How do I view all photos not yet in an album on iPhone?

Have you suggested this to Apple staff? If not, use the official Feedback path:

Feedback - Photos - Apple

They are unlikely to reply to you directly, but we have been assured that they do have staff assigned to read submissions through that path and feed information to people responsible for planning future development.

Richard.Taylor wrote:

Yer_Man wrote: … I come from the future... apparently

Explains your icon picture:

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/8fbbc3d7-51ea-4346-961a-b82ba8748ea6

Yes. I've seen the future, and I'm not sure I approve.

Ah yes but sneakily I missed out on a key piece of information just to torment you ;)

Launch the app and you get the main window. At the bottom of there are three icons

The up/down arrow..., the date filters and the X button

The one on the left... Choose 'Filter -> Not in an Album'

Yer_Man wrote:

The up/down arrow..., the date filters and the X button

The one on the left... Choose 'Filter -> Not in an Album'

I figured that's what you meant-- but I don't have that choice. On phone or iPad:

I'm in 18.3.2 What am I missing? (I mean, other than the better menu!)

I come from the future... apparently

On iPad or iPhone, which do not currently support Smart Albums, since iOS 18.3 you can identify images not in any album using a filter:

On the main screen tap on the up/arrow and select filter: Not in An Album. Further, you can check the bottom of the Info panel of any photograph and you will see the names of any albums that the image is currently added to.

Yer_Man wrote: … On the main screen tap on the up/arrow and select filter: Not in An Album.

Really! That's a great addition! I've completely missed it! But-- where is the "up arrow?"

By Main Screen, do you mean Library, or Photos?

Great, Apple has been listening. 😊

I only saw it this morning for the first time, and when I checked the system version, I noticed that my iPhone had clandestinely updated over night to iOS18.4.

But other than the build number there is no indication that this is still a Beta release. It is easy to get trapped.

But Yer_Man's second recommendation to see for each individual photo which albums it has been added to is already available in the current version of iOS 18: "Further, you can check the bottom of the Info panel of any photograph and you will see the names of any albums that the image is currently added to."

léonie wrote: …iPhone had clandestinely updated over night to iOS18.4. But other than the build number there is no indication that this is still a Beta release.

I had to turn on Beta updates to be offered 18.4 this morning.

If a Mac is available: See only photos NOT in an album - Apple Community

On iPhone, this suggests HashPhotos app: Finding photos not in albums on an iphone - Apple Community

Yer_Man wrote: … I come from the future... apparently

Explains your icon picture:

I think Yer_Man is speaking about a feature that is not actually in 18.3.2 at all. Maybe next week.

Ahhh!

Yer_Man wrote: Yes. I've seen the future, and I'm not sure I approve.

I'd say the same about the present…