Google Photos Will Soon Introduce Video Speed Settings Feature

Google Photos is reportedly about to introduce a new feature that users have been waiting for a long time, namely the ability to set the video playback speed directly in the application. This feature will allow users to speed up or slow down videos, similar to the playback speed option that is already available on YouTube.

Based on the latest findings, Google is testing a feature to set the speed of playing videos in Google Photos version 7.58. This test was first revealed by Android Authority, which managed to activate the feature even though it had not been officially released to the public. Until now, Google Photos only allows users to play videos normally or switch to a specific section using the playback slider.

When officially released, users will be able to change the video speed by selecting the "Playback speed" menu in the three-point menu in the upper right corner when playing a video. The menu will display a panel at the bottom of the screen with various speed options, ranging from 0.25x, 0.5x, 1x, 1.5x, to 2x. With this option, users can adjust video playback as needed, whether to watch faster or slow down certain scenes.

This video speed setting feature is touted as one of the most requested features from Google Photos users. Its presence is considered to increase convenience, especially for users who store a lot of long videos, such as family event recordings, travel, or other documentary videos.

In addition to the playback speed feature, Google is also reportedly developing a new option for a more immersive photo gallery view. The feature is a toggle "Show dates in grid" that allows users to display or hide date labels on the photo and video grid view.

This toggle can be accessed via the three-dot menu in the upper right corner of the Photos View. If turned off, the grid view will look cleaner because it is no longer separated by date labels, giving a more unified visual experience.

However, there are consequences of this setting. By hiding the date label, users will lose the convenience of selecting many photos or videos based on a specific date. This feature is considered suitable for users who prioritize visual display over chronological grouping.

Although the toggle is already visible in the tested version of the application, its function is reportedly not fully active. This shows that Google is still in the development and refinement stage before the feature is widely released.

Google Photos is known as an application that continues to receive updates to improve the user experience. Previously, this application was also reported to get a Material 3 Expressive look on the backup settings page, as well as the possibility of a more flexible backup schedule feature, which is also much requested by users.

Until now, Google has not officially announced when this video speed setting feature and grid display without dates will be available for all users. However, with the appearance of the feature in the latest version of the application, the public launch is expected to be not too long.