Where is "Favorite" in iPhone Photos app in iOS 18?

I hate what the recent update did with the photos. I’m unable to locate my Favorites folder. The photos are a mess! I can’t find any of the photos I need! Apple, what have you done?! Please put the photos back to the way they were before. Is it possible to uninstall the recent update?

coby210 wrote:

The iOS 18 photo layout is a big step backwards. Ive had the update for months and I still can’t navigate it effectively. Why would my favorites be so difficult to find? The old way was so much easier.

As I already posted several times in the thread that you apparently did not read before adding to it, If you take a few minutes to learn about the significant improvements in the Photos app you might see that it is a change for the better→Customize the Photos app on iPhone - Apple Support. I certainly find it highly configurable, and much easier to use. It did take about 5 minutes to learn, however.

usernametaken21 wrote:

And how do you do that if you can’t find the photos?

Nonsequitur. Moving the Favorites folder to a different location has nothing to do with finding photos.

I have no trouble finding any or all of my 2,500 photos.

Why not put it as an option in the “customize and reorder” section so I can put it where it’s useful. This way I don’t have to go “digging” just to find it.

Apple seriously didn’t think this through.

Pardon me for disliking Apple's "placement" of the Favorite photos. Let me rephrase this so that you can understand the simplicity that I am trying to convey.

I want to be able to place it where I want it. Not in some section that I have to dig through just to find it. It was fine where it was. I didn't have to take these EXTRA time-consuming steps to find a favorite photo that I want to send or just to browse through my photo's. I LOVE the ability to "favorite" a photo and have it in its own group without having to go through a whole process of putting it in a folder with extra steps just to view it.

So once again Apple DID NOT seriously think this through. If I wanted an Android and the digging I would buy an Android.

Awb123 wrote:

I want to be able to place it where I want it. Not in some section that I have to dig through just to find it. It was fine where it was. I didn't have to take these EXTRA time-consuming steps to find a favorite photo that I want to send or just to browse through my photo's. I LOVE the ability to "favorite" a photo and have it in its own group without having to go through a whole process of putting it in a folder with extra steps just to view it.

Tell Apple:

Product Feedback - Apple

Awb123 wrote:

Pardon me for disliking Apple's "placement" of the Favorite photos. Let me rephrase this so that you can understand the simplicity that I am trying to convey.

I want to be able to place it where I want it.

You mean like this, where it is the first thing I see when I open the app:

This is the worst update I've ever seen . I like simple clean lines and the new photos app is seriously giving me anxiety . Why change something that worked perfectly before . This is a crowded ugly mess. I don't want my entire library to pop up when I open photos . I liked my

clean little square boxes . Terrible terrible idea . And favorites is the album I share the most. Tell me how is having to search for it everytime is helping .

[Edited by Moderator]

Well, you could read the instructions already posted that explain how to organize the Photos app. Here is an example of what I see when I open the Photos app, because I did read the instructions and moved things to where I wanted them:

I have 2 friends who finally updated to IOS 18 and they have no albums remaining! So once again I am still avoiding the update. I have watched several training videos and know how to customize once I have the app but still no one has reassured me that my albums will transfer the way I have them organized now. None of my friends have many albums like I do so not help for me. I have over 300 and have not found anyone with that many.

How can you like a re design thot causes so many issues? I have to now decide what to do with my photos as I may have to give up on my iPhone which I love. But my photos are very important and I won’t update until someone answers my question that are in the same situation as me. I have found no one who has as many albums as I do and organized like I do.

Foxfire64 wrote:

How can you like a re design thot causes so many issues? I have to now decide what to do with my photos as I may have to give up on my iPhone which I love. But my photos are very important and I won’t update until someone answers my question that are in the same situation as me. I have found no one who has as many albums as I do and organized like I do.

You will find it enlightening to read a few pages of the thread you added to without first checking. On this page alone you will find solutions, and even learn why this Photo app is a significant improvement over the old one.

I absolutely HATE this new photos layout. Why did they have to change it??? It’s so confusing and I can’t find my favorite photos? I liked the old layout way more. Stop changing things that don’t need it Apple 🙄

Lawrence let me see if I can “dumb it down” for you. I want the ability to place it wherever I want. Was that simple enough?

I have reorganized/reordered as in your screenshot. I’d prefer it simple and not have to dig to just put it in some resemblance of where I desire it. There are other folders I would really like to place after “favorites”.

Some of us tend to like things to be simple as we’ve become accustomed to with Apple products.

The only product in my home that isn’t Apple is 1-Bose speaker & a PC. I have a PC because I grew up with PC’s and in my work as a civil servant.

I have Apple TV, iPad Pro 12.9, Watch Ultra 2, iPhone 16 Pro, 3-home pod mini’s along with one of the first iPods and iPhone 5. I’ve had numerous versions of iPhones & iPads. I’m quite used to Apple changing things and improving them.

Also your attitude and downgrading of other users in this thread is deplorable. You would be much better received if you would adjust your attitude toward those trying to understand their products. They may not be as tech savvy as you. You talk down to them and it seems you don’t like assisting them. I see your need to be wanted and useful but your attitude overshadows the good you can bring.

Bfuller1154 wrote:

Thank you simIANdisco. I hate this new update too. Apple please change this back so we can find our favorites etc albums.

There are 10 pages of posts in the thread that you just added to; about half of them provide easy ways to customize your Photos app easily access Favorites and to put Favorites wherever you want it. So it might be worth your while to actually read a thread before adding to it.