According to Android Authority, code within Google Photos version 7.61.0.860908034 reveals a new, persistent toggle to switch between the classic search bar and the AI-powered Ask Photos experience. The toggle, located in the top-left of the search interface, would remember a user’s choice so they don’t have to manually switch it off every time. If the classic search returns no results, the app would automatically expand the query using Ask Photos. The update also moves the AI response text to the top of the screen instead of a bottom sheet, keeping only the search bar at the bottom for follow-ups. This change is not yet live and Google has not officially announced it, but it directly addresses one of the app’s most consistent user complaints.
A fix for a self-inflicted wound
Look, this is a textbook case of a company fixing a problem it created. Google Photos’ classic search was, and honestly still is, incredibly powerful. You could type “dogs December 2022” and get what you wanted. Then they shoved Ask Photos—their generative AI chatbot for your library—front and center, and basically hid the old way behind a double-tap gesture most people never discovered. It was a classic “we know better than you” move that just annoyed everyone. So this toggle isn’t some generous new feature; it’s a necessary retreat. A mea culpa in UI form.
The real test is reliability
Here’s the thing, though. The promise of Ask Photos automatically saving the day when classic search fails sounds great in theory. But I’m skeptical. AI search in photos is fantastic when it works—”show me pictures of my kid wearing a red hat”—and utterly useless when it doesn’t. If the fallback AI results are a mess of hallucinations or irrelevant images, that “neat” feature becomes just another point of frustration. The toggle’s success hinges entirely on Ask Photos being genuinely, reliably helpful. And Google’s track record with AI products is… mixed, to put it politely.
A broader pattern of forced AI
This whole saga feels like a microcosm of Google’s current strategy. They’re so all-in on AI that they’re forcing it into interfaces where a simpler, deterministic tool was actually preferable. It reminds me of the old saying: when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. For searching a structured database of your own photos, a precise search bar is often the right tool. An AI chatbot is a different tool—powerful for complex, relational queries, but overkill for “beach 2019.” Giving users the choice, and making it a *simple, persistent* choice, is the bare minimum of good design. It’s just a shame it took this long and so much user backlash to get here.
Will this actually stick?
So, the big question is: will this toggle survive, or will Google eventually phase out the classic search entirely once they feel enough people are comfortable with AI? I think the persistent memory of the toggle choice is a good sign—it suggests they acknowledge this isn’t a temporary training wheels situation for some users. But with Google, you never know. The best outcome is that both methods coexist, each serving different needs. The user wins when they have control. For now, if this update rolls out widely, it’ll be a clear win for common sense. Basically, it’s about time.
