![\"Smartphone](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783789572_208_0x0.png\")
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Google Photos is testing a new “Quick fix” menu that brings back the highly requested “Auto trim” video feature.<\/p>\n
PAUL MONCKTON<\/p>\n
Google Photos is finally preparing to bring back a popular feature quietly dropped as part of the app’s extensive 2025 video editor redesign.<\/p>\n
July 13 Update below. This article was originally published on July 11<\/p>\n
What Google Removed \u2014 And Why Users Were Angry<\/p>\n
Last year, Google Photos unexpectedly removed the \u201cAuto Trim\u201d feature that could automatically trim videos down to their most interesting moments in a single tap.<\/p>\n
The removal came as a result of collateral damage when the video editor redesign did away with<\/a> an entire \u201cPresets\u201d tab that used to house the feature, along with others such as \u201cSlow-mo, Zoom, and Track.\u201d The change sparked user frustration<\/a>, with some resorting to reinstalling the app in an attempt to restore the feature (it didn\u2019t work). Google went on to introduce an updated manual trim tool<\/a> back in Sep 2024, but the automated version remains absent.<\/p>\n The new Auto trim feature acts as a one-tap solution, automatically analyzing the video and cutting out unnecessary footage to shorten the timeline.<\/p>\n PAUL MONCKTON<\/p>\n Now, after several months and notable user backlash, Google has begun preparations for the feature\u2019s return, in the code for the latest version of the Photos app. Note that recent reports may refer to the original \u201cAuto Trim\u201d feature \u201cBasic Cut.\u201d This was just an internal codename for the feature that is still currently used in the code and in the naming of certain internal files. <\/p>\n What\u2019s Coming Back<\/p>\n Based on my own hands-on testing and code analysis of the Google Photos app v7.83.0, I successfully activated the feature\u2019s interface, revealing the return of the much-missed \u201cAuto Trim\u201d feature. Unlike its previous incarnation, this new version is now structurally integrated into the video editor under a new \u201cQuick Fix\u201d section that replaces the current \u201cAuto\u201d section in the editing carousel. As before, Auto Trim appears only to trim videos from the beginning and the end. It won\u2019t trim any unwanted content from the middle. <\/p>\n Rather than bringing back the old Presets tab, Google appears to be gradually restoring missing features on a case-by-case basis. Auto Trim isn\u2019t yet re-enabled for end users but is already fully functional behind the scenes, suggesting it\u2019s approaching readiness for release.<\/p>\n Google\u2019s Pattern<\/p>\n This sort of about-turn isn\u2019t unusual for Google: In July last year the company removed the \u201cedit history\u201d function from Google Messages, only to restore it<\/a> seven months later. In March of this year, it removed the manual search button from the Pixel\u2019s \u201cNow Playing\u201d feature, before returning the feature<\/a> to users just a few weeks later.<\/p>\n But what of the other missing video presets? Slow-mo, Track and Zoom may not be returning just yet but thumbnail GIFs for all four are still present on Google\u2019s servers and referenced in the app code, suggesting Google may yet restore them in future updates.<\/p>\n Google\u2019s apps are frequently hit with unexpected feature changes and removals, and it can be particularly jarring when a much-used feature disappears for the sake of an interface redesign. However, it appears that sometimes the company is willing to backpedal under pressure from users, although it can prove to be a long wait.<\/p>\n July 13 Update below: Google addresses a second pain point for video users<\/p>\n A Much-Needed Fix For Video Screenshots<\/p>\n It could soon become much easier to save an individual video frame as a photo. As recently reported by Android Authority<\/a>, Google Photos version 7.83.0 also contains code for a new \u201csave as photo\u201d button that pops up whenever you pause a video. According to the report, tapping this allows you to save the current video frame as a photo directly without having to enter edit mode.<\/p>\n The ability to save individual frames as photos has been present in the app for many years, but is very difficult to find and requires several steps. You must first enter edit mode, then seek to your chosen frame, then tap on a tiny camera icon that brings up an \u201cExport frame\u201d button.<\/p>\n Saving a still image from a video is a relatively common task, but the current method is tucked away where most users will never find it. Furthermore, the new name, \u201cSave as photo,\u201d is much clearer to users who may balk at tapping on \u201cExport frame.\u201d <\/p>\n The feature update hasn\u2019t yet rolled out to users, but the code behind it is already functional.<\/p>\n ForbesGoogle Photos Adds New Video Editor But Removes Key FeaturesBy Paul Monckton<\/a>ForbesGoogle Photos Prepares 8 ‘Adaptive’ Filters To Replace Your Editing AppsBy Paul Monckton<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Google Photos is testing a new “Quick fix” menu that brings back the highly requested “Auto trim” video…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":795402,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[155248,280512,49,48,280515,17220,280511,280517,280514,280513,256861,61,280516],"class_list":["post-799250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-android-updates","tag-auto-trim-feature","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-google-app-teardown","tag-google-photos-update","tag-google-photos-video-editor","tag-google-software-updates","tag-pixel-features","tag-quick-fix-menu","tag-smartphone-videography","tag-technology","tag-video-editing-tools"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/799250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=799250"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/799250\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/795402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=799250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=799250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=799250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}