- Google Photos adds an Ultra HDR feature to some Android telephones
- This allows you to increase the photo breeding in a few taps
- It can be applied to ordinary photos even after they are taken
If you’ve taken a lot of photos but wish they could jazz with a little HDR magic, you’re lucky. That’s because Google has just added the opportunity to improve your photos with Ultra HDR effects on Google photos. Better yet, the HDR changes can be applied to regular images, even if you have already taken and uploaded them.
As noted by Android Authority, the feature has been rolled out to a number of Google Photos users in recent days. It is not yet used by everyone, and it is not clear whether it is limited to the best Android phones or will soon be available more.
Google Photos’ Ultra HDR mode allows you to take photos with a wider range of colors than standard images. It can increase the life force of the image, but you usually need a device with an HDR screen to fully appreciate the effect.
Still, the good thing about Google’s Ultra HDR feature is that it is backwards compatible, so your photos return to use standard color areas on regular Android screens.
It also works the other way. Google photos seem to have added the opportunity to convert normal photos to HDR equivalents, increase their saturation and help them pop much more than they did before. This means that there is no need to remember to take the pictures in HDR mode in the first place.
Better photos in HDR
Ultra HDR mode had been seen as far back as September 2024, but it was not fully functional at the time. Now with version 7.24.0.747539053 in the Google Photos app, it looks like it is starting to roll out to a number of Android users.
As it becomes more accessible, you will find the feature of the Google Photos Editor adjustment section. There you can change the strength of the HDR effect using a slider. It is set to replace the HDR power setting currently on Google photos.
You can see a preview of the Ultra HDR effect on GitHub. Make sure you see it on an HDR-compatible device to observe it properly.
There is still no reliable indication of when the feature can arrive for everyone. Hopefully we don’t have to wait too long before it rolls out.
