Hello Windows Insiders,
Today we are beginning to roll out a Microsoft Photos app update to Windows Insiders on Windows 11 across all Insider Channels and then to Windows Insiders on Windows 10 in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. Not all Insiders will see this update right away or the features noted below as we roll things out to more Insiders over time. Here are some highlights of what is new and improved.
Access and view iCloud photos on Windows 10
We’re bringing the ability to sync and view iCloud photos to users on Windows 10. To access your iCloud photos, go to the
Install iCloud for Windows and view iCloud photos directly into the Photos app.
Windows App SDK and WinUI3 on Windows 10
Back in April, we updated the Photos app on Windows 11 to use the new Windows App SDK platform, leveraging the platform’s modern UI and other quality and performance optimizations. In our continued effort to create consistent, performant experiences across all app versions, we’re also bringing this platform upgrade to the Photos app on Windows 10.
All current features and functionality in the Photos app will remain available in this new version.
Gallery navigation update
We’ve updated the navigation panel in the Gallery to improve usability and ease of finding your local and cloud content.
The
To view photos synced from your cloud providers, click on the
In the
Updated navigation panel in Photo Gallery.
Image search with Bing
In the Viewer, you can search your images online with our new Visual Search with Bing feature. Simply click on the Visual Search with Bing icon located at the bottom of the image (also available through the right-click dropdown menu). This will open the search results in Bing including similar images, related products, and other related content.
Visual Search with Bing button at the bottom of the Viewer.
Search results shown in Bing via Microsoft Edge.
Other fixes and improvements
We added an option to run the Photos app in the background with minimal processes, to improve the app startup speed. If you do not want Photos running in the background, you can turn off the
You can now quickly edit an image in File Explorer or on the desktop, by right-clicking on the image and selecting the
To get these new features, update your app to version 2024.11080.30001.0 or higher. This update is currently rolling out, so it may not be available right away. As always, we love getting your feedback so please share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Apps > Photos.
Please visit the Microsoft Photos September 2024 update begins rolling out to Windows Insiders | Windows Insider Blog to view updates to the original announcement.