Google Can Now Select Relevant Photos From Your Phone to Share on Maps

Google will suggest which photos to share from a user’s phone.

Google Maps has rolled out new features centered on photos, including one that can scan photos and videos on a user’s phone to find the most relevant images for a particular location.

To access this feature, the user must have media access turned on for Google Maps in their phone settings. Scroll over to the Contribute tab on the bottom right of the app, where the user will see the photos and videos from their recent experiences. Select the photos and post so others can better understand a location. Google says that photo and video recommendations are available globally now on Android, arriving on iOS in the coming months.

Another feature Google has rolled out is automated captions, powered by its AI model, Gemini. “Captions add valuable context to photos, but it can sometimes be tough to find the right words. To help get you started, we’re using the power of our Gemini models to suggest a draft,” Google explains. With a photo selected, Gemini will use AI-powered computer vision to analyze the image and create a relevant caption. It can be edited or removed at the user’s discretion. For now, the caption suggestions are only available in English and only on iOS in the U.S. It will expand globally and to Android in the near future.

Finally, Google is allowing users to better track the impact their photos are having on Maps. The total points a user has will be displayed on the Contribute tab, while Local Guide levels will be prominently highlighted on profile pages.

“We’re also updating our achievement badges so it’s clear at a glance if you’re an expert fact-finder, a master photographer or a rising novice,” Google explains. “Plus, if you’re looking for trusted voices while wading through reviews, we’re making it simpler to spot high-level contributors with new gold-colored profiles. These updates are now rolling out globally across Android, iOS, and desktop.”

Google says that it has 500 million contributors to Maps, and the new features will help people decide what to do and where to go via authentic photos, reviews, and videos.

Image credits: Google