New experience on Google Photos: Veo 3 turns photos into emotional movies

Google Photos has long been one of the world’s most popular photo storage and editing apps, where hundreds of millions of users share their personal memories, from everyday moments to special events. However, Google Photos has long been seen as an app that is more about storing and organizing photos than creating content. The built-in editing tools are mainly for basic needs such as adjusting light, color or creating simple animation effects.

1. Google Photos gets a major upgrade with AI Veo 3

The advent of Generative AI in recent years has completely changed the way users approach photos and videos. No longer just simply storing, AI can now turn static moments into emotional footage. And it is in this context that Google has brought a new step forward: integrating the Veo 3 AI model into Google Photos.

This is more than just a software update. With Veo 3, Google Photos has been given a new lease of life, transforming from a photo management tool into a creative platform where users can tell stories with their photos and videos in a completely different way. The highlight of this upgrade is the ability to turn still photos into artistic moving videos, a feature that many have been waiting for.

Google's choice of Photos to deploy Veo 3 also shows its strategy of popularizing AI: instead of focusing only on professional tools like Gemini API or Google Vids, the company wants to bring the power of AI to ordinary users, so that anyone can experience content creation with just a few touches.

2. From Photo to Video to Emotional Films

One of the key highlights of this upgrade is the dramatic improvement of the “Photo to Video” feature. Previously, Google Photos offered a similar feature, allowing users to combine photos into short videos or add some motion effects. However, the quality was quite limited, often just stopping at the “playful” level and not enough to make a deep impression.

Now, with Veo 3, “Photo to Video” has become a real tool. Users just need to select any photo in the library, the system will automatically analyze elements such as composition, depth, light and then recreate smooth motion to turn a still photo into a vivid video. Instead of just a static frame, you can now see the scene “moving”, small details such as ripples, light, even the character’s breathing become more realistic.

Google offers two effect modes for users to choose from. With “Subtle movement”, the photo will be brought to life with gentle movements, creating a subtle cinematic style. This is the ideal choice for those who want to preserve the natural but still have a bit of art. Meanwhile, “I'm feeling lucky” is more surprising, as the AI ​​freely applies diverse creative effects, sometimes bold, making each video have its own personality.

The videos produced are typically 4 to 6 seconds long, short enough to share on social media platforms but long enough to convey emotion. The highlight is the significantly improved image quality: high detail, harmonious colors and smooth, natural motion effects. Viewers can hardly believe that all of this was created from just a still photo.

Compared to the previous generation, Veo 2, this step is a breakthrough. If Veo 2 sometimes created stiff, unnatural movements, Veo 3 has overcome that weakness and brought a near-perfect visual experience.

3. “Create” Tab: The New Creative Hub in Google Photos

To optimize the experience, Google also introduced a completely new area in the application: the “Create” tab. This is considered the “creative studio” of Google Photos, where all the AI ​​tools that Google is deploying for ordinary users are concentrated.

In this tab, in addition to the “Photo to Video” feature, users can also access familiar tools but now with stronger AI support such as Collage, Cinematic Photos, Animations, Highlight Videos and Remix. Each tool has its own purpose: from combining multiple photos into a harmonious composition, creating animations with depth effects, to recreating memories in a cinematic style.

The appearance of the “Create” tab shows that Google does not just want to add a few discrete features but wants to build a creative ecosystem right in Photos. With this arrangement, users can easily access AI tools, without complicated searches or installing additional auxiliary applications. With just a smartphone and a few touches, anyone can create highly personalized creative products.

This is also how Google turns Photos into an all-in-one platform: a memory repository, a creative studio, and a convenient sharing tool. This tight integration will surely make Photos the entertainment and content creation hub for many users in the future.

4. Veo 3: A leap forward in imaging technology

What the tech community is most interested in is the difference that Veo 3 brings compared to previous versions. Not only does it improve quality, Veo 3 also expands the application of AI in the field of images and videos.

With 1,080p resolution, the videos produced are now much sharper than the previous 720p limit. Notably, the Veo 3 supports vertical video format with an aspect ratio of 9:16, which is perfect for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts – the three leading short-form video platforms today. This is a clear demonstration that Google is embracing the mobile content trend, where short-form and vertical videos are dominating.

While the version in Google Photos doesn’t yet have audio built in, the potential of Veo 3 is huge. In demos at Google I/O 2025, Veo 3 showed off the ability to sync photos with background music and even voiceovers. This opens up the prospect of users being able to turn a photo into a full-length video with music and sound effects in just a few seconds in the near future.

These improvements not only make Google Photos more useful, but also lay the foundation for a new era where AI becomes an indispensable tool in image creation.

Another important element of the Veo 3 rollout strategy is the business model. Google has set a daily limit on the number of free uses of its AI video creation feature. This helps the company control operating costs while also encouraging users to upgrade to premium service packages like Google One AI Premium (Pro or Ultra).

Premium users get a host of benefits, including unlimited video creations, faster processing times, and even early access to new AI features. It’s a familiar strategy in tech: offer a free trial to build interest, then suggest upgrading for the best experience.

For Google, this is not just a source of revenue, but also a way to expand the AI ​​ecosystem. Users familiar with the utilities in Photos will be more likely to experiment with Google's other AI products, from the Gemini API to Google Vids, creating a long-term attachment to the entire ecosystem.

5. Google's global strategy and its impact on users

Currently, Veo 3 integration is only available in the US and on mobile platforms. However, this limitation is likely only temporary. History shows that Google often applies a “gradual launch” strategy to both test the quality of the service and prepare the infrastructure. Once Veo 3 is stable enough, Google will certainly expand globally.

For users, this means that in the not-too-distant future, any smartphone with Google Photos installed can become a powerful content creation tool. No need for a professional camera, no need for complex editing software, anyone can create quality videos from just a photo.

The impact of this extends beyond individuals to the content creation industry. Individual creators, small and medium-sized businesses, and even education and media can all leverage this tool to tell stories visually, engagingly, and cost-effectively.

6. Conclusion

Veo 3’s integration into Google Photos is more than just a feature update. It’s a game-changer that moves the app from storage to creation, from a photo library to a mobile recording studio. With the ability to turn still photos into emotional videos, the launch of the “Create” tab, major improvements in image quality, and a streamlined business model, Google is ushering in a new era where artificial intelligence becomes a companion in preserving and sharing memories. In the future, when this feature is expanded globally and integrated with audio, we can expect Google Photos to become more than just a photo storage app, but also a place where users can freely “create stories” in unprecedented ways. And Veo 3 is the key to making that happen.