The Photographs app was redesigned in iOS 18, and in iOS 26, Apple has adjusted a few of these unique design modifications and replace the navigation. iOS 26 additionally consists of new 3D picture options and some different helpful updates.
Navigation
In iOS 18, Apple launched a unified Photographs app view that did away with tabs. The Tab bar is again in iOS 26, with buttons to swap between the newly separated Library and Collections sections within the Photographs app.
Apple additionally added a separate Search button that is on the backside of the Photographs app, relocating it from the highest.
The Library view affords an outline of all the pictures and screenshots that you’ve got taken, very like the iOS 17 Photographs app. There’s a bigger Choose button on the prime of the Photographs interface, together with a clearly seen button for accessing filters and think about choices for zooming in, zooming out, and excluding issues like screenshots and Shared With You photographs.
Filters have been obtainable in iOS 18, however the button was hidden until you began scrolling by means of the Photographs Library, which may very well be complicated. The brand new structure makes it simpler to seek out the entire completely different choices within the Photographs app.
Scrolling within the Library View continues to convey up the choices to swap to Years and Months, with buttons for returning to the tab bar or launching a search.
Within the Collections tab, you may see the entire completely different viewing choices that was included within the unified view. Latest Days is on the prime of the app, together with devoted views like Individuals and Pets, Pinned, Recollections, Journeys, Albums, and Featured Photographs.
The devoted view means you possibly can see extra of your Collections on one display. The Media Varieties and Utilities sections underneath Collections have bigger, extra distinct buttons that make it clearer you possibly can swipe or faucet to get to extra choices.
Liquid Glass Design
As with all iOS 26 apps, Photographs has a Liquid Glass redesign. It is one of many apps the place the Liquid Glass look is essentially the most noticeable.
The 2-button tab bar makes use of translucency to point out the pictures which can be behind it, and when it expands into the bigger navigation bar that has choices for months and years, it stays clear. With the extra clear look, focus is on the pictures whereas buttons fade into the background.
The tab bar, the search button, the choose button, and different buttons within the Photographs app have the identical translucency, and use the extra rounded look that Apple adopted this yr.
Spatial Scenes
iOS 26 features a Spatial Scenes function that provides additional depth and realism to any picture. It separates the topic from the background, introducing slight movement while you transfer your cellphone backwards and forwards.
Spatial Scenes works with all pictures, even these which have been in your Picture Library for years.
To make use of Spatial Scenes within the Photographs app, faucet into a picture and faucet on the small hexagon icon on the higher proper facet of the show. As soon as enabled, if you happen to transfer your cellphone, you will note the depth impact.
Spatial Scenes makes use of generative AI so as to add depth to flat photographs, but it surely doesn’t require Apple Intelligence. The function is out there on the iPhone 12 and newer.
Collections Customization
There is a extra noticeable Reorder button within the Collections part, making simpler to see which you can rearrange what you see. You’ll be able to nonetheless seize and drag to reorder, however there is no such thing as a longer an choice to exclude sure kinds of collections.
Collections will be collapsed down till you faucet into them, which is a brand new interface choice. When collapsed, you may solely see the identify of the gathering moderately than a thumbnail preview of what it consists of.
There is a fast entry interface choice on the prime the place you possibly can collapse all collections, present all collections, reorder, or select a special view.
You’ll be able to see collections in a view that makes the highest assortment thumbnails bigger than the others, a view with all bigger thumbnails, or a view with all smaller thumbnails.
Learn Extra
We’ve a devoted iOS 26 roundup that goes into element on the entire new options which can be obtainable within the replace.