You can now decide how your still photos come alive in Google Photos: Here’s how

Google Photos now lets you turn still images into videos using text instructions. Know how this feature works, and what more Google has in store for you.

A single photo often holds more than one moment, and Google now wants users to decide how that moment unfolds. Google has begun rolling out a new update to Google Photos that changes how people turn still images into short videos. The update adds a text-based option to the existing “Photo to video” tool, allowing users to describe what they want to see before the system creates a clip.

Google Photos now lets users turn their pictures into videos using custom text instructions. (Pexels)

By MD Ijaj Khan

Ijaj Khan is a technology journalist and Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, with over three years of experience covering the consumer technology industry. His work spans smartphones, laptops, wearables, gaming, appliances and AI - from hands-on reviews, comparison and buying guides to breaking news and in-depth features that help readers cut through the noise and make informed decisions. Before joining HT Tech, he worked with Jagran New Media, where he sharpened his instincts for fast-paced digital reporting. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. Whether he's testing the latest flagship smartphone, tracking a major AI announcement, or putting a gaming laptop through its paces, Ijaj approaches every story with the same goal - making technology feel relevant and easy to understand for everyday users, not just enthusiasts. When he's not in front of a screen for work, he's usually travelling to a new city, hunting for great food, or keeping tabs on what's next in tech before everyone else catches on.

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Google first introduced the “Photo to video” feature last year as a way to bring motion to stored images. Until now, users could only rely on preset options provided inside the app. The latest update adds a third feature that accepts written instructions. With this change, users no longer need to depend on fixed effects and can instead guide the motion using their own words.

How to Use Text Prompts in Photo to Video

According to Google, the new option appears inside the Create section of the Google Photos app. After selecting “Photo to video” and choosing an image, users now see three choices. The first option allows them to type a short description explaining how the subjects in the photo should move. The second option applies light motion, such as a small change in facial expression or posture. The third option, labelled “I’m feeling lucky,” creates a clip without user direction and may add broader movement or visual elements.

Once users enter a text prompt and tap generate, the system processes the image and produces a short video in a few seconds. Google says the software studies the objects within the photo before applying movement. For example, if a user asks for wind, the motion applies to items such as trees or clothing rather than fixed structures.

How Google Applies Motion Accurately

This update also sets Google Photos apart from other gallery apps, many of which rely on repeated motion or basic depth effects. Instead of reusing existing frames, the tool creates new video frames based on the text input.