Google announced a delay in the implementation of the “Ask Photos” feature in the Google Photos app by approximately two weeks. According to Google Photos product manager Jamie Aspinall, the team is working on improving the performance, quality, and usability of this feature as the current version does not meet user expectations.
I hear you both. Ask Photos isn't where it needs to be, in terms of latency, quality and ux. Rollout has been paused at very small numbers while we address these issues. In ~2 weeks we'll ship an improved version that brings back the speed and recall of the original search
— Jamieasp (@jamieasp) June 3, 2025
The “Ask Photos” feature uses the Gemini AI model and allows users to find the desired photos in their library using natural language. For example, one can ask to find the best pictures from each trip to a National Park or find selfies taken in museums during a trip to New York. Some users have already had access to this feature, but experts have noted complaints about slow performance and incomplete image searches.
Google announced “Ask Photos” last year at the Google I/O conference. After starting limited implementation in October, the company decided to temporarily pause the rollout to address shortcomings. The updated version of the feature is expected to be available after improvements, which will take up to two weeks.
Users who have already tested “Ask Photos” can return to classic search: to do this, simply select the appropriate option on the feature page or disable “Search with Ask Photos” in the account settings. The company has not yet provided additional comments on future changes.
