Microsoft is rolling out a major redesign of the Windows 11 Photos app to Windows Insiders, combining photos and videos stored locally, in OneDrive and in iCloud in one gallery. The update also introduces AI-assisted editing, natural-language image search and performance improvements across the editor and viewer.
The revised gallery supports chronological browsing, albums, favorites and searches for people appearing in images. Users can also look up photos with descriptive requests such as “sunset on the beach.” OneDrive users gain a Moments feature that creates themed collections and seasonal recaps, while locally stored images remain available offline without signing in to OneDrive.
Microsoft has rebuilt the editor with WinUI 3 and says it launches 25% faster. Its tools are grouped into four areas: Crop, Enhance, Repair and Stylize.
- AI object removal can erase unwanted elements from an image.
- Relight can adjust lighting using up to three virtual light sources.
- Crop includes aspect ratios intended for social-media posts.
- The editor retains HDR information and can edit and save HEIC and WebP files in their original formats.
The dedicated image viewer is also said to start 15% faster on average, with HEIC images seeing gains of up to 30%. Microsoft is adding smoother navigation, SVG support, improved HDR playback and an information panel with camera data, a histogram and location details when available.
The redesigned Photos experience is currently being distributed to Windows Insiders. Microsoft has said it will subsequently reach Windows 11 through a public update, but a broader release date has not been confirmed.
