How Google Photos’ Magic Editor works (and when you can try it)

Magic Editor is a new Google Photos feature that uses generative AI to make major edits to your photos. We’re talking Photoshop-level edits. It could be a significant step forward in photo editing technology. Google demoed the feature and how it works while on stage at Google I/O 2023. While it’s not yet available to use, here’s what exactly Magic Editor can supposedly do and when you can try it for yourself.

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What is Google Photos’ Magic Editor and how does it work?

Magic Editor is a new experimental feature in Google Photos that uses generative AI technology to help you make more complex edits to photos.

With Magic Editor, you can remove unwanted people or objects, edit the background or foreground separately, change colours, and reposition subjects. It can recognise and differentiate between objects in a photo and allow you to manipulate specific parts of the image – even fill in gaps and generate new pixels for you – resulting in an edited photo that looks completely natural, and it didn’t require any professional tools.

What are some examples of Magic Editor in action?

Google shared a few examples of Magic Editor to demonstrate the power of the tool. In one example, a photo of a person standing in front of a waterfall was edited using Magic Editor. The person was moved to the side of the photo and made to appear more prominent in the foreground, while a backpack strap across their chest was removed and filled in to look like their coat, and the sky was transformed into a prettier colour.

In another example, Magic Editor was used to move a child sitting on a bench closer to the center of the photo. The tool generated new parts of the bench and balloons on the left to fill in the space. The sky was again enhanced to make it look more vibrant.

The results are impressive. Although some creases from the deleted bag strap are visible in the first example, the generated balloons and bench in the second example might make your jaw drop. Check out the I/O video above to see for yourself. It should start at the Magic Editor demo.

When will Magic Editor be available in Google Photos?

Google said Magic Editor will be available “later this year”, with an early access release on select Pixel phones. It’s unclear whether it will be exclusive to the rumoured Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. It’ll likely live in the Google Photos mobile app, which is where you’ll go to edit photos with Magic Editor.