I'm no longer using Google Photos as just a cloud storage - 5 tools that elevate the app

A new ZDNET report highlights five powerful, built-in features within Google Photos that leverage AI to transform the app from a simple storage solution into a versatile creative and productivity tool. Beyond organizing and searching, users can now create social media-ready Reels using automated templates, generate personalized AI stickers by long-pressing any object in a photo, and share entire photo albums instantly via scannable QR codes. These features are largely available on both Android and iOS, requiring only the Google Photos app.

For Pixel users, the experience is further enhanced with exclusive capabilities like superior handwritten note-to-text conversion, outperforming even Google Lens. The process for creating Reels is streamlined: users select a template, choose photos, and can then edit with resizing, audio, and text overlays before sharing. Similarly, the AI sticker tool allows any photo element to be copied and pasted as a sticker into messaging or social apps. These integrations demonstrate Google's strategy of embedding practical, generative AI directly into its most-used consumer products, moving beyond passive storage to active content creation and management.