Google is rolling out a powerful free Google Photos update, bringing Magic Editor to more devices
Google is releasing several of the most powerful Google Photos features, including its AI-powered Magic Editor, to all users with no subscription required.
Starting May 15 and rolling out over the following weeks, Magic Editor, Photo Unblur, Magic Eraser, “and more” will become free to use on any compatible device, subject to one crucial limitation.
Magic Editor Becomes Free To Use—Within Limits
The most powerful of these tools is undoubtedly Magic Editor. Launched last year as a Pixel 8/Pixel 8 Pro exclusive, Google’s AI-powered image editor is now free to use on all Pixel devices.
Even better news is that other Android and iOS devices now also gain free access to Magic Editor. However, its use is limited to just ten saves per month for non-Pixel products unless backed by a paid Google One subscription. Crucially, unlimited free access applies only at the 2TB tier or above, leaving users with entry-level 100GB or 200GB subscriptions stuck with the ten-save limit.
What is Magic Editor?
Magic Editor leverages generative AI to perform complex edits, such as repositioning and rescaling objects within photos or replacing a dull sky with a more attractive one. It will seamlessly make these changes for you while automatically filling in any gaps that would appear behind objects you have moved.
Google can bring Magic Editor to a wide range of devices with differing levels of performance because its AI processing is performed in the cloud rather than on the local device. However, this places a demand on Google’s servers that must be paid for, hence the subscription requirement for unlimited access to the feature.
Advanced features now becoming available to all Google Photos users.
Other Enhanced Editing Features Come With Unlimited Use
Along with Magic Editor, other previously subscription-only editing tools are now being made available to all Google Photos users. These work offline, can be used with unlimited saves, and include, among other features:
- Magic Eraser—helps you remove unwanted objects and people from your photos by drawing a rough outline around them. Magic Editor provides similar functionality, but Magic Eraser uses only the local device’s computing power, albeit with slightly less polished results.
- Photo Unblur—Previously available only on Pixel 7 and up, this feature uses machine learning to sharpen up out-of-focus pictures automatically.
- Portrait Light allows you to “re-light” photos of people after you have taken them, achieving more balanced illumination on faces by reducing harsh shadows.
Increasing the availability of these new features will help keep Google Photos competitive in a world where smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung, Apple and OnePlus compete to bring more sophisticated AI-based image editing tools to their devices.
Follow @paul_monckton on Instagram