Customize Photos App on iPhone with iOS 18

iOS 18 brings the biggest redesign to the Photos app since its debut, putting customization front and center. You can now control what appears on the main screen, reorder or hide sections, create custom collections, and tweak how memories and widgets behave. This guide walks you through every customization option step by step, so you can make Photos work the way you do.

What You’ll Need

• An iPhone running iOS 18 or later (check Settings > General > About > iOS Version)
• Your Apple ID signed in (for iCloud Photos sync, optional but recommended)
• A few minutes to explore the new layout

Step-by-Step

1. Open the Photos App and Understand the New Layout

Tap the Photos icon on your Home Screen. You’ll see a unified grid at the top (your library) and a customizable grid of sections below. Swipe down to reveal the full library, or scroll down to see the new “Collections” area.

2. Customize the Bottom Toolbar

At the very bottom, you’ll find a toolbar with buttons like Library, For You, Albums, and Search. In iOS 18, you can reorder or hide these:

1. Scroll to the very bottom of the main Photos screen.
2. Tap the “Customize & Reorder” button (looks like a slider icon).
3. Drag the handle (☰) next to each item to change order.
4. Tap the minus (–) button to remove an item from the toolbar.
5. Tap “Done” to save.

You can also add items like “Media Types” or “Utilities” back by tapping the green plus (+) in the same screen.

3. Reorder or Hide Sections in the Main Grid

The main grid below your library is composed of sections like “Recent Days,” “People & Pets,” “Memories,” and “Pinned Collections.” To change what appears:

1. Scroll down to the bottom of the main Photos screen.
2. Tap “Customize & Reorder” again.
3. You’ll see a list of all sections. Drag the handle to reorder them.
4. Tap the minus (–) to hide a section entirely.
5. Tap the green plus (+) to add back sections that were hidden.
6. Tap “Done” when finished.

4. Create and Pin Custom Collections

Collections are user-created groups that appear as sections. To make one:

1. Scroll down to the “Pinned Collections” section (or any section area).
2. Tap the “Edit” button (or the plus icon) in the top-right of that section.
3. Tap “New Collection.”
4. Give it a name, like “Vacation 2024” or “Portraits.”
5. Tap “Add Photos” and select the images you want (you can pick from your library, albums, or use smart filters).
6. Tap “Done.” Your new collection now appears as a section.

To pin a collection (so it stays at the top), tap the pin icon next to its name in the edit screen.

5. Filter Your Library by Media Type

In the top-left of the library grid, tap the filter icon (three horizontal lines with circles). You can choose to view only Photos, only Videos, or both. You can also filter by Favorites, Edited, or Recently Saved. Tap “Done” to apply.

6. Change How Memories Are Generated

iOS 18 creates Memories automatically, but you can influence them:

1. Open a Memory (scroll to the “Memories” section and tap one).
2. Tap the screen to show controls, then tap the “Edit” button (pencil icon).
3. You can change the title, add or remove photos, choose a different music track, and adjust the mood.
4. To stop certain people or dates from appearing in Memories, go to Settings > Photos > Memories and tap “Featured People” to manage.

7. Customize the Widget

Add a Photos widget to your Home Screen for quick access:

1. Press and hold on your Home Screen until icons jiggle.
2. Tap the “+” in the top-left corner.
3. Search for “Photos” and choose a widget size.
4. Tap “Add Widget,” then drag it to your preferred spot.
5. Press the Home button or swipe up to exit edit mode.

In iOS 18, you can long-press the widget and choose “Edit Widget” to select which album or collection it shows.

8. Use the New “Utilities” Section

Scroll to the bottom of the main Photos screen to find “Utilities.” This includes items like Duplicates, Hidden, Recently Deleted, and Imports. You can customize which utilities appear by tapping “Customize & Reorder” and toggling them.

Common Mistakes

• Hiding the wrong section: When you tap the minus (–) on a section, it disappears from the main grid. To get it back, you must use “Customize & Reorder” and tap the green plus. Many users panic and think they deleted their photos—you didn’t, only the section view is hidden.
• Expecting the toolbar to stay the same: The bottom toolbar is fully customizable; if you remove “Search,” you’ll need to scroll to the top and pull down to search, which confuses some people.
• Forgetting to tap “Done”: Changes only apply after you tap “Done.” If you just swipe away, your edits are lost.
• Over-filtering: Applying a filter (e.g., only Videos) and then forgetting about it can make your library appear empty. Check the filter icon to clear it.

Tips

• Use Smart Collections: When creating a collection, you can use filters like “Date,” “People,” or “Camera” to auto-populate it. This keeps it up to date without manual adding.
• Pin your most-used sections: If you constantly look at “Favorites” or a specific album, pin it so it appears right below your library grid.
• Combine with Focus modes: You can set a different Photos widget per Focus (e.g., a work focus shows a specific album).
• Use the search bar: Even if you hide the Search button from the toolbar, you can still swipe down from the top of the Photos screen to access search.
• Reset if needed: If you mess up the layout, go to Settings > Photos and scroll down to “Reset Customized Layout” to restore the default.

Troubleshooting

Changes not saving: Make sure you tap “Done” after customizing. If the app crashes before you tap Done, your changes won’t stick. Restart the Photos app (swipe up from the bottom and close it) and try again.

Sections missing: If a section like “People & Pets” is gone, it might be hidden. Go to Customize & Reorder and check if it’s in the “Hidden” list. If it’s not there, it might be because you have no people identified in your library—the section only appears when there are faces to show.

Widget shows “No Photos”: The widget might be pointing to an empty album. Long-press the widget, choose “Edit Widget,” and select a different album or collection.

Photos app is slow after update: This is normal as iOS reindexes your library. Give it a few hours on Wi-Fi and plugged in. If it persists, restart your iPhone.

Can’t find the Customize button: The “Customize & Reorder” button only appears when you scroll to the very bottom of the main Photos grid. If you don’t see it, update to the latest iOS 18 version (Settings > General > Software Update).

Frequently Asked Questions

Will customizing the Photos app delete my photos?

No. Customization only changes how sections and buttons are displayed. Your actual photos and albums remain untouched.

Can I restore the original Photos layout?

Yes. Go to Settings > Photos and tap “Reset Customized Layout.” This returns all sections and the toolbar to their default order.

Why don’t I see the “Customize & Reorder” button?

Make sure you’re running iOS 18 or later. If you are, scroll down to the very bottom of the main Photos screen—the button is there. If it’s still missing, restart your iPhone.

Can I hide the “For You” section completely?

Yes. Use “Customize & Reorder,” find “For You” in the list, and tap the minus (–) to hide it. You can always add it back later.

How do I make a collection that updates automatically?

When creating a collection, choose “Smart Collection” and set rules like “Include photos from the last 30 days” or “Include photos of a specific person.” The collection will then update automatically.

Does customizing Photos sync across my devices?

Yes, if you have iCloud Photos enabled, your layout preferences sync to your other devices running iOS 18 (or iPadOS 18) as long as you’re signed into the same Apple ID.

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