How to edit videos in Google Photos

If you’re an Android user and an avid photographer, chances are you’re using Google Photos as your main photo backup and organization tool. Chances are, also, that besides your photos, all kinds of videos will find their way in Google Photos gallery. You should definitely know that there’s a video editor in Google Photos that offers a remarkable number of options. So, today, we’ll show you how to edit videos in Google Photos on Android or iOS.

In comparison to photo editing, video editing options are not falling far behind. In-depth video editing might require more advanced tools on a PC or a Mac, but Google Photos video editor is no slouch. We can go as far as to say that for most casual users, Google Photos should suffice. We are big fans of the tool and really like editing on the move, so we made sure to cover the subject.

Table of contents:

1. How to edit videos in Google Photos
2. Add soundtrack in videos with Google Photos Video Editor

Does Google Photos have a video editor?

Yes, it does. At the moment, it has 5 different sections with different tools. Let’s start by saying that video editing features are solely available in the Google Photos app for Android and iOS. This means that you won’t be able to apply changes like stabilization, rotation, or filters to videos in Google Photos for Web.

So, the options you have at your disposal are, as said above, the following:

• Stabilize — stabilizes shaky videos.
• Rotate — allows you to change the video’s original orientation to portrait or landscape and vice versa.
• Cut — Let you shorten the video by cutting it on a particular frame.
• Export Frame — Allow for users to export a single frame as a JPEG image.
• Crop — just like with photos, you can crop a visible part of the video, change the perspective, and ratio.
• Adjust — now this one is amazing. Almost everything color-related you can change in photos, you can change in videos, too. All regular options like Brightness, Contrast, Shadows, Saturation, Warmth, etc. are there.
• Filters — Just like with photos. You can choose between 13 well-known filters.
• Markup — Markup tool so you can write or highlight in videos.

1. How to edit videos in Google Photos

You can access video editing by following these steps:

1. Open the Google Photos app on your handset.
2. Tap Search and select Videos.
3. Open the video you want to edit and tap on the middle icon which translates to Edit.
4. Now, you can tap “Stabilize” or “Rotate“. Also, you can drag the sliders positioned at the beginning and end of the video frame line to cut the portion of the video or export a frame if you need a JPEG photo. You can crop the video, change the viewing angle, or use the markup tool to write something or highlight a certain object in the video.
5. Tap on Adjust to adjust many color categories and tweak the video to your liking. Or use preset Filters. It’s your choice.
6. After you’ve applied changes, just tap Save copy and you’re good to go.

Conveniently, you can preview changes and compare them to the original video if you tap and hold on to the Preview window. Also, you can Reset some changes by tapping the Reset button. In the Adjust category, just tap on the tile (e.g. Brightness) again and it will reset the slider to the default value (zero). The Markup tool has the Undo button.

Or, you can simply tap Cancel and discard all changes. If you save the video, it will be saved as a copy of the original, so you don’t need to worry about overwriting the original. It’s quite an intuitive tool and simple to use once you get a hold of it.

2. Add soundtrack in Google Photos with Video Editor

In addition, you can use a single video (or multiple videos) and create a Movie. This allows you to add a soundtrack of your choice to a video. Which, based on your preferences and type of the footage, might come quite handy.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Google Photos app.
2. Tap Library and then Utilities.
3. Tap Movie.
4. Choose the “Select photos and videos” option.
5. Choose one or multiple videos.
6. Tap on the musical note icon.
7. Tap My music and add a fitting song as a background track. Or you can go with the variety of theme music tracks provided by Google Photos.

Besides the sound, you can duplicate videos and insert additional clips. So, not only you can edit videos but also create movie clips with a soundtrack. And all of that in a single app. Amazing.

That should do it. With hope this was an informative read, we encourage you to share your feedback in the comments section below, and don’t forget to follow us on  Facebook and Twitter. We’ll be glad to hear from you.

Note: This article is a part of our Google Photos coverage. If you want to learn more Google Photos tips and tricks, or you have a certain problem with this app, visit our Google Photos Hub for more content.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in July 20218. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.