{"id":200519,"date":"2026-10-13T13:37:04","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T17:37:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/midatlanticconsulting.com\/blog\/?p=200519"},"modified":"2026-10-13T13:37:04","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T17:37:04","slug":"iphone-photos-app-features-to-quickly-find-and-filter-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/midatlanticconsulting.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/iphone-photos-app-features-to-quickly-find-and-filter-media\/","title":{"rendered":"iPhone Photos app features to quickly find and filter media"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this guide, we walk you through features that make it easier to quickly find the right photo or video on your iPhone or iPad. Most of these also work on Mac.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Filters <\/p>\n

Note that the first few tips below are only available on iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate.<\/p>\n

Enable star rating<\/h2>\n

\"Star <\/p>\n

Just as you can rate movies and Uber rides with 1 to 5 stars, the updated Photos app on iOS 27 and macOS 27 lets you rate your pictures and videos with stars.<\/p>\n

Once you have done that to a few photos, you can use this rating system as a filter to see just those images that are marked 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 stars. You can also select multiple star ratings (like all media with 5 and 4 stars) to filter your library and quickly find what you’re looking for.<\/p>\n

I mark some of my best photos as 5 stars so I can find them quickly. Similarly, I mark screenshots I only need to reference for a short while (like payment screenshots) with 1 star, then periodically delete them all.<\/p>\n

You can decide what works best for you and use this star rating feature accordingly<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Use photo keywords<\/h2>\n

\"Keywords <\/p>\n

Another lesser-known new feature in iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 Photos app is the ‘Add Keyword’ option, which you can access by swiping up on a picture or video.<\/p>\n

Add the desired keywords to a photo and then you can find it quickly by entering the keyword in the Photos app search bar. You can add multiple keywords to a single photo. You can even mark some keywords as favorites<\/a> and then filter your entire photo library based on your selected favorite keyword(s).<\/p>\n

Add title or captions<\/h2>\n

\"Photo <\/p>\n

Similar to keywords, you can swipe up on a photo or video and add a title or caption. When you need to find this photo, simply type the caption in the search bar to see it instantly in the results.<\/p>\n

Use the filter option<\/h2>\n

\"iOS <\/p>\n

This is powerful, but not many people use it.<\/p>\n

In the Library<\/strong> tab of your Photos app, tap the three-line icon<\/strong> at the top to find a bunch of useful options. Start with the Filter<\/strong> section that lets you see:<\/p>\n