What Is OneDrive Photos? Microsoft Quietly Adds App to Windows 11

Microsoft has quietly pushed a new app to Windows 11 devices, OneDrive Photos, which offers a way to organize, edit, back up, and view photos.

It was first spotted by Windows Latest , which found it in the Windows Search menu with no notification from Microsoft. Two PCMag writers have also found the app on their devices.

If you have OneDrive Photos, you'll find it in your computer's app list, with a small "New" icon next to it. When you boot it up, another icon in the top-left corner indicates the software is in beta.

This is an odd choice by Microsoft, given that Windows 11 devices already come with a Photos app that integrates directly with OneDrive. The dedicated OneDrive app also offers similar functionality to view your backed-up images, albeit alongside other file types.

Much of what OneDrive Photos does appears similar to Microsoft's other tools, but in a well-designed, dedicated location. The app works even if you're not signed in; you can view images stored on your computer, but it recommends signing in to OneDrive for full functionality.

You need to allow albums or photos to be hosted on OneDrive Photos; an Add a folderbutton in the top right lets you select specific locations. You'll then see a OneDrive sign-in icon on the left to access full features, such as backing up images and accessing photos from the cloud.

Other features include Gallery to browse your images and Moments, which suggests older photos for you to look at around anniversaries or on themes, similar to Memories on Apple Photos or Google Photos. Other tabs include Albums and Favorites to help you with organizing.

There's also a People tab that uses facial recognition tech to group images of the same person. Microsoft's warning says, "only you can see your photos grouped by faces," and notes that you can delete facial tracking data at any time by turning the feature off through OneDrive's settings.

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