The Hidden iPad Photos Trick: Reveal a Whole Year’s Memories with Just One Finger

If you’ve ever opened the Photos app on your iPad and wondered, “How on earth do I quickly find photos from a particular month… without scrolling forever?” — you’re going to love this clever little feature that Apple has tucked away.

Most people know the Years view: it shows a neat grid of tiny thumbnails, one for each year you’ve had your device (and any older photos safely stored in iCloud). What many don’t realise is that each of these tiny squares is actually hiding a powerful shortcut — one that lets you glide through your memories month-by-month without ever leaving the screen.

How the Trick Works

1. Open the Photos app.

2. Tap Library at the bottom.

3. Tap Years to zoom right out to your full timeline.

4. Now, here’s the magic:

   Place your finger gently on any year’s thumbnail — don’t tap, just rest and slide.

As you move your finger slowly across that single thumbnail, the tiny image changes. It transitions through a series of photos Apple has selected to represent different months in that same year. Without lifting your finger, you’re effectively browsing a mini slideshow that gives you a snapshot of the entire year’s highlights.

It’s fast, effortless, and surprisingly fun — like flipping through time with a fingertip.

Why This Feature Is So Useful

For many people, especially those with thousands (or tens of thousands!) of photos, finding the right moment can feel overwhelming. This hidden gesture helps you:

• Quickly refresh your memory of what happened that year.

• Jump into the right month with far fewer taps.

• Spot events at a glance — birthdays, holidays, trips, and special family moments.

• Enjoy your photos more often, because it feels intuitive and playful.

Once you see a month you want to explore, simply tap — the Photos app immediately takes you into the Months view for that year, showing the full collection.

A Small Gesture with a Big Impact

Apple has packed the Photos app with little touches like this, designed to help you move through your memories effortlessly. But because gestures aren’t always explained clearly, many iPad users never discover them.

Give this one a try today. Open your Years view, rest your finger on a thumbnail, and glide. You might just rediscover moments you haven’t seen in years.

And if you enjoy learning these hidden tips, you’ll love the lessons inside The iPad Man’s Online School — created to help you feel confident, organised, and truly in control of your favourite device.