Google has begun rolling out two new features to Google Photos on Android — an AI Enhance button and video playback speed controls — with the update confirmed as active on April 6, 2026. The changes affect all Android users of the app, according to reporting by 9to5Google, which covers Google product changes as a specialist technology publication.
What the AI Enhance Feature Does
The AI Enhance button is described as a one-tap tool within the photo editing interface that applies automated image improvements powered by on-device or cloud-assisted processing. The feature follows a pattern Google has pursued across its Pixel hardware line and Google Photos software, where machine learning adjustments — including lighting correction, sharpness, and noise reduction — are packaged into simplified controls for general users. The specific processing pipeline behind this particular implementation has not been detailed in official Google documentation reviewed at the time of publication, so the precise scope of what the AI Enhance button adjusts should be treated as attributed to early rollout reports rather than fully documented specification.
Video Playback Speed Now Adjustable in Google Photos
The second addition gives users direct control over video playback speed inside Google Photos. Playback speed controls are a standard feature in dedicated video platforms but have been absent from Google Photos' native viewer until now. The addition lets users slow down or speed up video clips without leaving the app, which is a practical change for reviewing footage — particularly relevant for users who capture slow-motion video on their phones and want to compare playback rates without switching to a separate player.
Rollout Timing and Platform Availability
Both features are confirmed as rolling out to Android users as of April 6, 2026. Google has not published a separate blog post or press release announcing these specific additions at the time of writing, and the rollout details originate from 9to5Google's coverage of the update. iOS availability has not been confirmed. Google Photos updates of this kind typically reach Android users first before extending to iOS on a separate timeline, though no official statement on cross-platform availability for these features has been issued.
Users who have not yet received the update should expect it to arrive through the standard Google Photos app update process on the Google Play Store. Given that the rollout was already underway by April 6, broader availability is likely within days rather than weeks, based on how Google typically stages Photos feature releases — though no specific completion date has been confirmed.
