How to use the Editor tool in Google Photos for web

Google Photos comes pre-installed on most Android phones and is also available for iOS and the web. It's packed with useful features, such as photo and video storage, automatic cloud backup, search and sharing options, and powerful editing tools.

With editing tools available on the web, you can easily modify or enhance your photos from any device instead of having to access your phone all the time.

Features available in Editor

Google Photos Editor is one of the best free photo editing apps and has several tools to enhance, crop, and apply filters to your photos. Here are some Google Photos Editor tools you can use:

1. Suggestions : You can automatically fix your photos from suggestions with just one click. Based on the photo you are editing, the list of options may include Enhance , Warm , and Cool . If you are a Google One subscriber, you may also see Dynamic , Vivid , Luminous , Radiant , etc. options .
2. Aspect Ratio : Along with the full-screen crop and rotate tool, you can also choose from a variety of preset settings such as Free, Original, Square, 16:9 (9:16), 5:4 (4:5) , 4:3 (3:4) and 3:2 (2:3) .
3. Tools : With some photo types, you may also find a Tools icon at the top. Some photo-based tools include Portrait light , Blur , Sky and Color - along with sliders for adjustments.
4. Adjust : If you want to manually adjust individual effects on your photo, Editor includes multiple sliders to quickly add effects. Sliders available in Adjust include Brightness , Contrast , White point , Black point , Highlights , etc.
5. Filters : The Filters section provides a variety of filter options for you to choose from to improve photo quality.

How to use Editor in Google Photos for the web

Editor in Google Photos is simple and easy to use. However, some editing tools are exclusive to Google One subscribers - including Magic Eraser for removing unwanted objects.

To use these features, make sure your device has 4GB RAM and an updated browser. To enhance your photos with Google Photos Editor, follow the steps below:

1. Visit Google Photos on your browser. Open the photo you want to edit and click the Edit icon at the top right.

2. On the Suggestions tab , to apply a suggested edit, click the suggestion name from the list. To undo the changes, click the proposal name again. Click Save at the top.

3. Click the Crop icon tab on the top right to crop or rotate your photo. To crop, select a preset value from the list or drag the edges of the photo. To rotate the photo, click the Rotate icon in the lower left. If you want to start again, click Reset. Click Save .

4. The Tools tab appears based on the photo you want to edit. Select the suggested tool name you want to use from the list, adjust the changes using the middle slider, and click Save when satisfied.

5. Select the Adjust tab at the top and manually drag the slider of the effect you want to add to the photo. Click Save to apply. To undo changes, simply deselect the effect.

6. To apply a filter to your photo, click the Filters icon at the top and select a filter from the selection. If you want to adjust the filter's strength, use the slider at the bottom. When you are satisfied with the filter, click Save to apply it. Select None to remove the filter.

You can also delete edits on photos and restore photos to their originals. Open the edited photo and click the Edit icon at the top right. Click Revert at the top and select Save.

Jessica Tanner

Update 22 October 2023