Google Photos continues to be one of the most popular photo and video editing apps for Android users, thanks to its seamless integration with Google Drive and its constant stream of new features. Over the past year, Google has been quietly enhancing the app with AI-powered search and creative editing tools that help users transform ordinary images into polished video clips.
The latest update appears to add another layer of creativity — Instagram-inspired text customization for videos. According to an APK teardown by Android Authority, Google Photos is testing a broader range of text styling options in version 7.49 of the app. While these features haven’t been officially rolled out yet, they could soon give users more freedom to personalize their videos directly within the app’s built-in editor.
Inspired by Instagram’s visual flair
The screenshots uncovered in the teardown reveal new text features, including color effects, background styling, and a variety of fonts. This would make it easier for users to replicate the vibrant, expressive text overlays commonly seen in Instagram Reels. The new layout also seems to introduce improved controls for text size, alignment, and color selection, offering more flexibility than the limited options currently available.
Although these updates aren’t completely revolutionary, they signal that Google is taking video editing within Photos more seriously. For anyone who prefers quick edits on their phone without switching to a dedicated editing app, the new text options should significantly streamline the process.
Interestingly, Google Photos isn’t stopping there. The company is reportedly experimenting with a new photo cleanup tool that mimics Tinder’s swiping gestures, letting users quickly remove unwanted elements from pictures. It’s another sign that Google is borrowing smart, familiar UI ideas from other popular apps to make Photos more intuitive and fun to use.
As always, since these features were spotted in a teardown, there’s no guarantee they’ll appear in the final release. But if and when they do, Google Photos could soon become a stronger all-in-one editing platform — one that bridges the gap between simple cloud storage and creative, social-style content creation.
