macOS 27 adds AI editing tools and shared album upgrades to Photos app

Apple's macOS 27 Golden Gate brings a suite of updates to the Photos app, focusing on AI-assisted editing, sharing, and organization rather than a visual redesign. A new Tools pane, powered by Apple Intelligence on compatible Macs, adds a fast-mode cleanup for minor blemishes, a high-quality mode for complex edits, an Extend tool that expands image edges, and Spatial Reframing that creates a 3-D view of scenes and fills gaps when the perspective is altered.

iCloud Shared Albums now support full-resolution sharing of all common photo and video formats and allow participants using Android or Windows devices to join and contribute via iCloud.com. Users can save all album photos to their personal library with a single click, and albums can be set to expire after 30 days.

The app also restores more control over slideshows, letting users select photos and videos, adjust duration, transitions, and music, and export the result as a video file. A new "Captured by Me" collection aggregates images taken with the Camera app across devices, while optional one-to-five-star ratings provide an additional way to filter and organize the library.

Performance enhancements include the ability to prioritize iCloud Photos syncing for faster uploads of new media and a rebuilt search index that updates continuously across Spotlight, Photos, and Mail. Together, these changes aim to improve how users edit, share, organize, and locate their photos on macOS.