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Google Photo power users will love this leaked new feature

Someone holding a Pixel 9 Pro, running the Google Photos app.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

If you’re a frequent phone photographer, then you already know how difficult it can be to sort through a huge number of pictures taken in rapid succession. The Google Photo Stacks feature helps with this, but its interface has never been the easiest to use. An incoming update could change all of that with a simpler contextual menu.

First spotted by Android Authority in an APK teardown, the update introduces an arrow beside the photo stack instead of relying on the upward swipe. If you’re dealing with a lot of pictures, it’s an easy way to select your favorite one and get rid of the rest without individually deleting them.

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Don’t get too excited yet, though. Google often places features into its code that are currently under development or testing, but it isn’t a guarantee that the function will see a proper release. As it stands, there isn’t a set release date or even an official announcement regarding this update.

Someone holding a Pixel 9 Pro, running the Google Photos app.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

That said, more often than not, once something is found in the APK, it’s usually only a matter of time before it releases. Android Authority was able to activate the Photo Stacks feature in version 7.19 of the app, and the fact that it can be activated suggests it’s likely to come soon.

The full list of commands include:

  • Set as top pick
  • Keep this, delete rest
  • Remove from stack
  • Unstack
  • Multi-silect
  • Manage stacks
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The team pointed out that nothing has changed with regard to the Multi-select feature. This lets you choose multiple photos at once and grants a deeper, more granual level of control.

Sure, it’s not the biggest change — but if you rely on Google Photos to keep track of your pictures, this will make it a lot easier to organize your photos and find the perfect shot.

Patrick Hearn
Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…
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