Microsoft has updated Microsoft Photos for Windows 11 in the Windows Insider program. The image editor will now be based on the OneDrive editor, as BleepingComputer reports.

Microsoft migrates the program from UWP (Universal Windows Platform) to the Windows App SDK. This migration allows the program to use more web technologies.

According to Microsoft, switching to the OneDrive editor opens up a number of new opportunities:

  • Support for WebGL to improve image rendering quality
  • Improved performance when sharing high-quality images between your computer and network.
  • Supports the latest version of Chromium, which contains the latest security enhancements and updates.
  • Optimize the performance of the AI service that requires sending pixel buffers from the web editor to the native AI application.

After the update, you may notice that Microsoft Photos now uses more resources when editing images. This is because the app needs to call the Microsoft Edge WebView API.

The program has also undergone some changes in the interface. Now, actions such as Share and Start Slideshow will be located on the main screen. Previously, these options were hidden in the menu.

Microsoft Photo

Users will now be able to zoom in and out of photos from 10% to 800% of the original size using a new slider. You can also now see the size and dimensions of photos at the bottom of the screen.

Another important change is the ability to choose when to synchronize photos and videos from mobile devices, which gives you more control over the import process.

The update is already available to insiders through the Windows Insider program.