10 must-try Google Photos tips and tricks – including a new AI editor

Google Photos has just reached its 10th birthday, and the company is celebrating. To mark the occasion, Google is serving up a host of tips and tricks designed to enhance your photos via your mobile device. But first, here are a few stats to show the reach of Google Photos.

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More than 1.5 billion people use Google Photos on a monthly basis, according to Google. The service houses more than 9 trillion photos and videos. Each month, people run more than 370 million searches, edit 210 million photos, and share 440 million of them. And now, how about those tips?

1. New AI-powered photo editor

First up is a new and improved photo editor that employs AI to help you fine-tune your images. The new editor will offer AI-inspired suggestions for enhancing your photos and include a batch of different editing tools. Using the suggestions, you’ll be able to quickly edit a photo with multiple effects or tap a specific part of the photo for advice on modifying that area.

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The editor will incorporate such tools as Reimagine and Auto frame (initially available on the Pixel 9), along with the usual controls for brightness, contrast, and other attributes. Sounds cool, but you’ll have to wait for it. The revamped editor will start rolling out globally to Android next month and to iOS later in the year.

2. Share albums via QR codes

Instead of sharing albums through the usual Share command, you can now do so with a QR code. Upon generating the code, you can share an album with a person nearby. This feature is just now starting to roll out. I found it by updating the Google Photos app on my Android device to the latest version.

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To try it, update the app on your end. Open it, tap the Collections icon, select Albums, and tap a specific album. Tap the Share icon at the bottom and then select the option for “Share QR Code.” Scan the code with another device to grab the photos.

3. Revisit past places

You’ve probably snapped photos of the different places you’ve visited over the years. Now you can revisit the actual locations, at least virtually. For this, tap the Collections icon and select Places. Swipe through the thumbnails of all your photos, and a map will show you each place where you’ve taken a photo.

4. Use natural language in your searches

Instead of using typical key words or terms, use natural language to find specific photos. You can even type or speak your request. For example, I asked Google Photos to search for animals with feathers at a zoo. In response, it showed me a collection of parrots, flamingos, and other birds that I had photographed at different zoos.

5. Check out a specific month or year

Google Photos automatically compiles a “Best of” series, showing you the best photos from particular years and months. You’ll find these at the top of the Photos screen. Just tap a specific selection, and Google helps you relive those memories through a slideshow complete with music.

6. Create your own video montage

With this tip, you can generate a video showing off your favorite photos. At any screen in the app, tap the plus button and select “Highlight video.” Search for or browse through your photos and select the ones you want to include. The app then incorporates your chosen photos into a short video with music.

7. Update your shared albums

You can modify a shared album, and your changes automatically sync for anyone with whom you shared it. Just open the album and tap the Edit button. From there, you can add or remove photos. When done, the other people will be able to see the revised album.

8. Customize the grid

The grid on the main Photos page shows you different collections of photos, but you can personalize it. Tap the three-dot icon at the top of the screen. From there, you’re able to stack similar photos to save space and choose among three layouts — Comfortable, Day, or Month.

9. Choose the memories you want to see

Google Photos generates memories based on past photos you might want to see. But you don’t have to stick with Google’s choices. Instead, you can customize what you see in the memories. 

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For this, tap your profile icon, head to Settings, choose Preferences, and select Memories. You can now hide people and pets as well as dates. You can also decide whether you’d like to view memories based on time, on theme, or both.

10. Free up storage

Finally, you may find that all your photos and videos are eating up your allotted storage space. That could certainly be true if you’re on a free Google plan with only 15GB for all your data, which includes photos, videos, files, documents, and email. 

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To reclaim lost storage, tap your profile icon and select the option for “Free up space on this device.” Tap the button to free up the suggested amount of space, and Google will remove any photos and videos already backed up to your Photos account.

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