Applies to Windows 8, Windows RT

Photos app for Windows: FAQ

Watch a video about using the Photos app. (To view captions in your language, tap or click the Closed captioning button Closed Captioning button.)

The Photos app lets you view and share your photos and home movies. It displays photos and videos from your PCs and some online accounts and imports them from your camera or phone. You can then share them with friends and family without leaving the app.

Once photos are in your Pictures library, you can crop and rotate them. If you would like to make other edits such as remove redeye or adjust brightness, search the Windows Store on your PC for a photo editing app.

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How do I add photos and videos to the Photos app?

You can add files to your Pictures library, connect to devices where you store photos and videos, and use your Microsoft account to see photos and videos from other services and websites.

To add photos to your Pictures library

The Photos app shows pictures and videos that are included in the Pictures library.

  1. Open File Explorer by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Search (or if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Search), entering File Explorer in the search box, tapping or clicking Apps, and then tapping or clicking File Explorer.

  2. Tap or double-click Pictures to open the Pictures library.

  3. In the Pictures library, tap or click the File menu, then tap or click Open new window.

  4. In the new File Explorer window, browse to the folder that contains your photos, select the ones you want to add to your Pictures library, and drag them into the Pictures library to move them there.

    Note

    Note

    • If you have photos in a folder on your PC and don't want to move them, you can add the folder to the Pictures library. To learn how, see Libraries: How to add or remove a folder.

    • If you have photos and videos on a camera or phone, the Photos app can help you import them. To learn how, see "How do I import photos or videos from my camera or phone?" on this page.

To see photos and videos from another PC using SkyDrive

You can use SkyDrive to see your photos and videos from a remote device (like your home PC if you’re at work).

  1. Install the SkyDrive desktop app on the device.

  2. Sign in with your Microsoft account and follow the steps to configure the device. Then select the Make files on this PC available to me on my other devices check box.

  3. A tile for the device will appear in the Photos app. Tap or click it to view its contents.

Notes

Notes

  • Once you're connected to another device, it might take a few minutes for the photos and videos from that device to show up in the Photos app.

  • Photos and videos from another device will only show up in the Photos app when both the PC you're using and the other device are connected to the Internet.

  • If you didn't select the Make files on this PC available to me on my other devices check box when you installed SkyDrive, you can choose it later by clicking the SkyDrive icon SkyDrive icon in the notification area at the far right of the taskbar, and clicking Settings. On the General tab, under Fetch files, select Make files on this PC available to me on my other devices, and then click OK.

To see photos and videos from other websites and services

You can connect a Microsoft account to see photos and videos from other services and websites in the Photos app. Once you're connected, you won’t have to sign in to each service individually.

  1. Open the Photos app and tap or click the service or website you want to connect to.

  2. Follow the on–screen instructions.

For more info about connecting a Microsoft account, see How to add an account to your Microsoft account.

How do I import photos or videos from my camera or phone?

You can import photos and videos without leaving the Photos app.

  1. Connect a camera, phone, or memory card to your PC.

  2. In the Photos app, swipe up from the bottom edge or down from the top edge, then tap Import.

    (If you're using a mouse, right-click anywhere in the Photos app, then click Import.)

    Note

    Note

    • Import isn't available if you're looking at a single picture in full screen view.

  3. Tap or click the camera or memory card you want to import from.

  4. Swipe down on or right-click each photo or video you want to import to select it.

    Note

    Note

    • If you’ve already imported some photos from this camera or card, the ones you haven’t imported yet will be selected by default.

  5. Enter a name for the folder you want to put the files in and tap or click Import.

  6. When your files are finished importing, tap or click Open folder to see them in the Photos app.

How do I share photos or videos with someone else?

You can use the Share charm to share photos and videos with friends and family directly from the Photos app.

  1. In the Photos app, tap or click a location, service, or website and navigate to the photos or videos you want to share.

    Note

    Note

    • You can share photos from only one location, service, or website at a time.

  2. Swipe down on or right-click each photo or video you want to share to select it.

  3. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Share.
    (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Share.)

  4. Tap or click the app you want to share with, then follow the directions on the screen.

How do I print photos?

  1. In the Photos app, tap or click Pictures library.

    Note

    Note

    • You can only print photos that are stored on the PC you're using.

  2. Find a photo you want to print, and tap or click it to open it in full screen view.

  3. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Devices.
    (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Devices.)

  4. Choose a printer from the list. If you don’t see the printer you want to use, click More.

    Note

    Note

    • If you can't find the printer you want, you can add it. For more info, see Install a printer.

  5. You’ll see a preview of what you're printing, along with the number of copies and the page orientation on the preview pane.

  6. To see what else you can do, tap or click More settings.

    The options you see in the More settings section are made available by the printer manufacturer, so depending on the type of printer you have, your choices might be different.

  7. When you’re happy with the settings, tap or click Print.

Can I customize the Photos app?

Yes, you can change the app background photo and choose which photo appears on the Photos app tile on the Start screen.

To change the app background photo

  1. In the Photos app, browse to the photo you want to use and tap or click it to open it in full screen view.

  2. Swipe down on or right-click the photo, tap or click Set as, and tap or click App background.

    The photo you picked will be the background on the main page of the Photos app.

To change the app tile photo

  1. In the Photos app, browse to the photo you want to use and tap or click it to open it in full screen view.

  2. Swipe down on or right-click the photo, tap or click Set as, and tap or click App tile.

    You'll see the photo you picked on the Photos app tile on the Start screen.

Tip

Tip

  • You can also change your lock screen photo from the Photos app.

    1. Browse to the photo you want to use and tap or click it to open it in full screen view.

    2. Swipe down on or right-click the photo, tap or click Set as, and tap or click Lock screen.

      You'll see the photo you picked on your lock screen whenever you sign in to Windows.