New categorization options are rolling out now
Summary
- Google Photos is introducing manual categorization for documents, allowing users to change the category of images like receipts and tickets.
- Google Photos has automatically categorized images of documents since 2021, but the ability to recategorize them is new.
- Changes in categorization options in Google Photos are likely a server-side update.
Last month, Google services enthusiast AssembleDebug shared on X that Google Photos was working on a way to change how the app categorizes images of what it calls “Documents.” The new setup would let users manually alter the way various images — screenshots, photos of receipts or event tickets, that sort of thing — are tagged, making it easier to organize that kind of info in Photos. We’re seeing those new options on our own phones now: manual categorization is finally rolling out.
If you regularly use Google Photos to store images of documents, you’ll know that it doesn’t always get the categorization right. With this new change, which more than one of us here at AP are seeing in Google Photos v6.74.0.612653301, you’ll have the option to change which category each image goes in.
When viewing photos the app recognizes as documents full-size, there’s a tag icon near the top left corner of the screen that says which category the photo currently falls in. Tapping the icon will surface options to “Change categories” or “View all documents;” the latter takes you to the same list you’ll see if you navigate to the Documents view from Google Photos’ Search tab.
New categorization options are rolling out now
It’s likely a server-side update
Google first introduced machine learning-powered document categorization to Photos back in 2021, but until now, there’s been no way to correct it. I’m seeing these options live on a Pixel 8 running the version of Google Photos mentioned above. Changes like this tend to be server-side, though, which means that even if you’re using the same app version, the functionality still might not be enabled for you on Google’s end.
We just spotted the new feature today, not long after AssembleDebug shared evidence of similar document organization features coming soon to Google Drive. It’s shaping up to be a good year for Android users with messy digital lives.
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