Android phone owners who use Google Photos to manage their images and videos may soon notice a significant design change that gives the app a more modern look, in line with the iPhone version of the app. Google has started rolling out the floating bottom menu bar in Google Photos, which replaces the previous menu bar that stretched from edge to edge at the bottom and was attached to the bottom edge of the screen. The new menu bar is detached from the bottom edge and appears to float above the content displayed behind it. This is why it is commonly called a floating bar. The navigation menu is also split into two items, giving it a distinct look. The pill-shaped menu includes the three categories Google has used before, including Photos, Collections and Create, while a circular floating element allows users to search for content in Google Photos and use Ask Photos, a Gemini-based AI search feature that Google introduced for the app in 2024.
If the design looks familiar, that’s because Google has already used the floating bar in another version of the app, the Google Photos version for iPhone. Google rolled out the floating menu bar to iOS devices in February 2026, introducing the same UI elements seen in mid-July 2026 on Android phones. While the floating menu appears to be more in line with Apple’s app menu overhaul on iOS that appeared with iOS 26’s Liquid Glass design in 2025, Google’s new menu isn’t aimed at transparency or meeting Apple’s needs. Google has added similar menu designs in other Google apps, including Google Chat and Finance.
Google Photos main menu remains the same
While Google is moving from a bottom menu to a floating bar in Google Photos, the functionality remains the same. The menu buttons have the same names as before: Photos, Collections, and Create, which means users should have no problem adjusting to the new look. They won’t need to relearn how to use Google Photos because the main navigation menu is different. In this regard, the icons associated with each of these three menu items are not permanently visible as was the case before the update. The icons only appear when one of three menu items is selected, appearing on the left side of the word. For example, the Photos menu item will have a picture icon on the left. Additionally, tapping a menu item will highlight the entire word and its associated icon, instead of just the icon.
The only thing that’s different is the Search/Request Photos button, which Google has delinked from the main menu. Instead of sharing the pill-shaped floating bar with the other three options, the search menu has its own floating button, placed in the center of a circular UI element. Whereas before Google used the word “Ask” for the menu, the new design only shows a magnifying glass to indicate search support, and a star, which tells the user that this is where the AI features may reside. However, the Request Photos feature is not enabled by default in Google Photos. Users must enable Ask Photos to use the Gemini feature when searching for specific content within the app.
There is another change that Google Photos users can observe in the app. The day indicator appears briefly in a floating pill at the top as you scroll through images.
Is it about AI?
Google separating the Ask/Search button from other menu items may seem like a way to highlight AI search in Google Photos, but the design change doesn’t appear to be related to existing or new AI features. Google did not announce the update and provided no explanation suggesting that AI features could be the reason why Google Photos is getting an overhaul. But this update has been in development for years, starting with the Material 3 Expressive design principles developed by Google for Android. Google introduced the Floating Toolbar UI as part of its Material 3 Expressive design for Android, in addition to a new docked menu bar that can replace the old bottom menu bar.
Additionally, Google has been adding AI features to Google Photos for years. For example, the Ask Photos feature was first announced in May 2024 and has been rolling out to supported devices since then. Similarly, the Create tab was introduced in summer 2025, when Google grouped several AI-powered features under this new menu to help Google Photos users easily find editing tools. Create includes several AI features, such as Photo to Video and Remix. As for the Collections tab, Google renamed the menu item in August 2024. Previously, it was called Library.
In other words, revamping the Google Photos UI took years. Google added several AI editing features to the app during this time. The introduction of the floating bar in July 2026 only affects the appearance of the navigation menu. On that note, not all Google Photos users will necessarily see the redesigned UI in the app, even if they have the latest version installed. They will have to wait for the update to arrive in their region.
