The photo gallery on iPhone is famous for its minimalistic design, convenient sorting by moments and smooth animation. Owners Android smartphones often wonder: is it possible to reproduce the same experience on their system? The answer is yes, but with nuances. Unlike iOSwhere the gallery is rigidly integrated into the system, Android offers flexibility: from replacing a standard application to fine-tuning an existing one.
In this article we will look at 5 proven methods bring the gallery closer to the iPhone one: from installing alternative applications to hidden functions of standard shells ( Android to the iPhone: from installing alternative applications to hidden functions of standard shells (Samsung Gallery, Google Photos, Mi Gallery). You will learn how to set up automatic sorting by dates, add the “Live Photos” effect (analog Live Photos), and even imitate scrolling gestures from iOS 17. And also why some functions are fundamentally impossible to repeat without root access.
Spoiler: there is no perfect copy, but a combination of the right tools will give 90% of the desired result. Let's start with the simplest thing - choosing an application.
1. The best gallery apps for Android with iPhone design
Standard galleries on Android (for example, Google Photos or Samsung Gallery) are often overloaded with functions: cloud albums, an editor with memjiks, recommendations for “memories”. In iOS the emphasis is on minimalism and speed —and this can be reproduced.
Here are the top 3 applications that are as close as possible to the iPhone experience:
- 📱 Simple Gallery Pro - minimalistic interface with gesture support (swipe down to go back, like in iOS), hidden folders and no advertising. There is a "Moments" function (analog
Years/Monthsv iPhone). - 🖼️ A+ Gallery - imitates the animation of the transition between photos, supports Live Photos (via a plugin) and has a "Photo Only" mode without video. The downside is that there is no automatic sorting by events.
- 🌙 F-Stop Gallery - for advanced users. Allows you to customize labels, tags and even color marks (as in Lightroom), but requires manual adjustment to the iPhone style.
Critical nuance: no application copies iCloud Photos to 100%. To synchronize between devices you will have to use Google Photos (c). disabled "memories") or Syncthing for local backup.
2. Setting up a standard gallery for iPhone: what can be changed without root
If you don’t want to install third-party applications, you can modify). standard gallery (for example, on Samsung, Xiaomi or PixelHere's what you can really do:
- 📅 Sorting by dates: In Google Photo go to
Settings → Grouping → By date. On Samsung activate the "Chronology" mode in the display settings. - 👆 Gestures: In Mi Gallery (Xiaomi) you can enable swipe up to return to
Settings → Gesture control. On other devices this only works in third-party galleries. - 🎨 Dark theme: Enable it in the system settings - most galleries (including Google Photos) will pick up the theme automatically.
Important: the "Live Photos" function (analog Live Photos) cannot be reproduced in standard Android galleries - this requires either third-party applications (for example, Motion Stills from Google) or manual creation of GIFs.
☑️ Setting up a gallery for iPhone
3. How to simulate “Moments” (Years/Collections/Moments) from iPhone
In iOS photos are automatically grouped by places, dates and events —for example, "Trip to the mountains, July 2023". On Android it works differently:
| iPhone function | Analogue on Android | How to set up |
|---|---|---|
| Years | Google Photos → "Search → Calendar" | Open Google Photos → Search → Scroll to "Calendar"Tap on year. |
| Collections | Simple Gallery → "Moments" | Enable in settings Grouping → By events (requires geotags). |
| Moments | Samsung Gallery → "Stories" | Activate in Settings → View → Stories (works only on Samsung). |
⚠️ Attention: Automatic grouping by events on Android works worse than on iPhone, because:
Algorithms Google Photos i Samsung Gallery analyze only geotags and dates, while iOS uses data from Apple Maps, calendar and even facial recognition (if enabled) To improve the result, manually add place tags to Google Maps.
4. Live Photos on Android: workarounds
Live Photos record 1.5 seconds of video before and after taking a photo. There is no complete analogue, but there are three options: Converts into GIFs or videos, but does not create. new. iPhone record 1.5 seconds of video before and after taking a photo. On Android There is no complete analogue, but there are three options:
- Motion Stills (from Google): Converts Live Photos into gifs or videos. Works with photos taken on iPhone, but does not create new ones.
- Motion mode in the camera: On Pixel and some Samsung there is an option
Motion in photos(analogue Live Photos, but without sound). - Manual recording: Use the application Focos or Halide (for advanced users) to create short videos tied to photo.
Why is there no full analogue of Live Photos on Android?
Apple uses a proprietary .mov format with metadata that not all Android applications can read. In addition, smooth playback requires system-level optimization, which is not available in open Android.
5. Hidden features of standard galleries: what you didn’t know
Even standard galleries on Android can do more than it seems. data-i="164">: You can search by objects (for example, "dog", "beach") or colors. Works through 4 hidden chips, which will bring the experience closer to iPhone:
- 🔍 Search by content: IN Google Photos You can search by objects (eg "dog", "beach") or colors. Works through
Search → Enter request. - 📌 Pinned albums: On Samsung i Xiaomi you can pin frequently used albums on the main gallery screen (long tap on the album → "Pin").
- 🔄 Quick photo comparison: In Google Photos select 2 photos and tap "Compare" - a split window will open (as in iOS 16+).
- 🎞️ Automatic collages: In Mi Gallery go to
Tools → Collage—the application itself will select photos by date.
To remove annoying “memories” in Google Photos, go to Settings → Notifications → Memories i disable the option. This will not delete the albums, but will stop showing them on the main screen.
6. Problems and limitations: what you can never copy
Despite all the tricks, some functions iPhone are fundamentally unavailable on Android without root or deep modification of the system. Here's what is left out:
- 🔒 Deep integration with iCloud: There is no analogue Android no analogue iCloud Photos with instant synchronization and storage optimization.
- 🤖 Face detection in gallery: Google Photos can find faces, but not groups them into albums automatically (unlike iOS).
- 📱 System gestures: Swipe on the bottom edge to go back (as in iOS) does not work in most Android galleries.
- 🎵 Music in Live Photos: On iPhone live photos save sound - on Android this is only possible through third-party applications (for example, Lively).
If you are critical A complete copy of the iPhone gallery is important, consider buying an iPhone with eSIM support - it's cheaper than trying to emulate iOS on Android.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about the gallery as on iPhone for Android
Is it possible to transfer photos from iPhone to Android so that Live Photos are preserved?
Yes, but partially. Use Google Drive or AirDrop (via Mac) to transfer files. On Android, install Motion Stills to view, but the sound and smooth playback may be lost. An alternative is to convert Live Photos to video via iMovie before transferring. data-i="212">Why doesn't Google Photos automatically sort by events, like on the iPhone?
Why doesn't Google Photos automatically sort by events like the iPhone does?
Google Photos groups photos by dates and geotags, but does not analyze events from the calendar (unlike iOSTo improve sorting, manually add place tags to Google Maps or use Simple Gallery Pro with the "Moments" option.
How to remove advertising in the standard Xiaomi/Redmi gallery?
Go to Gallery Settings → Recommendations and disable everything options. If advertising remains, update the application via APKMirror (sometimes it is removed in new versions) or install Simple Gallery.
Is it possible to swipe up to go back, like on the iPhone?
In most Android galleries, no. Exceptions: Simple Gallery Pro (custom gesture) and Samsung Gallery (on devices with One UI 5+). On other smartphones, this gesture conflicts with Android navigation.
Which gallery app is closest to the iPhone in design?
Simple Gallery Pro —a leader in minimalism and gestures. An alternative is A+ Gallery, but it is less stable. For owners Samsung the best option is to customize the standard gallery (disable unnecessary tabs and enable the "Chronology" mode).