The photo gallery interface iOS has long become the standard of convenience for many users. Minimalistic design, intuitive sorting by “Moments”, smart albums and smooth animations - these features make device owners look for analogues. But is it really possible to reproduce the experience Android- devices to look for analogues. But can the experience really be replicated? Apple Photos on smartphones with pure Android or shells like MIUI, One UI?

Spoiler: it will not be possible to completely copy the functionality due to the closed ecosystem Apple, but there are applications that repeat key features by 80-90%. In this article we will look at 7 proven ways - from installing alternative galleries to fine-tuning widgets and synchronizing with iCloud. We’ll also tell you which hidden functions of the iOS gallery can be reproduced on Android without root access.

We tested dozens of applications from Google Play and selected those that are as close as possible to the original. There were three criteria: design, functionality and lack of intrusive advertising. Here are the best options:

  • 📱 Simple Gallery Pro — minimalistic interface with support for “Moments” and hidden folders. There is a paid version without extra cost (~200₽), but the free version is enough for basic use.
  • 🌄 A+ Gallery - copies the style iOS to the smallest detail: similar gestures, album icons and even scrolling animation. The downside is that it sometimes slows down on weak devices.
  • 🔍 F-Stop Gallery — for advanced users. Supports tags, color marks and synchronization with Nextcloud/WebDAV (an alternative iCloud).
  • 🖼️ QuickPic is a lightweight gallery with the "Days" function (analogous to "Moments"). Previously belonged to Cheetah Mobile, but is now cleared of backdoors.
  • 🌐 Memoria Photo Gallery is the only one in the list with support iCloud Photo Library (requires authorization via Apple ID). Ideal if you have Mac or iPad.

Important: none of these applications can completely replace Apple Photos in terms of integration with other services Apple (for example, Shared Albums or Memories) But for everyday viewing and basic photo organization they are enough.

📊 Which iPhone gallery feature do you like best?
Interface and animations
Automatic sorting by "Moments"
Smart albums (people, places)
Integration with iCloud
Other
Application "Moments" Synchronization with iCloud Advertising Rating in Play Market
Simple Gallery Pro ✅ ❌ Available for free 4.7
A+ Gallery ✅ ❌ No 4.5
Memoria ✅ ✅ No 4.3
F-Stop ❌ ✅ (WebDAV) No 4.6
⚠️ Attention: Applications like Memoria require data entry Apple ID. If you use two-factor authentication, you will need to create special password for applications in settings Apple ID (section "Security").

Install the application - half the battle. For the gallery to really look like iOS, you need to configure it correctly. Let's take it as a basis Simple Gallery Pro (the most balanced option) and go through the key points:

  1. Appearance: Go to Settings → Appearance and select a theme Light (there is no dark mode for the gallery) Disable "Show packages". applications" - in iOS there is no dark mode for the gallery). Disable "Show application packages" - in Apple Photos there are none.
  2. "Moments": Enable the option Group by time in the section Albums. This will create automatic groups of photos by dates, as in iOS.
  3. Gestures: In Settings → Management activate "Swipe up for information" and "Double tap to zoom" - exactly This is how the gallery works on iPhone.
  4. Hidden albums: Create a folder named .hidden (with a dot at the beginning) in the root directory of the internal memory All photos moved there will disappear from the main view (analogue. "Hide" functions in iOS).

Install Simple Gallery Pro or A+ Gallery|

Disable display of application packages|

Enable grouping by time ("Moments")|

Customize gestures like on iPhone|

Create a hidden folder.hidden-->

For complete immersion, you can replace the application icon Download the icon pack iOS 17 (for example, iOS 17 Icon Pack from Driftoid) and apply it through the launcher Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher. This way the gallery will look even more authentic.

Synchronization with iCloud: how to transfer photos from iPhone to Android

If you already have photos in iCloud, you can transfer them to Android without losing quality. There are three working methods:

  • 🌐 Through the web version of iCloud: Go to iCloud.com from your phone, log in and download the photos manually. The downside is that it takes a long time if there are no photos. a lot.
  • 📱 Memoria application: Log in through Apple ID and wait for synchronization. Works unstable on some devices Huawei and Xiaomi.
  • 💻 Via PC: Download photos from iCloud for Windows, and then transfer them to Android via cable or via Google Drive.

The most reliable option is the third one:

  1. Install iCloud for Windows on your computer and log in.
  2. In the app settings, check the box Photo and click Apply.
  3. Wait for the photos to load into the folder C:\Users\[Your_name]\Pictures\iCloud Photos.
  4. Connect your smartphone via USB, select the file transfer mode ( Android-smartphone via USB, select file transfer mode (MTP) and copy the photo to the folder DCIM/Camera.
⚠️ Attention: If you use Google Photos for backup, disable the "Delete from device after copying" option in the application settings. Otherwise, photos from iCloud may be automatically deleted after uploading to the cloud. Google.

Widgets and additional features: how to do even more like on the iPhone

Interface iOS is famous not only for its gallery, but also for the "Photo" widget on the main screen. On Android this can also be organized - for this you will need:

  • 📲 Lawnchair Launcher — a launcher with support for adaptive widgets similar to iOS 14+.
  • 🖼️ Widgetsmith (or KWGT)—for creating custom widgets with photos.
  • 🔄 Shortcut Maker —to add a gallery shortcut to the main screen with an icon iOS.

Setting up instructions widget:

  1. Install Lawnchair and select the icon style iOS in the settings.
  2. Add a widget to the main screen KWGT (size 4×2).
  3. In the editor KWGT import the template iOS Photos Widget (can be found on Telegramchannels like @KWGT_Themes).
  4. Bind the widget to a folder with photos (for example, DCIM/Camera).

For For full effect, replace the fonts with San Francisco (font Apple). Download it from the website fontsquirrel.com and install through the app iFont. In the launcher settings, select a new font for the system.

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If the widget is displayed. blurry, check the resolution of the original photos. In iOS, the widget shows thumbnails with a resolution of 1080x1080 pixels - adjust your photos to this size in any graphic editor.

Even the best analogues Apple Photos sometimes glitchy. Here are the problems and ways to solve them:

Problem Cause Solution
Photos are not grouped by “Moments” Incorrect EXIF timestamps Use EXIF Editor to correct dates
Gallery slows down when scrolling Weak processor or many high-resolution photos Disable animations in settings or use A+ Gallery Lite
Does not sync with iCloud Two-factor authentication or regional restrictions Create a special password in settings Apple ID or use VPN
The widget does not update Power saving restrictions Add the widget application to battery exceptions

If the gallery suddenly stops opening, clear its cache in the application settings (Settings → Applications → [Gallery name] → Memory → Clear cache). If this does not help, try reinstalling the app.

⚠️ Attention: On devices Xiaomi, Huawei i Oppo some galleries may not see photos due to the features of MIUI/EMUI. In this case, transfer the photo to the folder DCIM/Camera —it is always available for reading.

Alternative methods: if applications are not suitable

Don’t want to install third-party galleries? There are other options:

  • 🌐 Web version of iCloud Photos: Open iCloud.com/photos in the browser Chrome and add the site to the home screen via "Add to home screen". The result will be something like a PWA application.
  • 📁 Google Photos with filters: Set up automatic sorting by persons/places and use the "By Date" filter - this will partially replace "Moments".
  • 🔧 Custom firmware: On some firmwares like LineageOS or Pixel Experience gallery Google Photos works faster and supports gestures like in iOS.

For those who like experimenting, there is a radical way — installation of the launcher Launcher iOS 17 (available on APKMirror). It completely copies the interface iPhone, including gallery animations. The downside is high battery consumption and possible lags on weak devices.

How to enable hidden albums in Google Photos?

There is no direct analogue of hidden albums Google Photos there is no direct analogue of hidden albums iOS, but you can archive photos:

1. Select the photo → click "More" → "Archive".

2. Archived photos are not displayed in the main stream, but remain in the search.

3. To completely hide, move the photo to a folder .nomedia (will not be displayed in any gallery).

FAQ: answers to frequently asked questions

Is it possible to transfer the "People" and "Places" albums from iCloud to Android?

Partially. Face tags and geotags are stored in photo metadata (EXIF), but they are not automatically recognized by any gallery on Android. You'll have to do it manually:

  1. Export photos from iCloud while preserving the metadata.
  2. Use Google Photo - it recognizes faces and places, but takes into account only new photos (old ones need to be processed manually).

Suitable for accurate transfer of albums Memoria, but it synchronizes metadata for a fee.

Why are photos displayed in the gallery on Android in a different order than on the iPhone?

The problem is in different sorting algorithms. Apple Photos uses shooting time (tag DateTimeOriginal in EXIF), and most Androidgalleries use file modification date. To correct:

  • Use EXIF Tool to bulk correct dates.
  • B Simple Gallery enable sort by Date of shooting in the settings.
How to make the Live Photos effect on Android?

Analog Live Photos called Motion Photos (in Google Camera) or Dynamic Photos (in Samsung). To enable:

  1. Open the camera → settings → find the "Dynamic Photos" or "Motion Photos" option.
  2. The captured photos will be saved with a short video (3 seconds).
  3. To view, use Google Photos or standard gallery.

If your camera does not support this function, install Motion Stills from Google —it will convert the video to a Live Photos-like format.

Is it safe to enter an Apple ID in applications on Android?

There is a risk, but it can be minimized:

  • Use special passwords for applications (generated in settings Apple ID).
  • Enable two-factor authentication.
  • Install only verified applications (for example, Memoria has existed since 2018 and has good reviews).

Avoid typing Apple ID in little-known apps or on sites without HTTPS.

Is it possible to make sure that photos are automatically synchronized between iPhone and Android?

Yes, but not directly. Options:

  1. Cloud services: Upload photos from iPhone to Google Photos/Dropbox, and on Android set up automatic downloads from these services.
  2. Shared Albums: Create a shared album in iCloud and invite your mail Gmail. Photos will be available via the link.
  3. Syncthing: Free P2P solution for synchronizing folders between devices over a local network.

The easiest way is Google Photo with automatic downloading on both devices.

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No solution will provide a 100% copy of the iPhone gallery on Android due to the closedness of the Apple ecosystem. But the combination of Simple Gallery + Memoria + KWGT widgets allows you to reproduce 90% of the functionality and design.