Google adds toggle to revert Google Photos search to classic mode

Google is now offering a toggle that lets Google Photos users return to the previous, often faster “classic” search experience instead of the newer AI-powered option called “Ask Photos.” Ask Photos, launched in the U.S. in 2024, enables natural language searches of a user’s photos, including complex requests.

The feature’s rollout was briefly paused last summer while the company addressed latency issues after user feedback. Some users said Ask Photos failed to find certain images and produced less accurate results, and an existing option to disable the use of Gemini in Google Photos was buried in settings and often overlooked.

To make switching easier, Google will add a visible toggle on the search screen so users can turn Ask Photos off and view classic results instead. The company said it will still lead with whichever results best fit the user’s query. The change was announced by Google Photos lead Shimrit Ben-Yair.

United States

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