- Google is celebrating 10 years of Google Photos.
- They shared 10 tips, tricks, and tools for Google Photos.
- They also introduced Pixel-exclusive AI features to the redesigned editor.
For the past decade, Google Photos has been the go-to gallery app for millions of smartphone users, and good reason. With features like smart editing tools, automatic photo stacking, cloud backups, and grouping photos by people and pets, it’s more than just a place to store memories.
Now, as Google Photos celebrates its 10th anniversary, it’s rolling out a fresh batch of updates to make the experience even better. Let’s take a look at the new features added to Google Photos, including other AI features that have been added in the past:
Redesigned Editor
Google Photos is introducing a redesigned editor that brings all your favorite editing tools into one place, now with smarter suggestions.
You’ll now get helpful suggestions powered by AI, which can quickly apply a mix of effects to your photos. You can also tap on a specific part of the image to get editing tips for just that area.
You can also simply tap to select the subject, background, or any part of your imageand you’ll see suggested tools specifically for that particular area, like Blur background, Add portrait light, and more.
The new AI-powered suggestions in Google Photos can now find the right edits for your photo automatically. They will combine tools like tone and color adjustment, unblur, portrait light, and more in one tap.
Popular tools like Reimagine and Auto Frame are also coming to more devices. Here’s what you can do with these new AI tools:
Note: Previously, these features were only available in Magic Editor for Pixel devices.
Reimagine
This feature in Google Photos uses generative AI to change objects and backgrounds in your photos, just by using text. All you have to do is describe what you want, like “make the background a desert,” and the AI will take care of the rest.
Auto Frame Tool
The Auto Frame feature suggests different ways to frame a photo. You can crop, widen, or use generative AI to fill in the blank spaces. It is located in the top left of the redesigned editor.
The new editor will start rolling out to Android phones next month, with iPhones getting it later this year.
Share Albums Instantly with QR Codes
Sharing photos just got easier. Google Photos now lets you create a QR code for any album, so people nearby can quickly scan and view or add photos—no links needed.
It is perfect for group events or gatherings, or any other function where sharing pictures with everyone separately becomes a hassle. You can even print the code to share it more easily.
Note: This feature is starting to roll out now.
Now, you also have the option to stack pictures manually in Google Photos.
All AI Features of Google Photos
Here are all the AI features of Google Photos that are or will be available soon. Let’s explore each of them
| Feature Name | Description | Current Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Magic Editor | Uses generative AI to allow complex edits like moving/resizing objects, or applying contextual presets (e.g., sky replacement) | Expanding to all Google Photos users. |
| Magic Eraser | Employs AI to identify and seamlessly remove unwanted objects or people from photos, or camouflage distracting elements to improve composition. | Available to all Google Photos users. |
| Photo Unblur | Uses AI to analyze and sharpen out-of-focus or blurry photos, significantly improving clarity for both newly captured and older images. | Available to all Google Photos users. |
| Portrait Light | Uses AI to analyze photos and allow users to adjust the lighting on faces, improving brightness and balance, even after the photo is taken. | Available to all Google Photos users. |
| Cinematic Photos | AI transforms still 2D photos into dynamic 3D videos by intelligently creating a sense of depth and subtle motion, bringing memories to life. | Available to Google Photos users. |
| Portrait Blur | AI identifies the subject in a photo and artfully blurs the background to create a professional-looking portrait effect, even on images not shot in portrait mode. | Available to Google Photos users. |
| Reimagine | A generative AI tool that allows users to add entirely new elements (e.g., different skies, seasonal foliage) that weren’t originally present in the photo. | Rolling out to Android devices; iOS version to follow. |
| AI Enhance | An AI-powered feature that analyzes a photo and suggests three distinct, automatically generated edits, often combining tweaks like sharpening and object removal. | Rolling out to Android devices; iOS version to follow. |
| Conversational Search | Enables users to find specific photos using natural language queries (e.g., “me at the beach last summer”) through AI-powered semantic understanding of image content and context. | Available to Google Photos users. |
| Photo Stacks | AI automatically identifies and groups visually similar photos together, helping to declutter the main gallery view and improve organization. | Available to Google Photos users. |
That’s it, folks! Stay tuned for further updates on more features like these in the future.
