Google Photos is getting a killer update to make it easier to find images

Google Photos
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Google Photos is trialing a new feature that makes finding images and videos of specific people easier than ever. 

As reported by Android Police, the new search abilities revolve around the use of filters to narrow down the options when looking for specific shots of a person or people. And while Photos is hardly lacking in its search abilities as it is, screenshots of the feature in use suggest it'll be a powerful new tool.

It's already possible to search for people in Google photos by typing their name. And if you list more than one person, and a location, say, Photos will usually do a good job of surfacing the shots you're looking for. 

However, the new options, which are currently being tested, appear to be much more intuitive, giving you a user-friendly interface to help you narrow down your search. 

As demonstrated in Android Police's screenshots, a new series of filters now pops up below the search box when you type. These let you refine your search by various criteria including videos, favorites, collages, selfies and movies.

You can fine-tune your searches by filtering all images and videos to those containing a specific person and this also extends to filtering by groups of people.  

New filtering tools in Google Photos

New filtering tools in Google Photos (Image credit: Android Police)

The new feature doesn't appear to have been fully rolled out yet, and doesn't seem to be tied to a particular version of Google Photos; that could mean it's being tested with select accounts. 

As a result, there's no way of knowing when it might arrive on your device, but it looks like it'll be a useful new feature when it does appear. Just bear in mind that Google Photos is about to undergo a big change from June 1, when unlimited free storage comes to an end

Read next: Google Photos just got a bunch of new and upgraded features — here's what you need to know

Luke Wilson

Luke is a Trainee News Writer at T3 and contributor to Tom's Guide, having graduated from the DMU/Channel 4 Journalism School with an MA in Investigative Journalism. Before switching careers, he worked for Mindshare WW. When not indoors messing around with gadgets, he's a disc golf enthusiast, keen jogger, and fond of all things outdoors.