Google is always making changes to its apps and services, which can create a love-hate relationship with the brand. Personally, I don’t mind that Google products are always a work in progress, since it usually means things are moving forward, even when they don’t need to. With that said, Google Photos is making another big change today, with the app updating how editing shortcuts are accessed on Android devices going forward (via 9to5Google).
Photos is losing some of its magic
Being able to tap, circle, and scribble on a photo in order to trigger access to the “Move,” “Erase,” and “Reimagine” tools on Google Photos made editing feel like magic. Simply put, if you were familiar with these shortcuts, it could really streamline the editing process in Photos by quite a bit.
Of course, on the other end, there was always the chance that you’d trigger these by accident, which could be extremely frustrating if you didn’t know that these shortcuts even existed. So, in order to ensure that everyone is having a consistent experience, Google is now removing these shortcuts on Android devices going forward.
What that means is, going forward, you will have to access these editing tools “the old-fashioned way” by diving into the Edit menu or searching for them in the Photos app on Android. While this change can seem small, it can be a huge deal to those who have relied on accessing these tools through actions, no doubt slowing down the editing process.
However, editing in Photos should be a lot easier going forward, especially since they recently brought more of the vital tools front and center. Change is not something that a lot of people like, but it is something that everyone will have to get used to. Personally, I never used actions, and instead would head into the menus to get things done.
It just felt like a more consistent way to do it across all platforms. So, if you’re a Photos user, be on the lookout for the new changes. And if you haven’t be sure to update your app for the latest experience.
