Google Photos Rolls Out AI Tools to Animate Images and Add Artistic Effects.

Key Takeaway.

• Google Photos now lets users turn still images into short animated videos using AI-powered motion effects.
• The new Remix feature transforms photos into artistic styles like anime, sketch, and 3D, offering more creative freedom.

Google Photos is taking another step forward in creative photo editing by launching two innovative features: photo-to-video conversion and Remix. These tools are powered by Google's Veo 2 generative AI model and are being rolled out gradually for users in the United States on both Android and iOS devices. With this update, Google aims to give users more ways to creatively reimagine their memories using intuitive and powerful technology.

Bring Photos to Life with the Photo-to-Video Tool.

The new photo-to-video feature allows users to turn still images into short, animated video clips. You can choose between two effects, called “Subtle movements” and “I’m feeling lucky.” These effects gently animate parts of the photo, such as moving water, shifting clouds, or fluttering leaves. The final video clip lasts about six seconds, and the rendering may take up to one minute. 

Users are given several variations to preview, so they can choose the one that suits their vision best. This feature is completely free and does not require access to Gemini or any paid plan.

Transform Images with the Artistic Remix Feature.

In addition to video animations, Google Photos is launching the Remix tool, which lets users apply artistic filters to their photos. These include styles like anime, sketch, comic, 3D animation, and more. The Remix feature is designed to be fun, expressive, and highly customizable. It will begin rolling out to users in the United States over the next few weeks, and it is intended to be simple enough for anyone to use, regardless of experience with photo editing.

To make these new tools easier to access, Google Photos will soon introduce a new Create tab. This tab will be located in the bottom navigation bar of the app and will organize creative tools such as photo-to-video, Remix, collages, and highlight reels in one convenient place. The Create tab is expected to be available starting in August.

Google Watermark on AI-Generated Content.

Google has stated that all content generated through these AI features will include a SynthID digital watermark. This watermark is invisible to the eye but helps verify that the media was created using AI. In addition to this, video clips created through the photo-to-video tool will display a visible watermark in one corner of the screen. Google is encouraging users to rate AI-generated content with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to provide feedback and help improve the tools over time.

The photo-to-video animation feature became available to U.S. users on July 23, 2025. The Remix feature will become available in the coming weeks. The new Create tab is scheduled to roll out sometime in August. These features will be added automatically, but they may appear at different times for different users depending on regional availability and server updates.

Google Photos Brings AI-Powered “Reimagine” Editing to Older Pixel Devices

Google is now expanding its premium Reimagine tool generative AI feature, once exclusive to the Pixel 9 series, so that users of older Pixel devices (Pixel 6, 7, and 8) can access it via Google Photos. This follows earlier indications and now appears to be rolling out through a server-side update, as new reports from Reddit and Telegram confirm.

Users have shared screenshots of Reimagine on their Pixel 6 and Pixel 8 devices, demonstrating capabilities like replacing skies with dramatic weather effects and adding imaginative visual elements to photos. The rollout is gradual and seemingly tied to remote flags it meaning that even if you're on the latest Photos version, the feature may not appear immediately.

What Is “Reimagine”?

Reimagine is part of Google’s Magic Editor suite, letting users select a portion of a photo and enter a text prompt (e.g., “stormy sky,” “tornado,” or “sunflowers”). The AI then adjusts or replaces that area to match. While it works best with backgrounds, users have creatively applied it to foreground details too, producing results that range from subtle enhancements to dramatic alterations

Democratizing AI Editing – Previously limited to the newest Pixel 9, Reimagine is now accessible to a wider user base, bringing advanced AI photo tools to those using more affordable, older models.

Server-Side Rollout Advantage – Google can enable (or disable) features remotely, giving the company flexibility and control over phased releases, quality adjustments, and targeted testing.

How to Use the Reimagine Feature on Your Pixel.

Step 1: Confirm Device Compatibility

Make sure you are using a supported Pixel phone such as the Pixel 6, Pixel 7, or Pixel 8. Also, ensure that the Google Photos app is updated to the latest version through the Play Store for the feature to work correctly.

Step 2: Open a Photo for Editing

Launch the Google Photos app and select any photo from your gallery that you want to edit. Once the photo is open, tap on the “Edit” option located at the bottom of the screen.

Step 3: Locate the Reimagine Tool

Inside the editing tools, look for the “Reimagine” button. It will usually appear alongside other features like the Magic Editor or Enhance. If you don’t see it right away, that’s okay—it may not have been activated on your device yet.

Step 4: Choose the Area You Want to Change

Tap or drag on the specific area of the photo that you want to modify. This could be the sky, background, or any object within the image that you’d like to enhance or replace.

Step 5: Enter a Creative Prompt

Once the area is selected, type in a prompt that describes how you want the new version to look. For example, you might type “sunset sky,” “snowy mountain,” or “vibrant flowers” to guide the AI transformation.

Step 6: Preview and Select a Version

After entering your prompt, the AI will generate multiple versions of the photo based on your input. You can scroll through the suggestions and choose the one that best fits your vision.

Step 7: Save Your Edited Photo

When you're satisfied with the changes, tap “Done” or “Save” to store the edited version. Your updated photo will be saved in your Google Photos library, and the original version will remain unchanged.

Helpful Tip:

If the Reimagine feature isn’t showing up yet, don’t worry. Google is rolling it out gradually through a server-side update, so check back in a day or two.

Android Authority suggests that Google initially teased support for Auto Frame alongside Reimagine in older Pixel devices, hinting that further Magic Editor features could follow. This rollout could mark the beginning of a broader trend toward unlocking Pixel‑9‑series AI features across older models.

For users, this update transforms the editing experience, allowing dramatic, context-aware edits with just a few taps. Even if the tool produces inconsistent results at times, its growing availability ensures that an increasing number of Pixel users can experiment with creative visual transformations.

Google Photos Introduces Sleek New Video Player with Enhanced Controls.

Google is rolling out a major UI overhaul to its video player in the Google Photos app, introducing a fresh design that enhances both aesthetics and functionality. This update is part of Google’s broader Material You (Material 3) design strategy and aims to modernize the viewing experience for millions of Android and iOS users who rely on Google Photos to store, share, and manage their video memories.

Key Takeaway.

• Google Photos has introduced a redesigned video player with larger controls, haptic scrubbing, and double-tap gestures.
• The update enhances video playback usability with a cleaner Material You interface and new looping functionality.

The update, which is being gradually rolled out across platforms, introduces more prominent, user-friendly playback controls and refined gesture support all designed to bring the video player in line with the smoother, more expressive interfaces found in other Google apps like YouTube and the revamped Google TV player.

What’s New in the Google Photos Video Player

The redesigned video player features several improvements that elevate the user experience:

1. Larger Playback Controls: The play/pause button, mute/unmute toggle, share button, and new looping option are now easier to access, placed prominently beneath the video rather than floating atop it. This layout reduces visual clutter and makes the interface more intuitive, especially for quick actions during playback.

2. Upgraded Seek Bar: The timeline scrubber now features a dotted progress bar that’s more visually distinct. It also includes haptic feedback when scrubbing, helping users accurately skip to specific video moments, an upgrade over the older, more basic slider.

3. Double-Tap Navigation: Like YouTube, the new video player supports double-tap gestures on the left and right sides of the video to rewind or fast-forward by 5 seconds. Users can tap multiple times in quick succession to skip even further, making it easier to navigate longer clips.

4. Material You Styling: The interface uses Material 3 Expressive themes, including softer corner curves, minimal shading, and improved responsiveness. It better reflects Google’s current design language and improves visual consistency across the Android ecosystem.

5. New Loop Button: A long-awaited addition, users can now enable looping playback directly from the interface, useful for reviewing clips, short animations, or seamless background footage.

Credit: Android Authority

The updated video player has started rolling out in the latest version of the Google Photos app for Android and iOS. However, since this is a server-side update, not all users will see the new design immediately, even if they’ve updated the app. It’s expected to reach most global users over the coming weeks.

Multiple reports from Android Authority, AssembleDebug, and user forums confirm its appearance in recent beta and stable app builds, especially in version 6.86.0.626167117 for Android.

Why is this update important?

This redesign addresses a long-standing gap in Google Photos, where video playback controls lag behind modern media apps. For users who regularly capture, back up, and share videos especially parents, students, vloggers, and creators smooth, responsive playback is crucial.

Google Photos has increasingly positioned itself not just as a storage tool, but as a content management platform. These interface changes reflect that shift, allowing users to interact with their videos more efficiently and enjoyably without needing to export them to another app just to play them back properly.

Moreover, with smartphone video quality rising thanks to features like 4K recording, cinematic modes, and HDR support, the need for a refined and responsive player within Photos has become more important than ever.