Google is testing new video editing capabilities within its Google Photos application for Android, according to Android Authority. The features, discovered in a recent app version, introduce elaborate text options similar to those on Instagram, providing users with enhanced creative controls for video content.
The new functionalities were identified within version 7.49 of the Google Photos app for Android. These changes are part of a broader trial for a new video editor. The update is poised to give users significantly more control when adding text overlays to videos. This contrasts with the current text tool, which is considered crude, offering only a single, unchangeable font type and completely lacking any options for text alignment. The planned enhancements represent a substantial expansion of the existing, limited feature set available to video creators within the platform, moving beyond basic functionality.
The updated video editor introduces the ability to modify specific text attributes, including font style and alignment. A selection of new fonts will be available, many of which closely resemble the options found on Instagram’s Stories and Reels. The source material notes these fonts have “subtle differences and somewhat novel names” compared to their counterparts on the Meta-owned platform. This addition of multiple font styles and alignment controls marks a direct upgrade from the current system, which restricts users to a single font and offers no way to adjust the text’s horizontal position on the screen. The new tools are designed to provide a more refined user experience.
The text editor’s color palette is also receiving a significant expansion. Currently, users are limited to a choice of seven basic colors. The test version expands this selection to include dozens of additional color choices, providing subtle variations and shades for more nuanced design. While the array of options is much larger, the editor in its current test form does not yet include a blotter tool for sampling colors directly from the video, nor does it feature automatic color suggestions. Another new capability being tested is the option to add a highlight effect, which places a solid background behind the text for improved visibility and stylistic emphasis.
These new video editing features, including the expanded text tools, are currently in a trial phase. They have not yet been implemented widely across the user base. Google is expected to provide a notification to users once the updated text editor becomes available for a broader audience to access and utilize.
