How to use the latest AI video editing tools in Google Photos

Google Photos continues to receive new and improved features on a regular basis and one of the latest Android updates focused on video editing. Even if you don’t have the latest Pixel 9 phone (which is necessary if you want to try out the strange new Reimagine tool), you can now speed up, slow down and enhance your clips with a few taps, as well as trim them so they fall off more easily.

You can also expect what Google calls “AI-powered video presets” in both the Android and iOS versions of Google Photos. After the app’s algorithm analyzes your clips, you’re given a selection of effects – trim, zoom, slow motion – that you can apply with a tap. The app takes on the role of director and chooses where and how to apply these optimizations.

As the changes arrive on your phone, you’ll also notice that the interface is a bit cleaner, with larger icons and text that make what you’re doing clearer. The idea is that it’s easier than ever to make a few quick edits before sharing your clips, without having to open a separate editor on your phone or computer.

For starters, we have what Google calls “improved controls” for cutting out extraneous footage at the beginning and end of your clips – although I don’t think there’s much of a difference here from the previous version of the trimming tool.

The handles on each end of the clip are slightly larger and thicker, making them easier to hit with a finger press. Additionally, a timestamp appears on the screen as you move these handles, making the changes a bit easier to apply overall.

The trimming tool will automatically appear once you edit a video, and you can access it by tapping the Video button.

• Drag the left handle to change the starting point of the video.
• Drag the right handle to change the end point of the video.
• Drag the white bar between the two handles to move in the clip.
• Tap the play button at any time to view your new footage.
• Choose Save copy to confirm your changes and save a separate clip.

Google Photos now has a new Auto Enhance feature you can access. This analyzes your clip and then applies its own selection of color enhancements while also stabilizing the video.

• Knock video Then Expand to apply the automatic improvements.
• Tap the play button to see what the updated footage looks like.
• Knock Expand again to see the difference with and without the optimizations.
• Choose Save copy to save the enhanced video as a separate file.

If you prefer to apply video stabilization without color enhancements, just tap Stabilize on the video instead a tool board.

The new speed tool in Google Photos gives you more control over the pace of your videos to speed up or slow down the action. The effect can be applied to a specific section of your clip or the entire clip.

• Knock video and then speed to open the editor.
• Use the bars on the timeline to indicate where the effect should start and end.
• Under the timeline, choose a playback speed: from 1/4 speed to 4x speed.
• Tap the play button to see what the video looks like now.
• Choose CompletedThen Save copy If you are happy with the results, you can save a separate video file.

It’s not the most advanced video editing effect you’ll ever see, but considering it only requires a few taps on your phone’s screen, you can use it to achieve impressive results.

Unlike the tools above that are only available for Android, the AI-powered video presets in Google Photos are available for both Android and iOS. At least they will be at some point – although they were announced in September, at the time of this writing I haven’t seen the presets in the Google Photos apps on either platform.

When they appear, the Presets The button appears in between video And harvest in the options at the bottom of the interface. Select it and you’ll see a selection of changes you can apply with one tap: Basic cut, Slow motion, zoomAnd rail. These are applied as Google Photos’ AI sees fit based on the video content.

As an example, Google cites a skateboarding video whose action is reduced to a button hop and is also slowed down. For safety reasons, color reinforcements are also carried out at the same time. As before, you can preview the changes and then tap Save copy to accept the changes and save a new video file, leaving the original unchanged.