What you need to know
- Google Photos has gained a handy update to its action button interface.
- You can now access all of its action buttons when selecting a photo or video without having to open a file.
- The latest change appears to be rolling out as part of a server-side update.
Google Photos' action buttons are now a lot easier to find, thanks to a new UI change that introduces a pop-up menu at the bottom, where you can view all options for sharing and managing your files.
Google Photos now shows a card at the bottom of the screen when you click any photo or video in the Photos tab (via 9to5Google). It gives you access to all of its action buttons, some of which were previously tucked away within the three-dot menu. These include the buttons for sharing, adding to a library, deleting an item, ordering a print, moving a file to archive or Locked Folder, and editing the location.
Prior to this update, only the first three buttons mentioned above were readily accessible when selecting a file. To get to the rest of the options, you would need to tap the three-dot menu. But they were located in the top right corner. The latest tweak moves these buttons to a new location that's easily accessible, especially when you're in one-hand mode.
You can, of course, open a photo and swipe up in order to pull up these action bars. But the new update shortens that process and saves your hours — handy if you're handling multiple files. That's because the pop-up interface also appears when choosing multiple photos or videos.
Further swiping up on this card brings up shortcuts for sending selected files to suggested contacts. Beneath the row of contacts, Google Photos will also surface recommended albums where it believes you want to add your selected items. These options show up when picking multiple files as well.
It's the latest tweak to the service since it rolled out useful features on many of the best Android phones a few months ago. These features include improved methods of sharing with a partner, family, and friends, as well as new ways of organizing on-device and images separately.
The new overhaul seems to be rolling out via a server-side update, which explains its limited availability at the moment. That said, you should get it in no time.
