Verdict
Google Photos puts object removal, unblur and one-tap fixes on almost any phone for free, and the newer ask-to-edit tool reached UK Android users in June 2026. Results are uneven, and individual reviewers report the generative Magic Eraser adding things it was told to remove. The chat-style editing needs face grouping switched on and the user to be 18 or over.
Best for
Quick fixes to family snaps without paying
Skip if
Facial recognition on a whole photo library is a dealbreaker
Key facts
- Category
- Photo editing & touch-ups
- Made by
- Google LLC
- Based in
- United States
- Launched
- 2015
- Works on
- iPhone, Android, Web
- In the UK
- Yes
- Price from
- £1.59 a month
- Free plan
- Free app with 15 GB shared Google storage; Magic Eraser, Unblur and suggested edits included free on supported phones
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Billed |
|---|---|---|
| Basic (100 GB) | £1.59 | month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | £7.99 | month |
| Google AI Pro (5 TB) | £18.99 | month |
What it does
- backs up photos and videos automatically
- searches a photo library by what is in the pictures
- edits photos with AI tools that remove distractions and unblur
- sorts photos and documents into albums automatically
- makes collages, highlight videos and animations
- shares photos and albums, including with non-users
Ratings
What people say
Store ratings are high (4.75 on iPhone, 4.22 from 54 million Android ratings), but user threads in 2026 complain that the generative Magic Eraser now invents details and that Ask Photos needs face grouping. Praise centres on how easy quick fixes and the April 2026 touch-up tools are.
“One time I tried to get it to remove a lamp in the background and it ADDED another one.”
Individual user review, 10 July 2026 · source
“I tried to remove them by using a magic eraser in Google photos . But it is destroying my photo.”
Post on X, 29 December 2025 · source
“I don't want google to see nor organize my photos based on similar faces, I just want to use "ask" to modify my photos.”
Individual user review, 14 August 2026 · source
“Tried a couple of sample edits and it worked pretty well.”
Individual user review, 20 April 2026 · source
“it works!”
Individual user review, 7 February 2026 · source
Press reviews
- Tom's Guide 2025-11-12
Called Help me edit "shockingly capable for everyday use" after it removed a bucket in five seconds, but "still no match for Lightroom or Photoshop" and some requests need rephrasing.
- How-To Geek 2025-09-23
Disliked the redesigned editor at first but said it "has grown on" the reviewer, with better AI tools such as Magic Eraser; misses retouching tools and edit indicators.
Privacy
- Trains on your data
- Google says it does not train generative AI models outside Google Photos on personal data in Photos; Photos data is not used for ads
- Opt-out
- Human review of Ask Photos queries can be switched off; turn off 'Your Ask Photos Activity' under Settings > Preferences > Gemini features in Photos; Gemini features are opt-in
- Retention
- feedback deletion 'isn't immediate'
- Incidents
- Texas $1.375bn settlement (agreed 2025, executed 31 Oct 2025) covering claims that Google Photos captured faceprints; $100m Illinois biometric class action over Photos face grouping (2022). Google admitted no wrongdoing in either.
- Age limit
- Gemini and Ask Photos editing features are 18+ (Google help pages); minimum age for the basic app is
Official videos
- How To Use Magic Editor On Google Pixel And More 2024-09-26
- Edit your photos and videos 2022-10-06
FAQ
Is Google Photos editing free?
Yes for the main AI tools. Magic Eraser, Unblur and suggested edits come with the free app on supported phones, and paid Google One plans from £1.59 a month buy extra storage rather than editing features.
Does 'Help me edit' work in the UK?
9to5Google reported on 17 June 2026 that Edit with Ask Photos was rolling out to the UK on Android. iPhone users outside the US were not included, and Google says it may take time to reach everyone.
Does Google train AI on my photos?
Google's privacy hub says it does not train generative AI models outside Google Photos with personal data in Photos and never uses it for ads. Ask Photos queries can be reviewed by people unless that is switched off.
Why does Ask Photos need face grouping?
Google's help page lists Face Groups, location estimates and opting in to Gemini in Photos as requirements, and users must be 18 or over. individual reviewers have complained about the face grouping requirement.
Has Magic Eraser got worse?
Some users think so. user threads from July 2026 say the newer generative version is slower and sometimes adds or invents objects, while Tom's Guide found the ask-to-edit tool removed objects cleanly in its tests.
Scores are based on published evidence, not lab tests. How we score.
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