Microsoft renames Windows 10 Photos app to Story Remix for Insiders

By Dan Thorp-Lancaster
published

Microsoft is now testing out new names for the Photos app in Windows 10, including Story Remix.

A recent update to the Photos app in Windows 10 for Windows Insiders on the "Skip Ahead" ring has renamed the app to Story Remix. Initially spotted by the folks at MSPU, the new name seems to be the only thing that has changed, with no new features added in the update.

Story Remix itself was originally detailed at Build 2017 earlier this year as a new set of features headed to the Photos app with the Fall Creators Update. With Story Remix, you can quickly create video clips from photos and videos in your library, complete with music, transitions and text. Some interesting 3D features were originally shown off as part of Story Remix's repertoire, but those have since been delayed to some time after the Fall Creators Update arrives.

As far as the new name is concerned, it seems that may not be set in stone either. Brandon LeBlanc, a Senior Program Manager with the Windows Insider Program team noted on Twitter that Story Remix is just one name that the team is currently considering.

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In any case, it seems the default Photos app will likely end up with a new name when the Fall Creators Update arrives later in 2017. Of course, things are always in flux, and it's entirely possible we could see the app name reverted as well.

Dan Thorp-Lancaster
Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. 

83 Comments
  • Personally I don't like this new name (may be unless they are adding more than photos and videos to it). But I don't care what it is called as long as I can browse my photos in it I am happy.
  • Let's cut the BS... Story Remix is stupid. WTF.
    Understaffed in the right places, and overstaffed in the wrong places. Overthinking things that aren't broke is just dumb.
  • Being the default picture viewer in Windows 10, I think it should have "pictures", "photos" or "gallery" somewhere in its name.
  • I think you've missed the point. How can Microsoft successfully 'retrench' things if people, who insist on still thinking of themselves as customers for some reason, keep using them? Be reasonable.
  • The name itself is fine, but the problem is calling the Photo app: Story Remix. It is not good, because the user is looking for Photo, not "Story" or "Story Remix" when they search in the start menu (both search box and visually looking through the app list).   In fact, I didn't know about the rename, and I wanted to open the photo app, and I got myself confused. I thaught Windows 10 craped out and can't find the app anymore, until I find the icons of Photo, and saw "Story Remix", and clicked on it to see, and notice it is the Photo app that got renamed.   Maybe if they call it "Photo Remix" it might be better... but then it looks like a third party app, and not something built-in Windows (not to mention third party app, and I expect a crap app, will call itself "Photo")  
  • Yep, its a poor choice. People will be looking for something to do with photos (if they can work out how to get their pictures on the pc in the first place) and the last thing they will think of is going to an app that has no apparent relation to working with photos.
  • But that's what the Microsoft 'retrenching' strategy is all about. Making sure the photo app is targeted at people who are not looking for an app to view photos in fits with the Microsoft strategy perfectly. They've decided that customers are a pain in the Harris and have gone the revolutionary route of attempting to exclude them from the business plan. You can't say it's not working, right?
  • dang, how many more stupid decisions can this company make?
  • There's more to come.....
  • Only the tip of the iceberg yet.   DGR.  One great decision is to get nutella out of the CEO position and put him in charge of "CLOUD ONLY"  and put someone in charge of everything that has vision for EVERYTHING.  He is Hyperfocused on cloud.  NO GOOD comes from a CEO who is only worried about one facet of an entire company.  JIM Balsilie is another example.  Except he was hyperfocused on hockey not blackberry's everyday runnings.  BB and MS are very similar.  in mobile even more so.  
  • Not that I disagree with you, but it says they are testing different names. This is in no way finalized.
  • It's seems to me "Story Remix" should be a feature of the Photo App.  Not the otherway around.  I don't mind the concept of creating a story with my photos, but a simple name like "Photos"and/or "Pictures" goes a long way with simplicity explaining where photos can be found.
  • People who don't know much about your crapy naming and are not techy will be having a hard time finding this! DO YOU EVEN HAVE COMMON SENSE MICROSOFT?
  • Umm, no. That's been established for quite some time. 'Retrenching' the photos app to appeal most to people not looking for something to view photos in fits with the Microsoft way 100%. Welcome to Windows.
  • You're trying so hard that it's actually funny to see you fail so much.
  • Trying to do what? Keep using Microsoft products despite them? Yea, I am. You got me. Still succeeding at this time. MS are working on that though, so who knows how long I can keep it up. I presume, by your post, you've abandoned ship?
  • Trying to write about the whole "retrenching" thing. Is what you hilariously fail at.
  • MS, please....
  • And I was thinking that Microsoft had the smartest people working for the company.  How can they be even thinking about using that name for a default photo app.
  • Right
  • Yes, because a person looking for their photos is going to look for an app called Story Remix. Genius!
  • This. Why mess up the name of a completely appropriately named app?
  • Thats what he meant in other words
  • Absolutely genius. Another retrenching success story on the horizon. Microsoft has a strategy that just cannot fail.
  • Can you stop?
  • Never give up, never surrender.
  • Sometimes they just leave me shaking my head. I'm sure this won't stick though. But why they even thought this was a good idea to "test" is baffling.
  • The fact that it could even make it into a build pisses me off. Lol
  •  no thank you to name change please
  • Fail after fail. First they ruin the app. Now they ruin the name.
  • Lol
  • I like the app fine
  • In other news Microsoft is going to rename:
    Notepad to 'Story Creator: Mixer Edition'
    Wordpad is going to be renamed to 'Story Novel Pro: Mixer Creator Edition'
    Calculator will now be known as 'Financial Number Buster: Scientific Calculator for Academic and Professional Users - Home Mixer Edition'
    Remote Desktop Connection to be called 'Private Mixer: Viewing Portal for Internet Of Things and Connected Devices'
  • Will there be Fall updates to these apps?
  • What about Cortana, Groove, TV & Movies, Office, and Xbox?
  • What? This is bizarre. Makes you wonder who runs things over in Redmond.
  • Satya Nadella?
  • If the Photos app is gone, then.. I,ll have to seriously consider my pretty big investments in the Microsoft World. Things are getting a bit to confused nowadays..
  • Great name. I often say 'Hey everyone, group Story Remix, smile!' or 'Hey, could you send me a Story Remix of that project you were working on?'
  • Omg i'm laughing so hard!!!!
  • Microsoft Windows Photo Story Live Essentials 2017 Remixed. I've just never understood MS product naming. Ever.
  • PHOTO VIDEO EDITOR!  there I named it for you!  simple!
  • But it is not a video editor, in fact, it is not a photo editor, it is a gimmick of an app that is supposed to be replacing something that does a simple job of displaying photos. the problem is,m even the photo app that is in windows 10 do not do a great job of that, the old version in windows 7 and 8.1 is better. this is the problem these days, they add more and more useless features and make the software unusable.  
  • It is still the photos app which has editing features.  And in photos,  you can play videos.   Story remix is JUST A FEATURE.  NOT replacing anything.   Windows is lacking a competent video editor.   They really need to look at iphoto and imovie and create something similar.  It would be great to have something like that on windows baked in when you buy a computer. 
  • They simply want to desperately push the story remix feature in our asses. Maybe it's fun to do those bullshits things with your photos or videos a few times, but 99% of all people out there just want to view their freaking photos. This is another hilariously bad decision by Microsoft. They will do anything to kill Windows. How about they **** off with their story bullshit and first make sure i can probably scroll through photos. Half of the times the left and right buttons are greyed out. Pure crap.
  • Yeah scrolling through photos greyed out is terrible, i was just thinking about that.
  • Story Remix is part of that app, not all that it can do... So the name is not good for the app. No one would know what an app with that name would do without using it first.
  • Might as well rename Calculator to Newton Puzzle: Windows 10 Edition
  • Sucky name. I suggest PicMix or Phelix=Photo Elixir
  • Phelix the cam
  • When I want to see a picture, I'll look for something called pictures or photos -- either way, I'll be looking in the P's. How about Photo Stories? -- which is what you get when you connect a bunch of photos based on time or place. The "Remix" part makes little sense to me. Exactly what was already mixed and how am I re-mixing it?
  • Microsoft. STOP THAT ****. Rename it Photos again.
  • How about these: Messaging = Blank white screen Skype = The thing that messes up what Blank white screen could do with ease Mail = Focused inbox but at least we least you a turn off function, FOR NOW Maps = Go on admit it, your lost Calendar = You forgot your wife's birthday again Alarms = Wakey wakey Cortana = "Sorry I didn't catch that", or "I am sorry I am not available in your region" Paint = Don't worry we will axe it when we can upset more people Store = Please come in and buy something Xbox = Use this to control your Xbox but not the TV guide Xbox Smartglass = Yes we forgot we had this, it will get an update just before we take viewing the TV from your Xbox away, as its another way we can upset folk Come on MS it's a PHOTO app, try calling it "Photos"
  • That damn focus inbox stupidity is annoying! They ate trying too hard in the wrong areas. Doing things just to do them. SMDH
  • Hopefully they decide to just add story remix to one of the tabs inside the photos app
  • MS seems to spend their time changing their app's name or UI which people don't care about at all. There might be still too many workers for MS.
  • No I don't like this, I use it purely for viewing and editing photos, the app should stay as Photos
  • Story remix should be a feature or it's own not the App Name for Photos. For the past 2 years it has been called "Photos". This will be confusing.
  • Agreed
  • Yuk
  • Oh, MYGOD!
  • Oh no you didn't!
  • Since I got error'ed the last time I tried to post this...Here we go.  Why not call it photo x and video x.  x=10  so to be hip like MS is "trying" to do,  and appeal to younger users...I think that would work.
  • GOD,  I love fanpanzy downvotes.   LOVE THEM!  whiny little crybabies in your parents basements...whaaaaaaa!    Micorosft fanboys trademark. Crying soon™  
  • Still I haven't got the Search feature. But the Photos app in my Dad's account has the Search Feature !!
    What a strange thing !
  • What is with their obsession and failures at renaming /naming things. I guarantee this will NOT stick. Sooner or later they will realize how awful it is and change it again.
  • Is this a regional renaming? Mine is named Photos & Videos. Exactly the same display as above but without the Story Remix naming.
  • Yesterday "Story Remix"(which I do not like), today "Photos and Videos" (which I do like), tomorrow.........
  • Bad move!  Hope it stays in Insider and does not come to production build!
  • I HATE this name. For that matter Beam to Mixer was equally stupid.
  • Well at least Beam became Mixer before Microsoft really started pushing Beam as a product. It is currently mostly used on Xbox and it helps that Mixer iclearly integrated within the actual system itself.  The change itself was at most a little inconvient.  Here they are changing a name synonmous with what it has been doing for many yeas and a name that every other OS calls their app: Photos.  This change would end up confusing and angering  a mjaority of Windows users. And those that have knowledge of  the chnage will get pissed off because everyone else is callling them for help to find their photos app.   If Microsofot wants to make changes like this they need to learn from their Windows 8 debacle. Not all at once but, do it in baby steps.  So either bring out  a specific app and cointinue to advance Photos and Video separately. Or integrate Story Remix as part of Photos & Video apps themselves not renaming it Story Remix. Lets also not ignore the issue that compared to MacOS or Android, Microsoft's photo app is well behind in features and usability already. Renaming the app won't change that fact.
  • That's true but the name Beam made more sense as it actually described what the service does. The word Mixer has two meanings. You can have a Mixer in your kitched or your audio studio (real or virtual). It's for mixing things not broadcasting games.  Microsoft used to rename things that didn't work, I guess they thought their problem was branding, it wasn't really (branding is part of marketing, which is a big problem, but unfinished products is an even bigger problem). I guess that habit has become even worse and they're now preemptively renaming things...
  • It looks like the name is very unpopular so Microsoft smart Team will hear the users and will use it.
  • Keep it 'Photos', that's all.
  • Phodeos
  • The Beta experience continues.  Well done Microsoft.
  • It will be confusing for many average users.
  • You mean to the insiders?  As far as I know, they are the only people getting it. Unless its changed, not all insiders. Just a subset.
  • How about "Photos and Stories"
  • I'm calling it IrfanView. Problem solved.
  • Wow this is the dumbest thing ever. Way to go and be Microsoft about it Microsoft.
  • They have to change the product's name at least five times, even if those names don't make any sense and people will look for the Photos app just like they do on their smart phones, these name changes are way more important then actually getting something finished. Just like redesiging all the apps every year or two. I mean, why add features, fix bugs, etc. when you can rebrand everything? Last time I tried Photos/Story Remix, it was so bad I just stopped bothering. It's not like similar apps aren't out there for Android/iOS
  • Oh oh. Microsoft trying to be "hip" again using words not in their lexicon.  Did Microsoft crowd source Story Remix?