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Microsoft Photos App vs OneDrive Photos: Features Comparison
Question details
Users want to understand the differences between the Windows Photos app and OneDrive Photos to determine which service offers the most functionality for editing, organization, metadata, and AI features.
- Product
- Windows Photos and OneDrive
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Comparing tools for photo editing, cloud synchronization, and metadata organization.
- Observed behavior
- Users need clarification on whether to use the native Windows Photos app or OneDrive for specific tasks like local editing, AI enhancements, and applying people or location tags.
Ensure you are signed into your Microsoft account on your Windows device to seamlessly access both your local picture folders and your synced OneDrive cloud files.
Use Windows Photos App for Advanced Photo Editing
The native Windows Photos app is the best choice for rich local editing, offering tools like cropping, filters, video editing, and modern AI features.
The Windows Photos app provides a comprehensive set of local editing tools that go far beyond basic viewing. It is continuously updated to include powerful AI features, such as Generative Erase and background editing, especially on modern Windows 10 and 11 devices.
Double-click a picture file on your computer to open it in the native Windows Photos app.
Click the 'Edit image' button (usually represented by an icon with a picture and pencil) at the top of the screen.
Use the tabs at the top to crop, adjust lighting, apply filters, or use AI tools like Generative Erase to remove unwanted objects.
Once satisfied, click 'Save as copy' to preserve the original, or 'Save' to overwrite the current file.
Use OneDrive Photos for Cloud Storage and Metadata
OneDrive Photos excels at cloud organization, cross-device synchronization, and generating automatic metadata tags like People and Locations.
Download the Photos Legacy App for Classic Tagging
If you miss the manual 'People' tagging feature that was removed from the current Windows Photos app, you can restore it using the Photos Legacy app.
Boost Your Productivity with WPS Office
While Windows Photos and OneDrive handle your media, managing your documents, spreadsheets, and presentations requires a robust office suite. WPS Office is a lightweight, fully compatible, and free alternative to Microsoft Office that includes built-in cloud syncing and basic image handling within documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I find the People tagging feature in the Windows Photos app?
Microsoft removed the local People tagging feature in the latest version of the Windows Photos app. To use this specific feature on your desktop, you need to download the 'Photos Legacy' app from the Microsoft Store.
Can I edit photos directly within OneDrive?
OneDrive offers very basic image adjustments through its web interface, but it lacks advanced editing tools. For cropping, applying filters, or using AI features like Generative Erase, you should use the native Windows Photos app.
Do edits made in the Windows Photos app sync to OneDrive automatically?
Yes, if the picture you are editing is saved in a folder that is actively synchronized with OneDrive (like your PC's Pictures folder if PC Folder Backup is enabled), any changes you save in the Photos app will automatically sync to your cloud storage.
Can I view all OneDrive metadata tags in the desktop Photos app?
Not completely. While the desktop Photos app integrates with OneDrive to display your cloud pictures, some of the advanced automatically assigned metadata (like specific AI-driven location data or People tags) might only be fully visible or searchable via the OneDrive web interface.
