Spatial Scenes Not Working on iOS 26? 8 Fixes Here!

With the application of AI technology, iOS 26 introduces a new feature - Spatial Scenes to transform ordinary 2D photos into 3D images. Intelligently separating subjects from backgrounds in your photos and creating depth maps produces a parallax effect when moving your device.

However, Spatial Scenes is only available for iPhone 12 and newer models. Besides, other factors may prevent you from using the Spatial Scenes feature. If you find your Spatial Scene not working in iOS 26, explore the causes and fixes here.

How to Get Spatial Scene in iOS 26?

Firstly, let’s try to get Spatial Scenes on your iPhone again. You can enable the “Spatial Scenes” feature in the Photos app.

1. Open Photos and select a photo that has a clear subject and background.
2. Find and tap on the hexagon icon in the upper-right corner of the photo.
3. Gently move your iPhone to see the parallax effect.

Also, you can apply it to your lock screen wallpaper.

1. Navigate to Settings and Wallpaper.
2. Tap on “+” to create a new wallpaper.
3. Select Photos and choose a photo.
4. Tap on the hexagon icon to enable the effect.
5. Tap the “Add” icon and set it as Wallpaper Pair.

Why Is My Spatial Scene Not Working on iOS 26?

As this is the Spatial Scene feature that comes with iOS 26, ensure you’re upgrading to this version first. Besides, you can only enjoy the feature on iPhone 12 or newer devices. Despite the compatibility issues, there are some other reasons why you cannot use the Spatial Scene feature on your iDevice.

• You can only use Spatial Scene on iPhone 12 and newer models, because the older devices don’t have the hardware.
• Ensure you’re running the latest iOS 26, because the older iOS versions don’t have the feature.
• You cannot use the Spatial Scene feature on some photos, such as screenshots or heavily edited images
• You might have disabled the “Spatial Scene” feature in Settings.
• You cannot use the feature if you’ve enabled the Low Power mode.
• The “Reduce Motion” feature can also interfere with Spatial Scene animations.
• The bugs or issues with the iOS 26 update can cause issues with the Spatial Scene.
• Sometimes, your Photos app or system may have minor glitches that prevent the feature from working.

How to Fix Spatial Scenes Not Working on iOS 26?

In the following sections, we’ll show you several quick fixes for repairing Spatial Scene not working on iOS 26.

Check Your Device Compatibility

Check your device model first. The Spatial Scenes can only work on iPhone 12 and newer models. Only these models have hardware, such as advanced sensors and processing capabilities, to process the complex AI and motion effects. This is one of the fundamental requirements for you to use the Spatial Scenes feature.

Check for iOS Update

Ensure you’re running the latest iOS version. The older iOS versions fail to support the Spatial Scenes feature, and the iOS 26 beta versions may include bugs or issues. If Spatial Scenes is not working as expected, check if there is a new version of iOS 26. The latest iOS version should have the recent updates and optimizations.

1. Go to Settings, General, and Software Update
2. Check if you’re running the latest iOS 26 version.

Force Close and Relaunch Photos App

Sometimes, the Photos app may experience some temporary bugs or glitches. Force-closing the Photos app removes cached data and temporary problems. Then your device will reload with a fresh state. Overall, this solution can get Spatial Scenes working again, allowing you to turn your photos into 3D magic again.

Restart Your Device

If restarting the Photos app fails to resolve the problem, try restarting the device.

Restarting your iPhone can wipe out the memory of the device and stop all processes that are currently running. This will resolve minor software conflicts, bugs, or glitches that might be interfering with the Spatial Scenes feature. By rebooting, you ensure that the device is in its optimal state, which can enable the Spatial Scenes feature to work properly.

Disable the Low Power Mode

Apple develops the Low Power Mode for battery conservation. In this mode, it disables some features so that the activities or background processes will be restricted. These may involve sophisticated AI and motion effects utilized in Spatial Scenes. If you disable the Low Power mode, however, your device will operate to its fullest extent. The features, such as Spatial Scenes, can obtain the resources and function as usual.

1. Launch Settings and navigate to Battery.
2. Turn off the Low Power Mode.

Disable Reduce Motion

The "Reduce Motion" feature might also decide the way Spatial Scenes works on your iPhone. In case you've enabled the mode, it will minimize dynamic motion effects on your phone and lower motion-related discomfort. After you've disabled the feature, however, your phone may take advantage of all the motion features and turn on Spatial Scenes to work as you like.

1. Open Settings and navigate to Accessibility and Motion.
2. Toggle off Reduce Motion.

Use a Repair Tool

If you cannot get Spatial Scenes back to work with these basic methods, you may need to repair your iOS system. With BuhoRepair, you can address a wide range of app issues. From Spatial Scenes not opening and the app not working to app crashing and other app performance issues, you can resolve various issues with simple clicks.

If you don’t want to use iOS 26 anymore, you can even downgrade to a previous iOS version. Overall, BuhoRepair can ensure a smoother user experience on your iOS device.

Here is how to use BuhoRepair to fix Spatial Scenes not working on iOS 26.

1. Free download BuhoRepair on your computer and connect your iDevice via a USB cable.
2. Click on the System Repair mode to get started.

   

3. Choose the Standard Repair mode, which won’t cause data loss. Then follow the on-screen instructions to get your system repaired.

   

Reset All Settings

Last but not least, you can resolve the Spatial Scenes not working issue by resetting all your iPhone settings. A factory reset of the iPhone settings can solve many issues, including the Spatial Scenes one. By doing so, you can restore all system settings to their default settings without losing data. If settings concerning the camera, display, and motion effects are corrupted accidentally, it will affect the function of Spatial Scenes. By restoring these settings, you guarantee that there are no conflicting configurations or problems that may stop Spatial Scenes from functioning.

1. Open Settings.
2. Navigate to General, and Transfer or Reset iPhone
3. Click on Reset All Settings. This won’t erase your data.

Conclusion

In conclusion, several measures can be taken to troubleshoot the issue of Spatial Scenes not working on iOS 26. After checking the device and iOS system compatibility, remember to enable the Spatial Scenes in Settings, disable the Low Power Mode, and Reduce Motion. Simple glitches and errors can be fixed by restarting the Photos app or your iOS device.

If your device is experiencing more complex system issues, try resetting all settings or using the iOS System Repair tool, such as BuhoRepair.