Google Photos has recently received a steady stream of smart upgrades, adding everything from AI wardrobe sorting to vintage filter presets. But among all the new additions, one simple privacy feature stands out as an immediate, everyday savior for Android users: the new Redact tool.
It’s an addition that feels long overdue — especially since Apple beat Google to the punch by introducing native face blurring tools back in iOS 18.
Writing over private text or faces on screenshots looks messy and can easily leave sensitive details exposed. Google’s new redact tool finally catches up by swapping out those clunky marker lines for a clean, pixelated blur that keeps your images neat and completely safe. Here’s how it works, and where you can find it.
Latest Videos FromTom the guide
To try it out, open the photo or screenshot you want to edit in Google Photos, tap Edit, and go to the Markup section.
From there, choose those Edit pen, choose your desired blur style, and use the slider to adjust the brush thickness to match what you cover.
Simply draw directly over any private text, account numbers or faces you want to hide. The tool automatically applies a pixelated blur over your selection.
If you are happy with the change, tap the checkmark icon and select save as copy in the top right corner so you keep your original unedited photo.
Have you tried the new redact tool yet? Let us know in the comments below, or if there is another hidden Android tool you trust.
follow Tom’s Guide to Google News in the add us as a preferred source to get our latest news, analysis and reviews in your feeds. Make sure you click the follow button!