What you need to know
- Google Photos is rolling out Ultra HDR, replacing the old HDR effect with a feature that boosts brightness and colors in your pictures.
- You can now add HDR to old photos, no matter when they were taken.
- In version 7.24.0.747539053, Ultra HDR is tucked in the “Adjust” tab, taking over the old HDR spot.
Google Photos is rolling out its new Ultra HDR feature, kicking the old HDR effect to the curb. This upgrade lets you pump up the brightness and colors in your pictures.
This new feature has already started showing up for some Google Photos users, as spotted by Android Authority. Since only a few folks have it so far, it looks like Google is rolling it out on the server side. This also means it should arrive for more devices pretty soon.
If you have a ton of old photos that could use a little extra pop, Google Photos has your back. Its new feature goes beyond the usual edits in that it lets you add HDR magic to pics you’ve already taken, no matter when or how you shot them.
Rescue your old pictures
The latest change comes after the tech giant laid the groundwork with Ultra HDR support in Android 14 and Google Photos last year. The full-on Ultra HDR editing tool inside the app is a solid upgrade that finally lets users tap into the full power of this next-level feature.
In Google Photos version 7.24.0.747539053, the Ultra HDR option lives in the “Adjust” tab, taking over where the old HDR effect used to be.
Android Authority found that when Ultra HDR is applied, you’ll see a new “Ultra HDR” tag in the image metadata, right near the resolution and file size details.
Interestingly, the Ultra HDR version can actually be smaller in size than the original. That’s because it uses a compact gain map instead of duplicating the whole image. Still, if you want to hang onto all the original details, it’s a good idea to keep the original file too, just in case.
Ultra HDR is a fresh take on photo encoding that packs in way more detail, meaning brighter highlights, deeper shadows, and richer colors. What’s cool is that it also includes a standard version (SDR) baked into the same file. So even if someone is using a screen that doesn’t support HDR, they’ll still see a solid, true-to-life version of the image.