Latest news with #PhotosApp
TechCrunch
6 hours ago
- TechCrunch
Apple brings back tabs to the Photos app in iOS 26
After a number of complaints about the Photos app redesign in iOS 18, Apple is tweaking the look and feel of the app in its new OS release, now branded as iOS 26. The change was briefly mentioned Monday during the keynote at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 25); Apple noted it was bringing back a tabbed interface to Photos, though it won't look the same as before. 'Many of you missed using tabs in the Photos app,' said Craig Federighi, Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering — which is as close as Apple will ever get to admitting it made a mistake with the app's overhaul last year. 'Photos now features separate tabs for Library and for Collections,' he added, while demoing the update. In Collections, you'll find your favorites, your albums, and can search across your library. Apple Meanwhile, the Library tab makes it easier to scroll through recent photos — a user interface many people clearly prefer. The changes to Photos in iOS 18 led to some backlash, as it centralized every way you could interact with and organize your photos on a single page. Some developers even capitalized on the backlash, offering third-party photo apps that promised to bring back the old user interface for a fee. Also in the iOS 26 update, the Photos app is able to transform your 2D photos into 3D spatial photos. This feature can be found on the iPhone's updated Lock Screen and is inspired by Apple's Vision Pro spatial computing headset. Techcrunch event Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW Related to Photos, the iPhone and iPad's Camera app was updated to make it easier to find its many features. The app now showcases the two capture modes you use most on the main screen: photo and video. To reveal additional modes, you can swipe your finger left or right. Here, you can switch to things like Portrait Mode, Cinematic Mode, and others. To access other settings — like the flash, timer, aperture, and more — you'll now swipe up from the bottom of the screen. You can also change formats with a tap, which is helpful for switching between HD and 4K resolution or adjusting the frame rate on video.
CNET
8 hours ago
- CNET
Thank You, Apple, for Fixing Your iPhone Photos App Mistakes
Complaining works! Apple is bringing back some of its menu to the iPhone Photos app, the company announced on Monday at WWDC 2025. This is fantastic news for all of us who absolutely hated the previous design change that hid our Photos folders and albums from immediate view. This is the new look, in Apple's new design style called Liquid Glass. Apple/Screenshot by CNET The change was announced as part of iOS 26 later this year. (Yeah, it's called iOS 26 now, not iOS 19!) In iOS 18, Apple redesigned its Photos app to make it a more seamless scroll kind of situation, highlighting its automatically curated People & Pets collections at the expense of hiding all our folders down at the very bottom. Many people were upset about this, including several of CNET's mobile experts. As someone with thousands of photos, I hated having to dig through every outtake and random screenshot to find what I wanted. Scrolling to the bottom of the Photos app to find my folders isn't a long or arduous task, but it's irritating -- very much Apple trying to fix something I didn't really see as broken. And Apple knows we've been mad about this. Alan Dye, Apple's vice president of human interface, said "Many of you missed using tabs in the Photos app. Photos now features separate tabs for library and for collections, where you'll find your favorites, your albums and easy access to search." Sadly, we're not going to see the return of the full menu, which featured more options right when you launched the app. In the preview Apple teased, only two options pop up when you open the app: library and collections. But the changes feature Apple's new design style called Liquid Glass, and a big part of the design is expandable and collapsable menus from smaller, clear and rounded icons. So it's possible we can expand the menu from those collections tabs and see other folders and albums; we'll have to wait and see for sure with the release of iOS 26. The Photos app announcement is one of many the company is making today at WWDC. You can check out all the updates in our live coverage here.
CNET
02-06-2025
- General
- CNET
How I Fixed 3 iOS 18 Features That Bugged Me
WWDC is just days away and as a loyal iPhone user, I am totally stoked about a couple of things. However, rumor has it that we may not see iOS 19 revealed. With that being said, there are a few new iOS 18 settings that I definitely can do without. As someone who thoroughly reads phone manuals, I consider myself an expert in how to make phones work the way you want them to. The latest iOS 18 updates have many things I can appreciate but there are three features I really wish Apple fixed. However, until they do, here's what I did and you can too. Especially if these three iOS 18 features bother you as much as they do me. For more, check out the nine hidden iOS 18 features you should definitely know about. Now Playing: iOS 19 Changes Apple Needs to Make 03:56 Get rid of all the clutter from the Photos app on iOS 18 OK, I'll straight out say it, I really don't like the overhaul that Apple has given the Photos app on iOS 18. I understand what it's going for but it feels awfully cluttered by default. I don't want my main camera roll constantly reminding me of vacations or suggestions for wallpapers with photos and videos I'm not looking for. Fortunately, Apple does give you the option to customize the Photos app to your heart's desire. When you open the Photos app for the first time, you'll see a grid of all your photos and videos, which is the library view you're used to, but at the bottom, you'll notice the navigation bar is gone, and instead replaced with collections for photos and videos you've taken recently and have of friends, family and pets. This is what the camera roll looks like now on iOS 18. Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET If you swipe down, you'll continue to see random collections and albums, like pinned collections, shared albums, memories, trips, featured photos and wallpaper suggestions, all of which used to live in the Albums and For You tabs. Now they're all in one place on iOS 18, which is the main view. While that may be useful to some, I don't need to see all of it at once. I just want to see my camera roll and some albums. To customize the Photos app, swipe all the way down to the bottom and tap Customize and Reorder. Here you can uncheck any collections you wish to hide from the main view. You can also organize the order in which they appear. I don't want wallpaper suggestions and most of the other options so I unchecked everything but Media Types (organizes your media into videos, live photos, etc.) and Utilities (albums for hidden, recently deleted, receipts, documents and so on). You can remove or keep as many collections and albums as you like but, for me, the less the better. Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET Of course, you'll no longer be able to see the collections that Apple has created for you and several other albums as well. But if you don't use them, you're better off this way because you can still find any photo or video you want by going through your camera roll or using the search button at the top. This is what my camera roll looks like after I removed all the clutter. Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET Remove all the new Control Center pages on iOS 18 I use the Control Center all the time -- to quickly connect to Wi-FI, enable Do Not Disturb, turn on dark mode or low battery mode and discover new songs with the music recognition control. However, with iOS 18, Apple expanded how the Control Center is designed and it now has multiple pages of controls, some premade and others you can create yourself. The things is, I don't need multiple Control Center pages -- I just need the one. I don't want the clutter of multiple pages because I can fit all the controls I need on a single page. But that's not the only issue. I also find that when I now try to swipe out of the Control Center, I end up accidentally scrolling through the Control Center pages, and so I get stuck ... and annoyed. Above you can see the normal Control Center (left) and the new pages (middle and right). Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET As luck has it, there's an easy way to get the Control Center to look like it used to, with only a single page. In the Control Center, which you can access by swiping down from the top-right of your screen, swipe up to access the additional pages and press your finger down on any blank part of the page. This will highlight the control -- hit the remove control button (-) at the top-left to get rid of the control and the page. Do this for any other extra Control Center pages you have, until you only have the main Control Center. Once you remove the extra Control Center pages, you'll no longer see the page icons on the center-left. Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET Now when you try to swipe out from the Control Center, you'll no longer get stuck in the other pages. Instead, you'll be able to easily exit like before. Stop accidentally triggering Siri on iOS The big AI upgrade to Siri came with the release of iOS 18.2. Instead of the Siri orb that you're used to, the edges of your iPhone screen will now glow with various colors when the assistant is listening to you. It's a welcome design change but one aspect of the new ChatGPT-powered Siri keeps annoying me. If you double tap at the bottom center of your iPhone, the Type to Siri feature appears. This allows you to type, instead of speak, to Siri, bringing up a keyboard at the bottom of your screen. It's a useful feature if you're in a situation where you need to be discreet but I always seem to enable the feature by accident, especially when I'm tapping or swiping around my phone. There is a way to disable Type to Siri though, without completely disabling the assistant. In Settings, go to Apple Intelligence & Siri > Talk & Type to Siri and toggle off Type to Siri. Siri still won't get full AI capabilities for a little while. Nelson Aguilar/CNET For more, check out how to cut through muddy movie dialogue with this new iOS 18 audio feature.
The Verge
20-05-2025
- The Verge
Microsoft is putting AI actions into the Windows File Explorer
Microsoft is starting to integrate AI shortcuts, or what it calls AI actions, into the File Explorer in Windows 11. These shortcuts let you right-click on a file and quickly get to Windows AI features like blurring the background of a photo, erasing objects, or even summarizing content from Office files. Four image actions are currently being tested in the latest Dev Channel builds of Windows 11, including Bing visual search to find similar images on the web, the blur background and erase objects features found in the Photos app, and the remove background option in Paint. Image: Microsoft Microsoft is also planning to test similar AI actions for Office files soon, enabling you to summarize documents stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, or quickly create AI-generated lists from files. These Office AI actions will be limited to Microsoft 365 commercial subscribers with a Copilot license, and consumer support is 'coming later.' It's not clear if these AI actions can be disabled in the context menu, but they also join an 'Ask Copilot' option that Microsoft added to the right-click menu of the File Explorer recently. Alongside the AI-powered shortcuts in File Explorer, Microsoft is also testing some visual changes to the widgets feature in Windows 11, 'with a more organized, personalized, and engaging feed,' according to the Windows Insider team. 'In addition, we are introducing Copilot-curated stories into the feed.' This latest Dev Channel build also includes a new 'User Interaction-Aware CPU Power Management' feature, which Microsoft describes as an OS-level change to reduce power consumption on laptops and tablets. 'After a period of inactivity on your PC, Windows now conserves power by automatically applying efficient power management policies,' says the Windows Insider team. 'This happens seamlessly to save energy while you're inactive, with full performance instantly restored the moment you get back to it.'
Geeky Gadgets
12-05-2025
- Geeky Gadgets
iPhone Photo Editing: Removing Unwanted Elements (People, Objects, Animals)
Capturing the perfect iPhone photo can be a rewarding experience, but it's not uncommon to find your image disrupted by an unwanted person, object, or animal. Apple's Cleanup tool provides a practical and efficient solution to this issue. Powered by advanced Apple Intelligence, this feature enables you to edit your photos with precision and ease. The video below from Daniel About Tech will walk you through how to use the Cleanup tool, its compatibility requirements, and its additional features to help you make the most of this innovative technology. Watch this video on YouTube. How to Use the Cleanup Tool The Cleanup tool is designed to simplify photo editing while delivering professional-quality results. Integrated directly into the Photos app on your iPhone, it uses Apple Intelligence to detect and remove unwanted elements from your images. Here's how you can use it effectively: Open the Photos app and select the image you want to edit. Tap the Edit button and choose the Cleanup tool from the available options. Allow the tool to automatically identify removable elements such as people, objects, or animals. For greater control, you can manually refine the edits. Use the drawing feature to highlight specific areas of the photo that require adjustment. This is particularly useful for intricate images where automatic detection may not capture every detail. If you're not satisfied with the results, the reset option allows you to undo changes or start over, making sure flexibility and precision in your edits. Compatibility and Apple Intelligence Requirements The Cleanup tool's functionality is powered by Apple Intelligence, a sophisticated technology that enables the detection and seamless removal of unwanted elements. However, to use this feature, your iPhone must meet specific hardware and software requirements. Here's what you need to know: Ensure your iPhone supports Apple Intelligence by allowing it in the 'Apple Intelligence and Siri' section of your device's settings. The Cleanup tool is compatible with the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the iPhone 16 series, including the iPhone 16e. If you own an older iPhone model, you may need to upgrade your device to access this feature. Verifying your device's compatibility before attempting to use the Cleanup tool is essential to avoid potential frustration. This ensures a smooth editing experience and allows you to take full advantage of the tool's capabilities. Additional Features of the Cleanup Tool The Cleanup tool offers more than just basic editing functionality. It integrates seamlessly with other Apple Intelligence features to enhance your photo editing experience. Here are some of its standout capabilities: Voice Command Integration: The Cleanup tool works with Siri, allowing you to make certain photo adjustments using voice commands. This hands-free option is particularly useful for multitasking or when you need quick edits. The Cleanup tool works with Siri, allowing you to make certain photo adjustments using voice commands. This hands-free option is particularly useful for multitasking or when you need quick edits. Natural-Looking Edits: The AI-powered technology ensures that any changes blend seamlessly with the rest of the image. Whether you're removing a photobomber or an unwanted background object, the results appear smooth and professional. The AI-powered technology ensures that any changes blend seamlessly with the rest of the image. Whether you're removing a photobomber or an unwanted background object, the results appear smooth and professional. Precision Editing: For users seeking advanced control, the manual adjustment options allow you to fine-tune edits, making sure that even the smallest details are addressed. These features make the Cleanup tool a versatile and powerful option for a wide range of users, from casual photographers to those with more advanced editing needs. Maximizing Your Photo Editing Potential Apple's Cleanup tool provides a reliable and efficient way to enhance your photos by removing unwanted elements. By combining the power of Apple Intelligence with manual adjustment options, it offers a user-friendly yet precise editing experience. Making sure your iPhone meets the compatibility requirements is a crucial first step to unlocking the full potential of this feature. Once set up, the Cleanup tool enables you to achieve professional-quality results with minimal effort. Whether you're a photography enthusiast or simply looking to perfect your snapshots, this tool delivers a seamless editing experience that enhances the overall quality of your images. With its intuitive design and advanced capabilities, the Cleanup tool is an invaluable addition to your photo editing toolkit. Here are more guides from our previous articles and guides related to iPhone photo editing that you may find helpful. Source & Image Credit: Daniel About Tech Filed Under: Apple, Apple iPhone, Guides Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
