5 Google Photos tricks you should be using right now

Share albums instantly with a QR code
Instead of adding email IDs or phone numbers one by one, you can share albums using a QR code. Just create an album, tap the share button, and select “Show QR.” Anyone can scan it to view your photos, making it perfect for sharing at parties, group trips, or family events.

Use Google Lens for instant insights
With Google Lens built into Photos, every picture becomes searchable. Tap the Lens icon on an image, and it can identify landmarks, animals, or plants, pull out text, and even recognise products for online shopping. It’s like turning your photo gallery into an interactive search engine for quick answers.

Add custom music to your videos
The built-in video editor lets you do more than just trimming and cropping. By creating a “Highlight video,” you can add background music — either from Google’s preset themes or your own local files. It’s an easy way to personalise travel clips, montages, or family videos without relying on third-party editing apps.

Explore your memories on a map
Google Photos can plot your pictures on a map for a more immersive way to revisit trips. Go to Collections > Places, where you’ll see each city you’ve visited along with the photos captured there. Tapping a location reveals your trip highlights, and a map pins the exact spots where those photos were taken.

Turn photos into collages or GIFs
Google Photos lets you combine images into collages or bring them to life as GIFs. Open the app, tap the plus icon, and select “Collage” or “Animation.” You can then pick your photos and apply layouts, themes, or backgrounds. The result is a creative, shareable story that goes beyond single images.