Introduction
To mark its 10th anniversary, Google Photos announced a significant wave of AI-powered features in June 2025. The updates include powerful editing capabilities across Android and iOS, giving users access to tools previously limited to Pixel devices. However, the highly anticipated ‘Ask Photos’ feature rollout has been paused after early user feedback pointed to usability and performance issues.
What’s New in Google Photos
Google is leveraging its generative AI platform, Gemini, to bring intuitive features to Google Photos. The app now allows:
- Reimagine Tool: Users can instruct the app to change image lighting, remove elements, or stylize photos by describing what they want. Example: “Make this photo look like a sunset in Venice.”
- Magic Editor: Drag-and-drop editing to reposition people or objects and adjust skies, lighting, and more—without needing professional tools.
- AI Video Editor: Automatically enhance video clips by trimming, brightening, or stabilizing shaky footage using AI recommendations.
These updates are gradually rolling out on Android and will soon arrive on iOS devices. These features are available to all Google One users, with some exclusive capabilities for premium tiers.
‘Ask Photos’ Feature Temporarily Suspended
One of the most anticipated launches this year was ‘Ask Photos’, which enables users to search their image libraries by asking natural-language questions like:
- “Show me my daughter’s birthday party from last year”
- “Photos of my whiteboard sketches from the office”
However, just days after its debut, Google confirmed via its support forums that the rollout was paused. Users experienced slow response times, missing results, and inconsistencies in answers. According to a statement from Google’s development team (Google Photos Help), the pause is temporary and improvements are underway to fix backend latency issues.
Improved Sharing and Search Functionality
Google Photos is also improving sharing workflows. New options include:
- QR Code Album Sharing: Easily share albums with friends or family nearby without email or text.
- Exact Match Search: Use quotation marks for precise searches, e.g., “beach sunset” to find exact captions or file names.
These updates align with Google’s push to make mobile photography more accessible and intelligent for casual users.
Privacy and Storage Notes
As always, users should review their privacy settings and Google account storage limits. While Google Photos offers Google One plans for expanded storage and editing features, users should ensure backups are enabled and optimized for high quality vs. original quality.
User Reactions and What’s Next
Initial feedback has been mixed. While many praised the AI tools for simplifying complex edits, others were concerned about the pause of ‘Ask Photos.’ Some experts suggest this delay reflects the broader challenge of applying generative AI to real-time user requests.
Google has assured users that ‘Ask Photos’ will return with better accuracy, more refined language understanding, and faster processing.
Conclusion
Google Photos continues to lead in the AI photo space, and this June 2025 update solidifies its standing. Despite setbacks with the ‘Ask Photos’ rollout, the future remains bright for this app’s evolution. Users can expect a more personalized, intelligent, and intuitive photo experience as generative AI improves.
Want more on mobile tech? Read our guide on Top AI-Powered Mobile Tools in 2025 and see how AI is revolutionizing photography.
