• 2 min read
Google Photos may soon edit metadata by request
An Android Authority teardown found Google Photos' Ask feature can change a photo’s timestamp, caption, and location with a prompt.
Image: Android Authority
Google is testing another use for Ask Photos
Google Photos appears to be preparing a new shortcut for photo metadata edits inside Ask Photos, according to an Android Authority APK teardown. The publication says the feature is already working in testing and could roll out soon.
The change was spotted in Google Photos v7.84.0.947289513. While examining that build, Android Authority found a change to the Ask button that appears when viewing an image, then enabled it manually to test how it works.
What the feature does
According to Android Authority, the updated Ask button can edit a photo’s metadata using natural-language requests instead of the app’s existing manual controls.
It reportedly supports three kinds of changes:
- Timestamp edits
- Caption generation and insertion
- Location or place information changes
Android Authority says it used the feature to change a photo’s date, and that it worked as expected.
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A faster version of tools Google Photos already has
These controls are not entirely new to Google Photos. The app has long allowed users to edit photo metadata, but the process is manual.
What appears to be changing here is the interface: rather than digging into photo details and editing fields one by one, users would be able to tell Google Photos what to change through Ask Photos. Android Authority also says the app is set to show a tooltip introducing the feature when it becomes available.
Ask Photos is spreading beyond Pixel 10
Google first introduced Ask Photos in Google Photos with the Pixel 10, according to the report. Since then, the feature has expanded to other Android devices.
Google has also rolled out the Ask button for eligible users in the US, giving them a way to make prompt-based edits in the app. This new metadata editing option would make that button more useful for photo organization as well as image changes.
Not live yet, but apparently close
Android Authority says the feature is not live yet, but appears to be functioning properly and “looks ready for a rollout.” As with any teardown, though, there is no guarantee it will ship in a public release.
“⚠️ An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.”
If it does launch, Google Photos would turn a tedious metadata edit into a one-line request: change the date, add a caption, fix the place tag — all from the Ask button.
Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
