How to use Snapseed to edit photos on Android
Every Android phone comes pre-installed with a few Google apps . Some are essential, others you'll probably never open. But that's not all. There are some Google apps that aren't pre-installed, and some of them are really great. And if there's one app everyone wishes Google would pre-install, it's SnapSeed .
Snapseed has been around for over a decade. It's a full-featured, easy-to-use photo editor that incorporates advanced tools and is free of unnecessary AI tricks. Best of all, it's completely free and ad-free, making it one of the best mobile photo editors you can get.
What makes Snapseed so great?
Better control over your phone's default editor.
Most Android phones already have a pretty good photo editor built in. Apps like Google Photos and Samsung Gallery can perform basic edits, add filters, and even remove unwanted objects using AI. But Snapseed still feels like the kind of editor your phone should have.
Snapseed's selection tool alone is reason enough to own it. It allows you to edit specific parts of an image instead of the entire photo. This means you can tap on shadows, faces, or the sky and only adjust that area. This is quite handy when you want to brighten the background without over-brightening the subject.
Snapseed also remembers all the edits you make. If you've spent a few minutes perfecting a photo, you can open a new photo and apply the same settings with the Last edits option . Even better, there's an option to save your applied edits as custom settings. This can save a lot of time for anyone who wants to maintain a consistent look for their Instagram or photo collection.
Snapseed also supports RAW image editing. This might not be important to most people, but if you're serious about photography, even just a little, it's very important. You can directly open RAW files and adjust elements like exposure, color, and detail.
This application incorporates many advanced tools.
Pro features without paying extra.
Snapseed has a simple-looking interface, but it's far from basic. In fact, it can easily compete with paid photo editors like Adobe Lightroom and PicsArt .
For example, the Expand tool is great for centering the subject in any photo. It automatically fills the background to fit the scene. It's not designed for complex, AI-powered image creation, but for simple backgrounds, it works surprisingly well.
The Healing tool is another lifesaver. With just a swipe, you can remove unwanted objects or imperfections. So, if your perfect photo is ruined by random strangers or dust, Snapseed can help clean it up. There are also tools like Perspective , which can fix tilted buildings or odd angles in seconds.
However, the most appreciated feature is Stacks . Every edit you make is saved within the layers, meaning you can go back, adjust, or delete any edit without starting over. This gives you much more peace of mind knowing you can always undo a specific edit at any time.
And these are just a few examples. Snapseed has around 28 different tools in its Tools menu , including everything from text and tonal contrast to lens blur and double exposure.
Snapseed won't overwhelm you.
Powerful yet easy to use.
One of the best things about Snapseed is that it never feels overwhelming, even on your first try. It has all the tools you'd expect from a professional photo editor, but without the complexity that often intimidates people. When you open the app, you won't see any confusing control panels, sliders, or technical jargon. Everything is organized into three simple tabs: Looks , Tools , and Export .
The Looks tab lets you apply pre-set styles or your own saved settings with just one tap. It's perfect for quick edits when you don't want to spend time fine-tuning every detail. The Tools tab is where you have all the advanced options like Expand, Healing, Perspective, Curves, and many more. Export is the final step, where you save, share, or create a copy of your edited image. And honestly, that's all you need to know to get started. This level of ease of use is rare in photo editing apps.
Snapseed also deserves praise for its built-in tutorials. Tap the three-dot menu in the upper right corner and select Tutorials . If there's a feature or tool you don't understand or want to learn how to use correctly, you don't need to search for tutorials or videos on YouTube. Everything is explained right in the app in clear and simple language.
