10 Powerful Tips to Celebrate 10 Years of Google Photos
Google Photos, the cloud-based media hub trusted by over 1.5 billion users globally, has officially turned 10 years old. Since its debut, the platform has evolved from a basic media backup tool into a full-fledged AI-powered assistant that helps people organize, edit, share, and relive their most cherished memories.
To mark this major milestone, Google has rolled out new features and shared practical tips to help users get even more out of their photo collections. Whether you’re a long-time user or just getting started, here are 10 essential tips, tools, and tricks to make the most of your Google Photos experience in 2025.
1. Try the Brand-New Redesigned Editor (AI-Powered)
Google is launching a revamped photo editor designed to make complex edits easier than ever. Available on Android starting next month (with iOS to follow later this year), the new interface groups all editing features in one place and uses AI to recommend edits, such as brightness adjustments or stylistic enhancements.
Features like Auto Frame and Reimagine, previously exclusive to Pixel 9 users, are now expanding to more devices — giving everyone access to professional-grade enhancements with a single tap.
2. Instantly Share Albums via QR Codes
Sharing albums is now seamless thanks to auto-generated QR codes. With this feature, you can quickly share an album with people nearby by letting them scan a code — perfect for events like weddings, reunions, or trips. You can even print the QR code to share physical access at live events.
3. Revisit Places Through the ‘Places’ Tab
Want to relive that beach vacation or road trip? Under the “Collections” section, tap on “Places” to view your photos pinned on an interactive map. This geo-tagged view provides a beautiful visual journey through your travel history.
4. Use Natural Language Search (Yes, It’s That Smart)
Google Photos has one of the most advanced photo search tools around. Simply search phrases like “me in a sparkly blue dress” or “mom at the beach in 2020”. You’ll get surprisingly accurate results thanks to machine learning and face recognition. For best results, label people and pets in the “People & Pets” section.
5. Relive Your Favorite Months & Years with Recaps
The “Best of Month” and “Year in Review” features offer beautifully curated memory montages automatically generated from your media. These are perfect to share with friends and family, or just to take a moment for nostalgic reflection.
6. Make Highlight Reels with Auto-Montages
Want to make a quick video of your pet’s cutest moments or that weekend getaway? Just hit the “+” button, choose “Highlight Video,” and select the subjects (people, places, or events). Google Photos will handle the rest — stitching together a music-backed montage that you can instantly share.
7. Share Across Distances with Shared Albums
If your family and friends are spread across the globe, shared albums can be your connection bridge. You can even set them to auto-update with new photos of certain people or pets. These photos can appear in others’ apps or even display on smart photo frames — keeping everyone in the loop effortlessly.
8. Declutter Your Feed with Grid Controls
Tired of seeing the same selfie five times or your meme folder exploding? Use the Grid Control settings (accessible via the three-dot menu at the top of the gallery) to group similar photos, or hide screenshots, GIFs, and memes that you don’t need in your main photo stream.
9. Hide Unwanted People or Dates from Memories
Don’t want to be reminded of a particular time or person? Under Settings > Preferences > Memories, you can choose to hide specific individuals, pets, or dates from showing up in your memory collections. You can also decide between themed memories (like trips or events) or time-based ones.
10. Free Up Space Without Losing Photos
Running out of space on your phone? Google Photos can help. Simply go to your profile icon and select “Free up space on this device.” This option removes items that are already backed up to the cloud — meaning you won’t lose them, but you will reclaim valuable phone storage.
A Decade of Memories — What’s Next?
Over the last ten years, Google Photos has become more than just a storage solution. With over 9 trillion photos and videos stored, the platform processes 370 million searches, 440 million shares, and 210 million photo edits every month.
Google plans to continue innovating — especially in the AI space — to help users relive, organize, and share their life moments more meaningfully than ever before.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re an amateur photographer, a memory keeper, or someone who just loves snapping pet pics, Google Photos has something for everyone. These 10 tips are just a glimpse into the platform’s powerful capabilities in 2025.
As we celebrate 10 years of storing and sharing memories, one thing’s for sure — Google Photos isn’t just a tool; it’s a digital time capsule that grows with you.
