The beta testing for iOS 18.4 is underway, introducing a host of new features and modifications. Among these updates are subtle enhancements to the Photos app, granting users increased versatility and options. Here’s a look at the improvements in iOS 18.4 related to photos.
#1: Updated filtering options
When browsing through a collection of images or videos, you might have noticed an icon featuring two vertical arrows in the lower-left corner of the Photos app.
This arrow icon reveals an array of sort, filter, and viewing choices.
In iOS 18.4, two new features have been added to the Filter menu. You can now filter by:
- Shared With You
- Not in an Album
Filters enhance your ability to locate all photos or videos that match a certain criterion. For instance, you can now filter to exclusively view items that others have shared with you, or those that haven’t been sorted into an album yet.
Moreover, if you tap the Albums button followed by the three-dot icon in the top-right corner, you will also discover new filter options here. These additional features allow you to display only Albums or solely Folders.
#2: New album sorting method
In relation to the Albums screen, iOS 18.4 now offers a fresh way to organize that view.
In addition to the existing options Sort by Name and Sort by Custom Order, a third sorting mechanism has been introduced for your Albums screen:
This new method rearranges your albums and folders, placing the most recently modified ones at the top.
Another noteworthy change to the Albums screen is the renaming of Grid and List to List View and Key Photo. While this alteration does not affect functionality, it appears to add confusion, and it’s unclear why Apple opted for these changes.
#3: Hiding albums for privacy
The Photos app includes a few default albums that some users might prefer to keep hidden for privacy reasons.
Here, I’m not referencing the ‘Hidden’ album, although it does carry its own privacy concerns. Instead, I’m referring to two others:
- Recently Viewed
- Recently Shared
As their names suggest, these albums compile all the photos and videos you’ve recently looked at or shared with someone.
Most users may not mind keeping these albums visible in the Photos app.
However, for those who prefer to hide them for privacy reasons or other purposes, iOS 18.4 introduces a new toggle in Settings to accomplish this.
You can access this toggle by navigating to Settings ⇾ Apps ⇾ Photos ⇾ then scrolling to ‘Show Recently Viewed & Shared.’ This option is located right below the setting to disable the ‘Hidden’ album.
#4: Bulk recovery or deletion of photos
If you’ve ever wished to swiftly and efficiently eliminate all your deleted photos and videos permanently, iOS 18.4 now allows you to do that.
Simply open the Recently Deleted album, and you’ll notice a new trash can icon that will permanently delete all items at once.
Conversely, you can also utilize the new Recover All button if you want to seamlessly restore all deleted items back into your Photos library.
Were any of these updates to the Photos app in iOS 18.4 on your wishlist? What other modifications are you looking forward to? Share your thoughts in the comments.
