After updating your iPhone to iOS 26, you may find that the Photos app has become completely unusable, crashing every time you try to open it. This is a frustrating issue reported by many users, including those in this Apple Community discussion, who find themselves locked out of their photo libraries. The problem is typically caused by software bugs introduced in the new iOS version, a corrupted photo or video file in your library, or issues with device storage.
Why the Photos App Keeps Crashing
The Photos app on your iPhone manages a complex database that includes not just your images and videos, but also metadata like locations, dates, and facial recognition data for the People album. When you perform a major software update, iOS re-indexes this entire library to support new features. This intensive process can sometimes encounter an error or a bug in the new software, leading to instability and crashes. In other cases, a single corrupted media file can cause the app to fail every time it tries to process or display that item.
How to Fix the Photos App Crashing on iOS 26
Follow these troubleshooting steps in order, starting with the simplest solutions, to get the Photos app working again.
1. Force Close the App and Force Restart Your iPhone
This is the quickest way to resolve temporary glitches. Force closing the app clears it from memory, and a force restart provides a more thorough reset than a standard power-off.
- Force Close Photos: Swipe up from the bottom of your screen to open the app switcher. Find the Photos app and swipe its card up and off the screen.
- Force Restart iPhone: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Then, press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo.
2. Update to the Latest iOS Version
The crashing is likely a known bug in the initial release of iOS 26. Apple often releases follow-up patches (like iOS 26.0.1) to fix such widespread issues.
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
- If a new update is available, tap Download and Install.
3. Free Up iPhone Storage
The Photos app requires a healthy amount of free storage to manage its database, create caches, and process images. If your iPhone is nearly full, the app can become unstable.
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
- Review the storage recommendations and delete any large, unnecessary apps or files. As a general rule, try to keep at least 10% of your total storage free.
4. Identify a Potentially Corrupt Photo or Video
If the crashes started after you saved or imported a new media file, that file might be corrupted.
- Think about the last photo or video you saved before the crashes began. Was it from a specific app, a website, or an AirDrop transfer?
- If you use iCloud Photos, log in to iCloud.com on a computer. Locate the recent file and try deleting it from there.
- After deleting it, check the Recently Deleted album on iCloud.com and permanently delete it from there as well.
5. Reset All Settings
This step can fix underlying software conflicts without deleting your personal data like photos, apps, or messages. It resets system settings like Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, and privacy settings to their defaults.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Reset > Reset All Settings.
- Your iPhone will restart. You will need to reconnect to your Wi-Fi network and adjust your settings again.
6. Back Up and Restore Your iPhone
This is the last resort for fixing persistent software corruption. This process will erase your device, so ensure you have a recent backup first.
- Back up your iPhone: Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now. Alternatively, connect your iPhone to a computer and back it up using Finder or iTunes.
- Erase your iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone and tap Erase All Content and Settings.
- Restore from backup: Follow the on-screen setup instructions. When prompted, choose to restore from your iCloud or computer backup.
If none of these solutions work, contact Apple Support.
