Google Photos is streamlining how users find their most cherished memories. A new update, rolling out now, integrates face recognition shortcuts directly into the app's search interface, aiming to cut down the steps needed to locate photos of specific people and pets. This change represents a significant quality-of-life improvement for one of the platform's most used features.
A Simplified Path to Your Photos
The core of this update is a reduction in navigation friction. Previously, finding photos of a specific person required users to tap through multiple sections: first the "Collections" tab, then "People & pets," and finally selecting the individual. For users with extensive libraries, this multi-step process could feel cumbersome. The new system bypasses these intermediate pages by placing a row of recognized faces directly within the Search tab. A single tap on a person's or pet's face now instantly filters the view to show all photos where they appear, making the action feel immediate and intuitive.
User Workflow Comparison
| Step | Old Method | New Method |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Open Google Photos app. | Open Google Photos app. |
| 2 | Tap the "Collections" tab. | Tap the "Search" tab. |
| 3 | Tap "People & pets". | See a row of face shortcuts. |
| 4 | Tap the specific person/pet. | Tap the desired face shortcut. |
| 5 | View all photos of that subject. | View all photos of that subject. |
| Result: The new method eliminates two intermediate navigation steps. |
Integration Across Search Functions
This new shortcut functionality is being implemented across Google Photos' search ecosystem. In the traditional "Search" tab, the row of faces appears prominently near the top of the screen as soon as the tab is opened. For users of the newer, AI-powered "Ask Photos" feature, the face shortcuts appear after tapping the search bar, ready to assist in refining a query. Google states the feature surfaces the faces that appear most frequently in a user's library by default, while a "See all" option remains available to access the full "People & pets" management page.
The Foundation: Face Groups
This convenient new shortcut is built upon the existing "Face Groups" technology. Face Groups is the backend system that uses machine learning to automatically cluster photos containing the same face into a single, accessible collection. For the new search shortcuts to appear, users must have Face Groups enabled in their app settings. This can be done by navigating to Settings > Privacy and toggling on the "Face Groups" option. The feature is designed with privacy in mind, as all face grouping and recognition is processed locally on the device for many users, depending on their settings and plan.
Feature Availability & Requirements
- Platforms: Android and iOS (iPadOS included).
- Core Requirement: "Face Groups" must be enabled in Settings > Privacy.
- Rollout Status: Began global rollout on December 22, 2025.
- Confirmed Working On: Google Pixel 10 Pro with Google Photos app version 7.57.843.
Rollout and Availability
The update has begun its global rollout as of December 22, 2025. It is available for both Android and iOS versions of the Google Photos app. Early reports confirm the feature is live on devices like the Google Pixel 10 Pro running app version 7.57.843. Users who do not see the shortcuts immediately are advised to ensure they have the latest version of Google Photos installed from their respective app store. This update follows earlier glimpses of the feature that surfaced in testing months prior, indicating a measured development and release cycle.
Enhancing the User Experience
Ultimately, this update is less about introducing a groundbreaking new technology and more about perfecting the user experience around an existing powerful one. By moving a key function—finding people—closer to the primary point of interaction (the search bar), Google is reducing cognitive load and saving time. It acknowledges that for many, organizing and reliving memories through photos is a deeply personal and frequent activity. This subtle but impactful change makes that activity smoother, allowing users to spend less time navigating menus and more time enjoying their photos.