Windows 11 is set to launch on October 5 And as part of Microsoft's overhaul of its operating system, the Photos app included with Windows will also receive its own update

Some changes to Microsoft's Photos app will qualify as cosmetic - Microsoft hopes that the Windows 11 app will reflect the overall look of the upcoming software update - but introducing new tools to the app Windows 11 There are several new features detailed by Microsoft in a blog post

Here are the major changes to the redesigned Photos app in Windows 11 and what they mean for Microsoft's photo organization software More details about Windows 11 will also be announced at Microsoft's Surface event on Wednesday, September 22

Windows 11 will allow users to compare photos side-by-side This is especially useful if you are trying to figure out which photos to use for a particular project or if you are downsizing your photo library to keep only your best shots

The new multi-view of photos is enabled by selecting an image from the filmstrip of all photos that appears at the bottom of the app screen This filmstrip feature is part of the interface that will give Photos a facelift in Windows 11

Multi-View is part of the overall changes to the way Photos is displayed in Windows 11 The Photos app can now display images edge-to-edge, and the photo editing features are accessible from an updated toolbar Speaking of which

According to Microsoft, the Photos toolbar has been updated to provide quick access to editing features such as cropping, rotating, and touching up images The toolbar also allows users to view metadata for specific photos, select a heart to designate a favorite, and mark up using the mouse and pen (The latter feature works on supported Windows 11 devices)

The toolbar is also where you can quickly jump to third-party photo apps that offer something you can't get with Windows 11's photo features, Microsoft, blog about the changes made by Windows 11, specifically citing apps such as Adobe Photoshop Elements, Affinity Photo, Corel PaintShop Pro, and Picsart

Given the interface overhaul in other parts of Windows 11, it is not surprising that the photo apps will follow suit Expect rounded corners and the Mica design language found throughout Windows 11 to make its way into this photo organizer app as well

But there are several other changes, and I'm not just talking about the updated typography styles and themed color palettes that Microsoft says it includes There is also the aforementioned film strip at the bottom of the screen that contains thumbnails of all the photos You can use this strip to select images and view them end-to-end or in the aforementioned multi-view If you want to see the entire photo, you can deactivate both the filmstrip and the toolbar

As with the rest of Windows 11, the updated photos are available to Windows Insider Program participants as part of the Windows 11 beta All others will have to wait until the full version is released on October 5 Microsoft is hosting an event this Wednesday (September 22) that will likely focus on Windows hardware, and details of Windows 11 are expected to be part of that showcase