Windows 11 will now have three ways to view your photos, because apparently one wasn’t enough
AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication
Microsoft is dividing the Windows 11 Photos app into two separate tools. The existing app is being renamed Photo Viewer and will handle only single‑image opening and editing, launching automatically from File Explorer or the desktop but no longer appearing in the Start menu. A new Photos app, built on the web‑based OneDrive Photos platform, becomes a Gallery that aggregates pictures from the PC, OneDrive and iCloud, offering date‑based browsing, natural‑language search (Copilot+ only), album creation and shared memories. The split rolled out to Windows Insiders on October 15, 2026 and is now in build 26340.9616. Photo Viewer claims 15 % faster opening (up to 30 % for HEIC), HDR support, SVG handling, a bottom filmstrip, detailed Info panel and a rebuilt editor with Relight and object removal. The Gallery adds cross‑service integration and a unified browsing experience.
💡 Why It Matters
- · By separating quick‑view editing from cloud‑centric organization, Microsoft aims to streamline local photo work while leveraging its OneDrive ecosystem to keep users’ media consistently searchable and shareable across devices.
