By
Delia
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update
January 7, 2022
Windows 11 Photos app gets a revamp
Previously Microsoft had introduced a new Photos app for Windows 11 that included some design tweaks and new features, but the photo editing experience was largely unchanged from the Windows 10 version. Now, there's a completely different interface starting to roll out. You'll see the changes immediately when you click the Edit button. The crop tool is no longer displayed on the side, instead you can rotate the picture using the controls below the picture, and the ability to flip the picture vertically has been added as well compared to before when you could only flip the photo horizontally.
The crop controls have also been enhanced to some extent. Now, when selecting an aspect ratio for cropping, you can immediately select either horizontal or vertical orientation. Previously a general aspect ratio had to be selected, and then a separate button was used to select whether landscape or portrait was desired. In addition, when adjusting the cropping area, you can now see the exact resolution to which the image is cropped.
Another change is that if trying to edit a transparent image can will see the typical checkered background to indicate that the background is transparent, it is important to note that this only happens when editing images.
The Windows 11 Photo Editor update also includes changes on the Adjustments tab. All controls are now displayed by default, so there is no need to expand any menu options. However, the Clarity slider seems to have been removed. Features such as red-eye removal and speckle repair are also no longer available, and hopefully this lack of functionality will be addressed in a future update. Meanwhile, the "Filters" tab has some new filters with new names to make the role of each filter a little clearer.
How to get the new Photos app
If you haven't received the update for the Photos app, check the Microsoft Store to see if the update is available.
Microsoft has also recently started rolling out a major update to the Notepad app to Insiders in the Beta channel. The update, which debuted in the Dev Channel a month ago, includes a new dark mode and other UI changes to match the design language of Windows 11.