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Apple reverts major iOS 18 Photos app change following user outcry
- iOS 18 beta 5 is now available to testers enrolled in Apple’s developer program.
- Due to user outcry, this build retires the Photos app’s Carousel feature, first added in iOS 18 beta 1.
- While this change makes the app less customizable, Photos on iOS 18 beta 5 still offers a modular UI that users can personalize.
When Apple released iOS 18 beta 1, many testers complained about the new Photos application. For those unfamiliar, the system app received a complete redesign that introduces a modular UI. This includes a customizable Carousel feature that lets users swipe horizontally on their media library to access other in-app destinations, such as Memories or the Favorites album. To simplify the Photos app and appease its users, Apple has now retired the Carousel feature through iOS 18 beta 5.
Yesterday, Apple seeded iOS 18 beta 5 to members of its developer program. One of the main highlights of this update is the retirement of the Carousel feature in the Photos app. Once you update to this version, you will no longer be able to swipe right or left on the media library to switch between different views. Despite this change, the Photos app on iOS 18 beta 5 retains its modular UI, allowing users to reorder and hide certain in-app sections — beyond the Carousel itself.
Just like Safari’s new Distraction Control feature, this Photos app tweak is currently unavailable to iPhone 15 Pro users testing Apple Intelligence. Since iOS 18.0 is now one build ahead of iOS 18.1, users on the latter beta channel will have to wait for a future iOS 18.1 update to get their hands on these changes. Meanwhile, stable channel users can expect the final iOS 18.0 version to launch to the general public in around a month.