What’s new with the new Photos app for Windows 11

Microsoft unveils new Photos app design with better image editing features but without video editing capabilities.

New Photos app for Windows 11
New Photos app for Windows 11
  • Microsoft is once again redesigning its Photos app.
  • The new app offers a new modern interface to match the design language of Windows 11.
  • It has new features to view and edit pictures.
  • The app removes video features since the company wants to push its new Clipchamp app.

Microsoft introduces a new Photos app for Windows 11, and it’s already available for preview for devices enrolled in the Dev Channel of the Windows Insider Program. The app has been completely redesigned with a new modern interface and features.

According to the company, the new Photos app “brings a gorgeous gallery, simplifying browsing, finding, management and consumption of your collection of photos.”

In this first preview, the redesigned Photos offers a new interface that moves the navigation pane to the left side of the screen, where you can access your pictures from OneDrive and folders stored locally. You even have an option to access your favorite images quickly.

Photos app new UI
Photos app new UI

The main interface offers a canvas with controls to sort, filter, and change the size of thumbnail previews (with more options than the legacy app), which now uses rounded corners.

At the top, you will find a search feature similar to the one in the Microsoft Store app. The Settings page has also been redesigned with a new organization, similar to the Windows 11 Settings app.

Photos new Settings UI
Photos new Settings UI

It has an option to make it easier to backup your photos to OneDrive, and you see your usage quota from the service. In addition, it comes with settings to import and manage your photos from external sources such as your phone and camera.

When you open a picture, you still have access to the same editing features as the legacy version of the app, but the image opens in a separate window.

Photos image preview
Photos image preview

Unfortunately, the new Photos app no longer offers video editing capabilities since Microsoft has acquired the Clipchamp app, and it’s now pushing it as their preferred solution for video editing.

The app is gradually rolling out to Insiders, but you can always use the Microsoft Store app to check for updates and download the new Photos version.

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.