Google Photos is getting a handy Quick Edit tool for sharing images, and I don’t know why no one thought of this before
- Google appears to be testing a new quick editing feature for Google Photos
- This allows users to make enhancements or crop a photo before sharing it
- There is no release timeline for the new feature yet
Google appears to be testing a new feature for the Google Photos app called Quick Edit, which will allow users to make last-minute updates to images before sharing them with family, friends and other contacts.
Android Authority reports that a user named Alex – who was using version 7.10.0 of the Google Photos app on a Google Pixel 6 Pro handset – noticed a new screen in their Google Photos app, suggesting that Google may be A/B the new feature -tests with a limited number of users. We do not know how these users would have been selected.
Although developed by Google and included with Android, Google Photos is available on a wide range of devices – so this new feature could be useful whether you’re using a Google Pixel 9, Samsung Galaxy S24 or iPhone 16.
Right now it seems that the screen only appears when selecting a single image. Those hoping for some in-depth image editing before sending their photos may want to defer to another app, as the Quick Edit screen only seems to offer very quick and light edits.
According to screenshots shared by Android Authority tipster (above), users can only use Quick Edit to apply a one-time enhancement to the image or apply a crop to the photo. This appears to be the same improvement available in the app’s existing editing screen.
Limited… but better than nothing
Google Photos’ editing options may seem a bit limited, but personally I’m happy to see this feature being tried out considering the amount of time I spend cropping screenshots and document scans to send to others.
However, it would be nice to add at least basic brightness, contrast, and saturation controls to the Quick Edit screen upon release, as I find one-off “enhancements” can have unpredictable effects on colors and lighting.
There’s a balance to be struck here as speed is what matters, but I don’t see myself needing to improve screenshots, document scans or purely informational images like photos of signs.
And as for photos of friends and family, I’m unlikely to just slap a blanket enhancement filter on my head and call it a day. But if the adjustments are subtle enough, I can imagine this being useful for people who are less bothered or less experienced with editing photos on a smartphone.
Either way, this is a feature I could see myself using, and I’m a fan of anything that gives users more options to use their device the way they want. Google hasn’t announced a release date for this new feature yet, so keep an eye on our Android coverage for the latest updates.