Google Photos, renowned for its robust backup capabilities for images and videos, continues to evolve with new features aimed at organizing your media catalog. Recently, users noticed Google testing a feature named 'photo stack,' which compiles similar images together, making your photo library neater by minimizing redundancy and duplicate content. Now, it seems the feature is starting to make its way to users; a Reddit member has reported encountering the new photo stack functionality within the app.
For those who find themselves snapping multiple photographs of the same scene to capture the perfect moment, the photo stack feature will come as a relief. It consolidates these repeated shots into a single bundle, clearing up the visual clutter in your library. Although the Redditor who spotted the feature didn't delve into the specifics, such as the limit to how many images can be included in a single stack, the essence of the functionality is clear.
Upon selecting a photo stack, Google Photos showcases the 'Top Pick'—a standout image identified automatically by the service from the collection of similar photos. If the selection doesn't resonate with your preference, you're free to crown a different image as the Top Pick. Moreover, you have the choice to extract photos from a stack or to streamline your collection by opting to 'Keep This, Delete Rest,' which retains only the top image and discards the redundant ones.
The stacked photos blend into your regular photo grid but can be easily spotted thanks to an icon adorning the thumbnail of the stacked images, differentiating them from the rest of your media.
Although photo stacking may bear a resemblance to the Pixel's unique Top Shot feature – which also emphasizes the best shot from a series of similar photos – photo stacks promise a broader availability extending beyond just Pixel phone users to all who use Google Photos.
To discover whether you have access to photo stacks, head over to the Settings in your Google Photos app and peek into the Preferences section. The feature can be activated if you spot the 'Stack similar photos' option listed there.
The convenience of photo stacks is ideal for those who frequently photograph subjects like children or pets, where countless quick shots are snapped in the quest for a single, flawless image. By grouping the excess into stacks, you're spared the manual labor of sifting and deleting.
While Google might be deploying photo stacks incrementally, resulting in a select group of users receiving the feature initially, a broader rollout is expected to follow in the coming weeks, potentially making photo management a breeze for Google Photos aficionados everywhere.