Last year, with iOS 18, Apple tried to change the Photos app by making it simpler. They brought everything under one point of view, and for most people, it was a failure. Instead of making it easier to navigate, it was actually more difficult to use. It felt like nothing had its own place, and everything was just one never-ending page. It seems that Apple heard us and changed the look and feel of the Photos app with iOS 26 and I think they succeeded in doing so. They took the best parts of the old design, added some new looks and features to iOS 26, and now we have the best version of the Photos app we’ve seen. Here are some of the best features you should know about!
Be sure to check out our in-depth guide, covering everything the Photos app has to offer, below:
Now let’s learn about 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 actually complicated an app that was supposed to be simple. But they’ve gone back to a streamlined, minimalist design with two primary tabs: Library and Collections. When you open the app, you’re greeted with your photo library arranged chronologically with the most recently taken photos. This is exactly how I want my photo library to display. Next, if you want to have all the features and categories of the Photos app, there’s a tab option at 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 experiment with. It makes more sense, and there’s less friction in finding what you need and want. A little extra tip: At the bottom right, you have a search button. I encourage you to try it because it’s light years better than before!
Spatial scenes
This feature is very fun to use and is probably my favorite new feature in the iOS 26 Photos app. I highly recommend viewing our website video Because it is impossible to show this in a still picture; You need to see it on video. But basically, what this does is add a 3D effect to any photo in your photo library that has a subject.
This can be any photo, new or old, from your iPhone or other camera. As long as you see that little hex button at the top right of the image, you can turn it into a spatial scene. Once you press that, the image will be cropped slightly, pulling the subject forward. When you move your phone, the wallpaper moves with the phone, but the subject stays in place. It creates this amazing immersive image that brings it to life. The best part is that it’s not a feature exclusive to Apple Intelligence. You must have iOS 26 installed, running on iPhone 12 or later!
Identify the event
This is one of those features that really confuses you because you get so much information just from one photo taken. This works by using all the metadata from the photo you took to piece 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 (I used the improved search function, typed in Ed Sheeran, and it took me to all the concert photos). When I dragged the photo, a small ticket icon appeared at the bottom, indicating that the iPhone had recognized it. You click there, and you know it’s an Ed Sheeran concert because it uses metadata like location, date, time, and everything else it collects on the back end. Then, you can tap again to get more detailed information like the artist, tour dates, Apple Music songs, and more information about the concert itself. It’s really a great feature.
Your experience may vary. Right now, the feature only works for larger venues, but I’m sure it will work for more local and smaller events over time. Regardless, it’s a cool 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 plenty of other features I’ve reviewed, some new and some old, that have been overlooked. Photos in iOS 26 are simple again, but they’re also smarter and more powerful than ever. And I’ve only scratched the surface. There are a lot of tricks like Live Text, live translations, writing to create memory, and more. So be sure to watch the video here and let me know what you think!
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