All articles tagged with #google photos
A five-step method to reclaim about 23GB from Google Photos: ignore items uploaded before June 1, 2021 (they don’t count toward storage), prune bulk screenshots via the Photos website, use stacks to weed out near-duplicates, use Google One’s storage manager to remove large media, and delete hundreds of short videos. The result lowers usage to under the halfway mark and buys time before upgrading Google One.
Starting Aug 10, 2026, Google Photos will stop backing up via Google Drive. New content added to Drive folders will not be backed up to Photos after that date, though existing photos stay safely stored. Backups must be performed directly through photos.google.com (using 'Back up folders') or via the Photos web app, which can run in the background, with the page/app kept open (or set to launch at startup) to continue automatic syncing.
Google Photos users on Pixel, Galaxy, and OnePlus devices report that the drag-to-select multi-photo feature has disappeared, forcing people to tap each photo individually. Some users note it still works on tablets, suggesting a bug rather than an intentional change. Android Authority has reached out to Google for comment and will update as more information becomes available.
From August 10, 2026, Drive for desktop will stop backing up photos to Google Photos. Google Photos itself remains active, and the backup process will move to Google Photos directly. If you used Drive for desktop to auto-back up computer folders, switch to backing up those folders in Google Photos (via the website or mobile/web app), then verify the backups. Casual users who back up only from mobile aren’t affected; those with large photo libraries should plan the transition and maintain an extra backup elsewhere.
Google Photos has added a toggle in version 7.85 to disable the shimmer animation, giving Android users a cleaner, static gallery; the option is off by default and can be found under Profile > Photos settings > Preferences > Photos view, and the update also adds a faster AI-powered photo capture shortcut for edits.
Android Authority reports that Google Maps is being prepared to integrate Gemini’s Personal Intelligence, enabling Maps to surface reservations, flights, and other data by tapping connected Google apps (Gmail, Google Photos, Google Workspace, YouTube, and more). The discovery also notes two new sections in Maps—Connected Content Apps and Personalization—that currently load indefinitely, indicating the features are still under development.
Google Photos for Android recently gained a floating pill navigation bar that saves space and offers a more stable, predictable UI. The redesign groups Photos, Collections, and Create into one bar with a separate circular search button; the change looks modern and intuitive, and the author believes it would improve other Google apps too, though it currently diverges from Material 3 Expressive guidelines and may take time to roll out widely.
Google Photos is reportedly testing UI tweaks that add an export-to-CapCut option in the share sheet; if CapCut isn’t installed, tapping it directs users to the Play Store to install CapCut. The test is internal and not live yet, continuing Google’s pattern of nudging users toward CapCut via its apps.
Google Photos for Android now features a floating bottom bar with Photos, Collections, Create, and the Gemini AI Ask Photos search, a redesign that matches the iOS version introduced five months earlier; the update appears in version 7.82 via a server-side rollout and the bar no longer blocks content.
Google Photos for Android is rolling out a redesigned, more compact bottom bar that keeps Photos, Collections, and Create in a single pill with a separate round Search button; the layout is persistent across views and reduces screen real estate, following an iOS update earlier in 2026, with the rollout now broad on Android (noted on Pixel devices with version 7.82).
Google Photos is beginning to roll out an iOS-style floating bottom bar on Android, adding quick-access options for Photos, Collections, Create, and a separate Search button. The update is currently phased, with some devices like Galaxy Z Fold 7 seeing the new UI while others such as Pixel 10 Pro still run the old layout; the change appears to be a styling update shared with other Google apps and will spread with the rollout.
The author faced a chaotic mix of photos and videos spread across Google, Apple, Flickr, Dropbox, OneDrive, and physical drives. After gathering everything, they decluttered by removing blurry/low-quality shots and duplicates, then consolidated into Google Photos using the 3-2-1 backup rule (local, external, and cloud) to cut costs from about $300/year to under $60 while keeping access and ongoing maintenance.
Google is expanding its personalized intelligence feature in the Gemini app to all eligible US personal accounts, allowing image-generation requests to reference data from Gmail and Google Photos (in any Gemini-supported language). However, Google Photos connectivity to Gemini isn’t available in Texas and Illinois due to state privacy laws.
Google is removing the paywall on Gemini's hyper-personalized image generator for eligible US users, letting the AI pull context from linked Google apps like Photos via Personal Intelligence and the Nano Banana image model to create tailored images. The rollout starts today and will expand over the coming weeks, with privacy safeguards: model training isn’t performed on private Photos libraries and users control which apps are linked.
Google Photos is reportedly testing an AI-powered feature called Moods (in version 7.81) that would apply style-based edits via cloud processing rather than simple filters. Eight mood templates are shown (Airy Minimalist, 2000s Cinema, Night Lights, etc.) with side-by-side previews. The feature isn’t functional yet, but signals an official announcement may be near as Google expands its AI editing toolkit.