tabs at the bottom of the screen.
Instead, Apple went for a single screen that shows your photo library if you scroll up and your albums, collections, and memories — which we’ll talk about in just a moment — if you scroll down.
Granted, it might take a while to get used to the new change, especially because many of the tools and settings you’re used to, like manual syncing and the ability to auto-play videos and live photos, are tucked away behind your profile in the top right corner.
Additionally, your Hidden and Recently Deleted albums are also at the bottom of your screen, which might take a while to find if you don’t know what you’re doing. However, it’s also possible to customize this and lay nearly everything out how you want.
That said, the new look and feel are definitely welcome. While you will need to explore the app to find all that’s changed, once you do, you’ll probably love the way the new Photos app looks and feels.
What’s New in Apple Photos?
Besides the new design, Apple also introduced a handful of features to make finding your favorite photos and people way easier.
The original presentation showed a Carousel view that was also found in the first few betas and was pretty simple and effective. When you open Photos, you’ll see your library at the top of the screen, but if you want, you can swipe to the left or right to see other options like your favorites, your videos, and featured photos. However, Apple removed this in beta 5, so it seems likely it rethought this after negative feedback that it was too confusing. It could return in the final iOS 18.0 release or a subsequent update, but we’re not counting on it.
If you scroll down far enough, you’ll find another new change called Collections. This is where you’ll find groups of specific pictures, so it’s easier to find them. For instance, you can find your favorite pictures, your recently saved photos, or your screenshots.
Of course, you can customize it, so you can use it to find your memories, selfies, friends, family, and pets almost instantly. You can find all your favorite photos almost instantly.
There’s also a Memories section, where you can create your own stories with the pictures and videos you take. Once Apple Intelligence is available, your iPhone will make even more compelling stories for you. It will be capable of identifying your pictures and arranging them in a way that feels like a movie.
There are new filter options for finding pictures, so you don’t have to scroll through your library to find what you’re looking for. You can filter your images so you only see your favorites, the photos you edited, videos, or screenshots.
Of course, if that isn’t enough, there’s also a search function at the top of the screen. You can use it to find all the pictures of your partner in Mexico City or the photos you took in “summer 2023.” You can get creative and find pictures you took a few months ago or pictures with a specific person you have saved on your iPhone.
AI Is Coming to the Photos App
Thanks to Apple Intelligence, the Photos app will also allow you to perform even more magical edits to your pictures with just a few taps.
This will be thanks to a new Clean Up tool that can detect all the objects in a picture, so you can tap them and delete them without ruining your photo.
Speaking of AI, Siri will be smarter, too, and it will be able to find pictures and videos you’re looking for. You’ll be able to ask Siri to find all the pictures of your friend in a blue dress, and it will find them. Moreover, you can also ask Siri to find a video you recorded where a specific thing happened — like your friend falling over — and Siri will not only be able to find the video, but it will play the exact moment you’re talking about.
Get Ready for the New Apple Photos
The Photos app is changing, and it will make finding your favorite pictures and moments more straightforward than ever. Thanks to the new design and features, you’ll be able to see your favorite people, your recent photos, and your complete library in seconds.
Additionally, the new filter and search features make it easy to find any picture you have in mind without having to go through the hundreds of pictures, memes, and screenshots stored on your iPhone.
Not only that, but once Apple Intelligence is available on the iPhone 15 Pro models and later iPhones, we’ll be able to clean up our pictures and track down photos and videos based on even more precise details.
Granted, it will take some time to get used to Apple Photos’ new design, but once you do, you probably won’t miss the old Photos app at all.
