Whenever I am scrolling through my old captures, I wish I could add a bit more HDR effect to them. Aiming to enhance old shots, Google has added ‘Ultra HDR’ feature in Google Photos. No complex camera techniques are needed to do it.
Sounds pretty satisfying to me. What’s better than giving your old photos a vibrant touchup of HDR?
Where You’ll Find the Ultra HDR Option?
When I mention Ultra HDR, don’t assume that it might be a fancy term for regular HDR. It seems more than the usual HDR concept. This includes brighter highlights, richer shadows, and more vivid colors. It is accessible to Google Photo users but, there’s still no confirmation whether everyone can access HDR settings. In case of using a standard screen, Google says, your pictures will still appear great. It’s just they’ll use a standard color range instead.
Once your device gets the update, this ‘Ultra HDR’ feature will be visible in Google Photos’ “Adjust” section. The previous “HDR Effect” tool has been replaced with a slider that allows you to adjust the strength of the Ultra HDR effect. If you prefer a subtle color enhancement, slide it down a bit. Or, if you want to add a cinematic touch to your sunset captures, slide it up! It all depends on how you make changes according to your preferences.
Till now, Google hasn’t officially announced anything regarding this feature. The updates we’re hearing are coming from Android Authority. Maybe it could really shake things up for you if you want to enhance photos with minimal effort.
Is It Available to Everyone Yet?
Actually no. As per reports, some android users have got this update while many are still waiting. I am not clear if it’s being released first for the latest high-end phones or if everyone will have access to it soon. So, we all are on the same page in terms of curiosity. It might be possible that Google is testing it on their end before a big release. Make sure that your phone supports HDR. Your photos will turn out nice, but they won’t look that much impressive.
But wait — There’s More: Photo Picker
There’s one more thing to add into your information. If you’ve used Android’s Photo Picker, you must know it allows you to choose pictures to share with an app while hiding the stuff in your gallery from that app. It maintains privacy. Tap the bar, enter text, and it will sort your photos. It probably seems similar to the search feature in Google Photos. Some users from Android Authority have reported that this feature has been included in the latest Google Play System Updates, which indicates it could become available at any time. Also, there’s no indication that it’s linked to Android 16. I guess it should work on any device using Android 13 or newer (only those supporting the Photo Picker).
What I mean to say is that these two new features—Ultra HDR editing and Photo Picker search— might be a good combo together. Finding and editing your old photos all becomes easy without leaving the app. All in one place. The change seems small, but might make a big difference.
I hope Google launches these both features soon. Meanwhile, check out if your phone has access to the Ultra HDR. Try it out and see if it creates wonders!
[via Android Authority]
