MS Photos Gets a Cleaner Look and Faster Performance

MS has streamlined the Photos app for Windows Insiders in the Experimental channel, introducing a cleaner interface with a decluttered top toolbar and an optimized, faster context menu. These changes bring the app closer to the simplicity of the legacy Photos app, improving usability and performance.

Eliminating Toolbar Clutter

In previous iterations, MS progressively added features to the top toolbar, such as Designer, Clipchamp, and OneDrive shortcuts, which cluttered the interface of what was primarily an image viewer. Standard actions like edit, print, and share were overshadowed by these distractions. The updated Photos app now focuses on essentials: Edit, Rotate, Delete, Print, Share, an overflow menu, and Open with. The unnecessary elements have been completely removed.

Refined Context Menu

The right-click menu has also undergone a significant overhaul. Previously, options like “Edit with Designer,” “Create a video with MS Clipchamp,” and “Visual search with Bing” were mixed with core functionalities, making navigation cumbersome. These promotional entries have been removed, leaving a concise list of necessary actions: Save as, Open with, Copy as path, Resize image, Set as, Show filmstrip, and Start slideshow. The menu now opens almost instantly, thanks to its simplified structure.

Performance Improvements

Beyond visual and functional refinements, the Photos app has seen notable performance enhancements. Actions like opening and zooming into photos feel significantly quicker. According to MS, this is due to reduced background processes, meaning the app is no longer bogged down by unnecessary tasks. These improvements align with what users have long desired from the app.

Additional Changes in the Photos App Update

MS also introduced several smaller updates to the Photos app:

• Designer’s AI editing tools are still available, but they are now integrated within the app instead of being a constant presence on the toolbar.
• File information and the “Open with” option are more streamlined, improving usability and reducing distractions.

The Problematic Introduction of Photos (Preview)

In contrast to these positive changes, MS has released “Photos (Preview),” a separate app that appears in the Start menu. This new app includes sections like Gallery, People, Albums, and Favorites, mimicking the OneDrive Photos app. However, it auto-installs without user consent and operates as a WebView2-based app, which is less efficient than native apps.

Testing in Task Manager reveals that Photos (Preview) runs as a WebView2 process, indicating that it is not a true native application. This is perplexing, given MS’s simultaneous efforts to streamline Windows 11 apps and remove unnecessary elements. The decision to ship a secondary photo viewer with redundant functionality undermines the progress made with the primary Photos app.

MS’s Debloating Efforts: A Step Forward, But Not Without Missteps

Most of the changes to Photos reflect a promising trend for Windows 11. For example, MS has already removed the Copilot button from the Snipping Tool entirely and renamed Notepad’s AI tools to make them less intrusive. These adjustments align with user feedback and improve app efficiency.

However, the introduction of Photos (Preview) contradicts this progress. Users don’t need another WebView2 app consuming system resources unnecessarily. Instead, MS should focus on optimizing inbox apps to deliver fast, lightweight, and efficient tools, reminiscent of the Windows 7 era.

MS is actively seeking feedback on Photos (Preview), so there’s hope that it may be refined, integrated into the main Photos app, or discarded altogether. Until then, the company’s commitment to reducing bloat and improving app performance remains critical for Windows 11’s long-term success.

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