Google's gallery app is testing a visual change that will make Google Photos is becoming even more like Instagramat least in a key part of its interface. It's not about copying a social network entirely, but about adopting a format that's very recognizable to any Android user accustomed to consuming stories on different platforms.
This redesign, which is currently being seen in Google Photos beta versions for AndroidThis affects the Collections section and its shortcuts. The classic fixed grid of icons gives way to a horizontal carousel of preview cards that is quite reminiscent of the carousel in... Instagram stories or WhatsApp statuses, which makes the app more familiar and visual while still being a gallery.
A carousel of cards in the style of Instagram stories
According to specialized media outlets such as 9to5Google, the change focuses on the area of "Shortcuts" within the Collections tabwhere until now a 2x2 grid with pill-shaped buttons was displayed. This layout was intended to be practical, but visually it appeared quite plain and static compared to other more modern apps.
Today, when users enter Collections on Android, they often find four main shortcuts: two fixed and two dynamic. The two at the top are always reserved for Favorites and Trash, while the other two rotate according to the most used albums, such as "Camera", "Screenshots", "Images" or app folders like WhatsApp.
In the new proposal, that grid disappears and is replaced by a horizontally scrolling carousel with cards They are organized in a way very similar to Instagram Stories. Each card can be swiped from side to side and acts as a shortcut to a specific folder or album, taking up more visual space and displaying richer information.
The most striking thing is that Dynamically changing albums include a vertical preview of their contents, as if they were small stories in portrait format. The more functional folders, such as Trash or Archive, maintain a more understated design, with prominent icons instead of a photo, so that the purpose of each one is immediately recognizable.
In line with this redesign, the shortcuts area now appears marked with a clearer labelThis helps the Collections tab look better structured, with a more organized layout and an updated interface feel that fits in with other popular apps.
How the experience changes in the Collections tab
This move fits with the strategy that Google has been applying for some time in Photos, where Memories and recommendations are now displayed in a carousel format. on the main tab. There you'll often see features like "X years since…", "Highlights" or "Relive the moment", which are presented as scrollable cards with a similar look to stories.
With the arrival of the carousel to Collections, The main Photos tab and the Collections tab would be unified. Visually, both begin with a carousel at the top. This creates a sense of continuity in the design and makes it easier for the user to become accustomed to the same interaction pattern throughout the app.
Regarding the information displayed, the new cards show portrait format photos for each albumThis makes it easy to identify the folder at a glance without having to read too much. Alongside the image, each card includes a superimposed circular icon and the folder's name—a combination that attempts to balance aesthetics and clarity.
The content density remains reasonable: you can see on the screen three complete cards and part of a fourthThis way, the space is still used efficiently without becoming overcrowded. The goal is to make the area more dynamic without creating visual chaos.
Furthermore, the change isn't just about appearance, but about the overall feel. Google seems to want that Photos is perceived as a more modern and dynamic appInstead of being pigeonholed as a simple static gallery, the inspiration from Instagram is no accident: the stories format has become a standard that many users understand instantly.
Advantages and potential disadvantages of the new design
From a usability standpoint, this change has both positive aspects and some drawbacks. On the one hand, the new interface offers a more dynamic and visually appealing user experience, using the carousel to highlight the folders that the user uses most regularly.
Identifying each album results faster thanks to vertical previewsThis is especially helpful when you have many folders created or when you mix automatic albums with custom ones. For those accustomed to navigating social media stories, the swipe gesture is almost instinctive.
On the other hand, it's not all advantages. One of the criticisms already being raised is that Shortcuts lose their fixed positionIn the previous design, Favorites and Trash were always in the same spot on the screen, which was very convenient for those who used them daily without looking too much.
With the carousel, the position of the cards can vary depending on recent interactions, and that means that The buttons will no longer always be where the user remembers.Some people may find it less intuitive at first, although many are likely to adapt quickly to the new scheme.
In any case, Google seems to be absorbing this small adaptation cost in exchange for give more prominence to relevant albums at every moment, prioritizing what the user consults most frequently over a completely rigid structure.
Limited testing and progressive rollout on Android
For now, everything points to that This redesign is in a limited testing phaseThis feature is only visible in some Google Photos accounts for Android. It's not yet widely available, and on many European devices, there's still no change in the Collections tab.
The captures seen so far come from recent versions of the app on AndroidThis suggests that Google is activating the new design server-side. In other words, simply updating from Google Play isn't enough: the change depends on the company internally enabling the new interface for each account.
It is not yet clear whether the company intends to launch the carousel on a massive scale in the short term or whether, on the contrary, They will continue the trial for a while to gather feedback. and make adjustments. On other occasions, Google has halted or modified redesigns based on the reaction of early adopters.
In Europe and in Spain, where Google Photos is one of the most widely used solutions for storing and organizing images in the cloud, it is likely that the rollout will be gradualby first reaching a small percentage of accounts before expanding to the rest. This allows for the detection of usability or performance issues without affecting the entire user base at once.
Meanwhile, those who don't yet see the carousel in Collections will continue using the classic shortcut grid, with the fixed buttons for Favorites and Trash and the two lower positions reserved for the most used albums on each device.
Google Photos continues to be updated beyond just appearance
This change to the Collections interface comes in a context where Google Photos has been receiving updates for months related to both design and smart features.
Recently, the app has incorporated improvements for more easily identify AI-edited imageshelping the user distinguish between original photos and photos that have been retouched with Instagram filtersThis type of function is becoming increasingly important at a time when content generated or modified with artificial intelligence is becoming more and more common.
In addition, Google has introduced a Free tool to create short videos from photosBy leveraging technologies like Veo 3 to automate part of the editing process, it becomes easier to generate clips ready to share on social media or messaging services without having to use external applications.
These moves show that the company wants Photos is more than just a simple image storage.By adding creative features and small touches of social media, the app seeks to maintain its position as a benchmark within the Android ecosystem and, at the same time, get closer to the usage habits that have been consolidated on platforms like Instagram.
Although the visual resemblance to Meta's social network may be striking, Google Photos' orientation remains that of a image management and backup toolnow reinforced by a fresher design and features that try to get more out of the huge amount of photos we store in the cloud.
With all these changes, Google Photos is adopting a style closer to that of social networks while still remaining a gallery, relying on a New shortcut carousel in CollectionsStory-style previews and smart features that encourage more active use of our photos; now it's up to users to see if this shift towards an interface more like Instagram really improves their day-to-day life when organizing and remembering their images.
