Google Photos is finally preparing to bring back a popular feature quietly dropped as part of the app's extensive 2025 video editor redesign.

July 13 Update below. This article was originally published on July 11

What Google Removed — And Why Users Were Angry

Last year, Google Photos unexpectedly removed the “Auto Trim” feature that could automatically trim videos down to their most interesting moments in a single tap.

The removal came as a result of collateral damage when the video editor redesign did away with an entire “Presets” tab that used to house the feature, along with others such as “Slow-mo, Zoom, and Track.” The change sparked user frustration , with some resorting to reinstalling the app in an attempt to restore the feature (it didn’t work). Google went on to introduce an updated manual trim tool back in Sep 2024, but the automated version remains absent.

Now, after several months and notable user backlash, Google has begun preparations for the feature’s return, in the code for the latest version of the Photos app. Note that recent reports may refer to the original “Auto Trim” feature “Basic Cut.” This was just an internal codename for the feature that is still currently used in the code and in the naming of certain internal files.

Based on my own hands-on testing and code analysis of the Google Photos app v7.83.0, I successfully activated the feature’s interface, revealing the return of the much-missed “Auto Trim” feature. Unlike its previous incarnation, this new version is now structurally integrated into the video editor under a new “Quick Fix” section that replaces the current “Auto” section in the editing carousel. As before, Auto Trim appears only to trim videos from the beginning and the end. It won’t trim any unwanted content from the middle.

Rather than bringing back the old Presets tab, Google appears to be gradually restoring missing features on a case-by-case basis. Auto Trim isn’t yet re-enabled for end users but is already fully functional behind the scenes, suggesting it’s approaching readiness for release.

This sort of about-turn isn’t unusual for Google: In July last year the company removed the “edit history” function from Google Messages, only to restore it seven months later. In March of this year, it removed the manual search button from the Pixel’s “Now Playing” feature, before returning the feature to users just a few weeks later.

But what of the other missing video presets? Slow-mo, Track and Zoom may not be returning just yet but thumbnail GIFs for all four are still present on Google’s servers and referenced in the app code, suggesting Google may yet restore them in future updates.

Google’s apps are frequently hit with unexpected feature changes and removals, and it can be particularly jarring when a much-used feature disappears for the sake of an interface redesign. However, it appears that sometimes the company is willing to backpedal under pressure from users, although it can prove to be a long wait.

July 13 Update below: Google addresses a second pain point for video users

A Much-Needed Fix For Video Screenshots

It could soon become much easier to save an individual video frame as a photo. As recently reported by Android Authority , Google Photos version 7.83.0 also contains code for a new “save as photo” button that pops up whenever you pause a video. According to the report, tapping this allows you to save the current video frame as a photo directly without having to enter edit mode.

The ability to save individual frames as photos has been present in the app for many years, but is very difficult to find and requires several steps. You must first enter edit mode, then seek to your chosen frame, then tap on a tiny camera icon that brings up an “Export frame” button.

Saving a still image from a video is a relatively common task, but the current method is tucked away where most users will never find it. Furthermore, the new name, “Save as photo,” is much clearer to users who may balk at tapping on “Export frame.”

The feature update hasn’t yet rolled out to users, but the code behind it is already functional.