Issue
Users are expressing a desire to quickly search their archived photos without the need to engage with an AI assistant.
Quick fix
To adjust settings, open the app, tap the Google account icon in the top-right corner, navigate to Photos settings > Preferences > Gemini features in Photos, and disable either “Search with Ask Photos” or “Use Gemini in Photos”.
The full story
When Google launched its AI-driven ‘Ask Photos’ search functionality, initial experiences suggested it was slower and less intuitive compared to the previous search option. Many users opted to revert to the classic search method by using the “Switch to classic search” button. Some also discovered that double-tapping the magnifying glass provided a quicker route back to the traditional search.
However, a few months ago, Google streamlined accessibility to these options, redirecting the double-tap gesture to the Gemini system instead of the older method. Initially, users faced challenges in locating how to disable it, but fortunately, the classic search feature remains available within the settings menu, as detailed previously.
There have been some improvements to Ask Photos since its launch, indicating Google has taken user feedback into account.
One more trick
For users who share their Google Photos library with family members, such as spouses using different devices, there is a way to narrow down your own photos. By entering the exact name of your phone’s camera in the search bar, you can locate your personal images. To identify the proper name, select any photo and scroll down to the Details section.
