Google Photos is maybe one of the most-used apps, yet not one that many think too much about when it comes to features. Unless, that is, something annoying gets added, which was the case with Shimmer, which got added to the Android app early this year.
Now there’s finally a way to turn it off.
A sparkling addition
Shimmer adds a sparkly outline around people or objects for a few seconds after you open an image. It’s an AI-powered way to create a sticker or copy or share the focus of a photo.
It’s also widely despised.
Users have been complaining from the start, from not knowing what the effect was to having their motion sickness triggered by it to desperately searching for ways to turn it off.
Relief is a toggle away
Google is rolling out a way to do just that with the latest update to Google Photos.
To turn off Shimmer, you can go to Settings > Preferences to find a “Show shimmer” toggle. It’s on by default, so a click turns the feature right off.
New feature in update
The update includes a new feature. You can now use your phone’s camera when selecting photos to use AI features like Remix and Photo.
To start a new generative AI project:
- Open Google Photos and select Create
- Choose a template
- Tap Camera thumbnail on the photo selection screen
- Take the photo
“This change is designed for features where you need a quick and temporary input, like a simple photo or a funny face,” Google wrote in the announcement of the feature. “It helps you get to the ‘magic’ of the AI edit.”
It makes for a faster, less cluttered way to create on the go.
