The photo-to-video feature animated my Jeep truck toy across the shelf.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Google has added an exciting feature to Photos.
- You can animate your photos with a surprising level of realism.
- The results aren’t always perfect, but still impressive.
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Artificial intelligence strikes again. Yes, we’re back to that subject; only this time, it’s kind of fun.
Google has added a feature to its Photos app that allows you to turn your photos into videos. The feature is currently in early release, but it does work. I’ve tested it on several photos, and although the results are varied, when it gets things right, it’s very impressive.
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When it gets things wrong, it’s hilarious.
Case in point: I allowed the feature to work its magic on a photo I took with my Pixel 9 Pro for an earbuds review. The photo in question was of the right side of my head with about half of my face showing. I used the subtle movements option and was shocked by the results. The Photo to Video results had me moving my head left to right, and then the wind blowing my hair.
It looked so real.
Sure, if you really looked closely at the video, you can see the AI didn’t quite get my face right, but those mistakes were subtle. Other than that, I was stunned by how well it worked.
Also: I used Google’s photo-to-video AI tool on my selfie – and it made me do the tango
Stunned.
How do you use this feature? It’s quite simple. Let me show you so you can have some fun with your own photos.
How to turn your Google Photos into videos
What you’ll need: To use the photo-to-video feature, you’ll need the latest version of the Google Photos app. As far as I can tell, this feature is not limited to Pixel devices, so as long as you’re sporting Photos version 7.41.0 or newer, this feature should work on other Android phones as well as iPhones.
The first thing to do is open the Photos app on your phone.
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On the new Photos main page, tap the Create tab, and you’ll see the photo-to-video tool. Tap “Photo to video” to launch the feature.
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If you don’t see the tool, make sure to tap the Create tab.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
In the resulting page, select the photo you want to use for the video and then tap either “Subtle movements” or “I’m feeling lucky.” After that, wait for the AI to complete the task. One thing I’ve noticed is that some videos do take longer than others to complete. I believe it depends on how complicated the movement is to create, based on the photo.
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My little Jeep toy is about to be animated.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
When the AI completes the process, you’ll be presented with your video. If you’re satisfied with the results, tap Save, and the video will be saved to Photos in the usual place.
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One thing to keep in mind is that the videos will be watermarked with “Veo,” which cannot be removed.
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This new feature is really fun and highlights one area where AI can be used. Imagine being able to animate your photos and bring them to life in ways you never thought possible. That’s what Photo to video can do, and it’s probably one of the most impressive features Google has added to its ecosystem in a while.
