A Year of Major Redesigns
Over the past year, Google Photos has undergone a series of major redesigns, culminating in a simplified bottom navigation bar introduced earlier this week. While the standout feature has been the AI-powered “Ask Photos,” these structural updates have significantly transformed how users interact with the app. Compared to early 2024, the interface and navigation now feel notably different, offering a more organized and user-friendly experience.
One of the key changes in the Google Photos tab has been the effort to reduce clutter. Features such as auto-grouping Stacks for visually similar images and the ability to customize content visibility have been introduced. Users can now choose to view only backed-up content, hide clutter from other apps, or customize visibility on a per-app basis. These settings are now conveniently housed under the new “Photos” view settings page, accessible via the three-dot menu in the top-right corner. Additionally, users can adjust their layout preference between Comfortable, Day, or Month views for a more tailored browsing experience.
Collections and Search Enhancements
One of the biggest shifts has been the replacement of the Library tab with a newly designed Collections section. This change eliminates the previous “Photos on device” carousel, grouping images into broad categories such as People & Pets, On This Device, Albums, Documents, Places, and Moments. Unlike before, where albums were sorted in reverse chronological order, this update presents a more structured and easily navigable format. Users can also switch between list and grid views, making it simpler to locate specific albums or collections.
Additionally, the Memories feed has been integrated into Collections and renamed to Moments, while the term “Memories” now refers exclusively to the story-like carousel at the top of the Photos tab. The top section of the Collections page now features a 2×2 grid with Favorites and Trash, as well as two dynamic shortcuts that adapt based on frequently accessed items. However, some users have reported a minor usability issue where the top bar sometimes overlaps with these shortcuts, limiting scrolling functionality.
The Search tab has also been streamlined, shifting from a browsing-heavy interface to a more focused list format. Emphasizing text-based lookup, this update prioritizes direct search input over visual browsing. Meanwhile, Google continues to test the AI-powered “Ask Photos” feature in the U.S., allowing users to conduct conversational searches. While some users prefer traditional keyword or date-based searches, the integration of AI capabilities is expected to make image retrieval more intuitive, especially as Google expands the Gemini-powered search tools.
Improved Accessibility and Future Updates
Another notable addition is the introduction of a bell icon in the top bar for the Updates feed. This feature provides notifications related to shared albums, conversations, and other sharing activity, ensuring users stay informed about any changes.
Overall, these updates reflect Google’s ongoing efforts to modernize and refine the Google Photos experience. While changes to photo organization apps often receive mixed reactions—as seen with previous Google Photos updates and iOS 18’s redesign—the latest modifications appear to enhance usability and reduce clutter. With plans to integrate Google Photos further into the upcoming Gemini AI extension, users can expect even more intelligent search and organization features in the near future.
