iOS 27: Everything new in Apple Photos with AI editing tools

Apple has officially announced iOS 27, introducing major upgrades across its entire ecosystem with a primary focus on Siri AI and Apple Intelligence. Alongside system-wide enhancements, Apple’s native Photos app received a significant array of new features designed to improve editing, organization, and media sharing. Users can now enjoy advanced AI capabilities directly within their photo library.

• Three new Apple Intelligence editing tools: Extend, Reframe, and an upgraded Clean Up feature.
• Two new utility collections: Captured by Me and Identity Documents for finding reference files.
• Keyword support for photos, custom slideshow tools, and one-tap video export options.

Apple Intelligence Editing Tools

The standout additions to the Photos app in iOS 27 are powered by Apple Intelligence, offering three powerful editing features. Extend allows users to give their subjects more breathing room, straighten crooked horizons without cropping important details, and fill in missing pieces when altering aspect ratios. Meanwhile, Reframe uses advanced spatial models derived from Apple Vision Pro technology to let users adjust composition after capture.

Additionally, the Clean Up feature has received a major upgrade, enabling users to remove distractions with higher quality and more realistic infill, even in complex scenes. These tools empower users to achieve professional-grade photo editing results directly on their devices without needing third-party software. The processing is fast, seamless, and deeply integrated into the system.

New Collections and Organization Tools

Organization is a key focus in iOS 27, bringing welcome improvements to help users manage large photo libraries. Apple has introduced two new collections under the Utilities section. Captured by Me exclusively filters photos taken by you, removing screenshots and downloaded images from others. Identity Documents automatically scans your library to surface important reference documents like driver's licenses and passports.

Furthermore, the app now allows users to add custom keywords to photos alongside traditional captions. By scrolling up on any photo, users can easily find the new 'Add Keywords' option at the bottom. This enhancement makes manual searching through extensive media libraries much faster and more efficient.

Slideshow Improvements and Shared Albums

For years, Apple Photos offered quick slideshow creation without customization options, but iOS 27 changes that. Users can now fully customize auto-generated slideshows by changing transition types, setting custom lengths for the overall presentation and individual photos, and more. Another welcome addition allows users to save any slideshow as a video with a single tap.

iCloud Shared Albums also received their first major upgrades in years, timed perfectly for Apple's new HomeView product ecosystem. While the app retains the familiar visual design introduced in previous major releases, the depth of functional updates makes iOS 27 a milestone release for mobile photography enthusiasts.

What This Means for Users and Developers

For iPhone users worldwide, iOS 27 elevates mobile photography by bridging the gap between casual snapshots and professional edits. The automated document recognition and advanced search capabilities streamline everyday workflows, saving valuable time. For developers and tech enthusiasts, these updates showcase Apple's continued commitment to practical, on-device AI integration.