Microsoft redesigns Photos app. What the new interface looks like and what features are going away

Microsoft revamped the Photos app last year as well, trying to make it fit better with the Windows 11 style and aesthetic. The new version sent out for testing to the Windows Insiders user group comes with a new interface design and other improvements.

By far the most impactful new feature is the gallery view display mode, providing a much more pleasant experience when viewing photo collections. Basically, instead of relying on File Explorer, you’ll be able to see your photo directories organized in a much more efficient and aesthetically pleasing way.

It’s worth noting how the gallery view display groups images with different aspect ratios into a collage without empty spaces, using the full display space available on the screen. At the same time, it is reasonable to believe that loading and scrolling these collages will be faster than in File Explorer, especially helping devices with limited CPU and RAM resources. Developed to simplify browsing, finding and managing photo collections, the gallery view mode will thus be the centerpiece of the new Photos experience.

Other improvements are being made to the Memories feature, but exact details were not specified in the Microsoft blog post.

There is a downside, however, as the new Photos version permanently drops the video editing feature included with the previous version of the app. Instead, users are encouraged to use Clipchamp, the video-editing app Microsoft acquired last year and already integrated with its latest operating system release, Windows 11 2022 Update.