Photos app keeps crashing after iOS 26 update on iPhone

I also had this. I am on IOS 26 and an iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Rebooting the phone and killing the photos app didn’t work. The photos app would crash either immediately when opening or soon after.

What was interesting was if I browsed (swiped through one by one) the photos from the ‘Camera’ app (bottom left hand icon), then there was no crashing. As soon as I clicked on the icon to see the whole library within the Photos app - it crashed again.

I worked out what has caused it and fixed it.

last night I experimented with taking RAW 48mb images (around 10), and seem to recall this occurring since.

I accessed them through the camera app (as detailed above), and deleted them one by one.

I opened the Photos app and it has stopped crashing.

My guess is that since the update the app can’t handle displaying high res RAW images as part of a gallery view anymore.

We need a fix Apple (without having to buy a 17!!!)

I tried this as a workaround. I brought up the Camera app and took a picture. I then tapped on the picture (lower left), and swiped past that picture into the pictures that would normally be available in the Photos app. I then closed the Camera app, and brought up the Photos app - it no longer crashed. I have an iPhone Mini 14.

Have you used any flaky 3rd party apps like "cleaners" or virus catchers or the like? Those are known to corrupt Photos Libraries. How about VPN?

Have you tried a forced restart? 

Force restart iPhone - Apple Support

This is different from a simple Power Off. I had to continue holding the button down past the "slide to power off" message, and then I released the button only after  the Apple Logo appeared indicating a re-start. 

ben_intell wrote:

1. From what I’ve noticed, there’s an issue with rebuilding the library. Based on what I checked, it was no longer able to rebuild it after the new update from the 26th.

However, I can say that I’ve fixed the problem, and the Photos app no longer crashes.

Here are the steps I followed:

I copied all the media content (photos and videos) to my laptop. Those using iCloud sync will probably find it easier than transferring everything via cable like I did.

2. I reinstalled the app by completely deleting it first..

Note: Photos in the Hidden album need to be unhidden first in order to be copied locally. Reinstalling the app will delete all content from the Hidden album. To save the photos from the Hidden album, I forced the Photos app to open by repeatedly launching it and quickly switched from Library mode to Collections mode. (From what I noticed, the app doesn’t crash in Collections mode.)

I’m following up with an update. It worked for a few days, but the issue has reappeared. Without a bug fix from Apple, I don’t see how the problem could resolve itself.

VanillaOne wrote: … swiped past that picture into the pictures that would normally be available in the Photos app. I then closed the Camera app, and brought up the Photos app - it no longer crashed.

Far out! This is 14s! It won't hurt to keep looking for some setting that might be an interaction. That accessibility thing had strange effects, for instance.

I hadn't asked about storage, but having less than 10% free storage can cause really weird things to happen. You can check at Settings>General>iPhone Storage.

If you guys live near an Apple Store, you should take it in and convince the geniuses there that this is a real bug. You can leave a report here:

Feedback - Photos - Apple

but in person might get you some attention. Just be sure you have more than 10% free storage, or they'll point to that.

ben_intell wrote: … Please provide a bug fix for the native Photos app so that users are not forced to rely on third-party apps.

You may have misunderstood. People here can't provide you anything except advice. We are not Apple; folks who read these posts are just users like you. Apple engineers don’t read the stuff, here.

If you would like to make suggestions to Apple or report a bug, go here:

Feedback - Photos - Apple

The issue still persists in the Photos app even after updating to iOS 26.0.1.

From my observation, it seems to affect only the iPhone 14 series (14, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max).

The only way I could access my photos was by installing Google Photos.

Please provide a bug fix for the native Photos app so that users are not forced to rely on third-party apps.

So, just yesterday I was just trying to go through my photos and my app just chrashed! So I tried closing it and reopening the app and it ay shown up black. So I repeatedly tried to fix it and I had the idea to restart my phone (looked up on google to see what to do) and I reopened it and it was fine. APPLE FIX THESE ISSUES PLEASE!!!

An unlikely thing-- look in Accessibility to see if you have anything turned on that you can turn off, like "reduce transparency," and so on. Shot in the dark…

From what I’ve noticed, there’s an issue with rebuilding the library. Based on what I checked, it was no longer able to rebuild it after the new update from the 26th.

However, I can say that I’ve fixed the problem, and the Photos app no longer crashes.

Here are the steps I followed:

1. I copied all the media content (photos and videos) to my laptop. Those using iCloud sync will probably find it easier than transferring everything via cable like I did.
2. I reinstalled the app by completely deleting it first..

Note: Photos in the Hidden album need to be unhidden first in order to be copied locally. Reinstalling the app will delete all content from the Hidden album. To save the photos from the Hidden album, I forced the Photos app to open by repeatedly launching it and quickly switched from Library mode to Collections mode. (From what I noticed, the app doesn’t crash in Collections mode.)

I have a 14 Pro Max and have been having the same issue since updating. Tried all of the mentioned fixes and the phone stilm

crashes. It also crashes when opening Synology Photos, so it's something with the photo library for sure.

I am iPhone14Pro and mine is forever crashing every time I open the photo app. No matter what I do, I’m unable to open without it either freezing or crashing completely. Even after the latest 26.0.1 it still hasn’t changed anything.

I have never used any third party cleaning tool either.

Even rebooted phone. Switched off and left for hours. Everything.

I have same issue after updating to iOS26 the photos app keeps crashing. It is annoying. Waiting for the solution!!!

No 3rd party apps. And yes, I have tried a forced restart.

Mine too. iPhone 14. Pro max.

making my photo app unusable completely.

on occasion it will open for around 20 seconds before completely closing the app again. Everyday just hoping for a bug fix