Mastering Google Photos: 6 Essential Settings to Optimize Your Experience Now

Google Photos has become an essential daily tool for many, yet its vast array of functions can sometimes introduce annoying features that hinder smooth usage. When an application aims to do everything, there are inevitably aspects that require manual adjustment. Fortunately, the app's settings allow us to control most of these aspects and disable what we don't wish to see. It is worth noting that these adjustments primarily apply to the Google Photos app on smartphones (Android and iOS), and some options may differ depending on the device, especially for Google Pixel phones.

• ✨ Disabling the extra quick-edit step when sharing photos to improve sharing speed.
• ✨ Managing the sources of photos displayed in the main library, filtering content from other applications.
• ✨ Customizing "Memories" content to prevent unwanted people or dates from appearing.
• ✨ Turning off promotional notifications related to Google's printing services.

1. Eliminating the Extra Quick Edit Step During Sharing

Last year, Google added the "Quick Edit" feature which appears as an extra step when you tap the share button. The app assumes you might want a quick adjustment before sending, leading you to a mini-editing interface. If you prefer direct sharing, this step becomes just an annoyance to bypass every time. You can stop this behavior by navigating to: **Google Photos Settings > Sharing > Quick edit before sharing**, and then toggle this option off.

2. Organizing the Clutter from Other App Media

Google Photos acts as a central gallery for all media stored on your device, meaning screenshots and videos from other apps might clutter your main timeline. To simplify the view, you have two options: either go to **Google Photos Settings > Preferences > View photos in library** and disable the "View content from other apps" option entirely, which is a drastic choice. Alternatively, if you want to keep them but control their source, tap "Customize by app" on the same screen to select which apps' content to display or hide (this option might be exclusive to Google Pixel users).

3. Hiding People and Pets from Memories

The "Memories" feature is great for reliving moments, but it might surface photos of people or events you no longer wish to revisit. You can easily control this content via the path: **Google Photos Settings > Preferences > Memories > Hide people and pets**. From the menu that appears, select the faces or entities you wish to block from showing up in future Memory compilations.

4. Avoiding Reminders for Unwanted Dates

If the issue relates to a specific time period or date rather than specific individuals, Google Photos offers the ability to block memories associated with those periods. Follow the path: **Google Photos Settings > Preferences > Memories**. Then select "Hide dates." Here you can specify individual days, time ranges, or even entire years, ensuring that photos and videos taken during those times do not reappear in your Memories strip.

5. Disabling Promotions for Google Print Services

You might receive recurring notifications about offers for printing photo books and other prints provided by Google. To control these bothersome alerts, go to **Google Photos Settings > Notifications**. You will find a dedicated section for Print notifications, through which you can disable all three types: Print promotions, Print drafts, and any other notifications related to the printing service.

6. Stopping Automatic Video Playback in the Timeline

Like many modern apps, Google Photos automatically plays videos and animated images while you browse your library, which can consume data or be distracting. To stop this auto-play behavior, navigate to **Google Photos Settings > Preferences > Play network photos**. Disabling this option provides a quieter browsing experience and saves on cellular data usage.

What feature impacts the speed of sharing in Google Photos?

The feature is "Quick edit before sharing." This extra step is automatically added when you try to share a photo, taking you to a mini-editing screen. Disabling it ensures the immediate sharing of stored images.

Can I customize the display of photos from apps other than the primary camera?

Yes, this is possible via the preferences settings. If you don't choose to stop displaying content from other apps entirely, you can go into "Customize by app" and select which apps' photos should appear in the main Google Photos timeline, helping keep your library organized.

How do I prevent specific memories from showing up in the top bar?

You can block memories based on their content (people/pets) or their dates. Go to the Memories settings and choose "Hide people and pets" to specify blocked faces, or select "Hide dates" to block photos taken during specific timeframes.

⚓🕳️✨ In conclusion, Google Photos has evolved into a comprehensive photo management system, but it requires a bit of personal tuning to achieve the best experience. By customizing these six settings, you can remove unnecessary distractions, improve your browsing speed, and ensure that the content you see in "Memories" truly reflects the moments you wish to recall. Customizing the settings ensures Google Photos remains a powerful and effective tool rather than a source of digital annoyance. If you are interested in exploring more about optimizing Google services, we recommend checking out our specialized tools for organization and search.