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Google Photos now lets you switch back to classic search
11 Mar 2026

Google has responded to user complaints by introducing a toggle in its Google Photos app.

The new feature lets users switch back to the traditional "classic" search experience, instead of the newer AI-powered option called "Ask Photos."

The move comes after some users expressed dissatisfaction with the accuracy of photo searches using this advanced technology.

A look at 'Ask Photos'
Feature introduction

The Ask Photos feature, which debuted in the US in 2024, lets users search their photos using natural language queries, even complex ones.

However, its rollout was temporarily halted last summer as Google worked to fix latency issues based on user feedback.

Despite these efforts, some users still found the AI-powered experience lacking and complained that it couldn't find some of their photos accurately.

Toggle button added to search screen
Adjustment

In response to user complaints, Google has now made it easier for users to switch between the two search experiences.

A new toggle button on the search screen allows users to disable the Ask Photos AI search and see classic results instead.

However, Google still plans to prioritize results that best match a user's query.

What did the company say?
Statement

Shimrit Ben-Yair, the lead for Google Photos, announced the change and hinted that it was in response to user complaints about the Ask Photos facility.

She said in a post on X, "We've heard your feedback that you want more control over the type of results you see when searching in Google Photos."

Ben-Yair also revealed that Google has improved some popular searches based on user feedback.