Pixel 9 solves my biggest Google Photos problem

For almost a year now, Android’s Ultra HDR implementation has made editing pictures in Google Photos needlessly annoying. Android 14 brought system-level support for Ultra HDR images, which show higher dynamic range under the right conditions — which is great. But when editing those Ultra HDR photos using Google Photos, you’ve had to save edited images as copies, which, for me, resulted in a lot of duplication.

On the Pixel 9 series, that’s no longer the case. Most Google Photos edits to Ultra HDR images are saved over the original version of the photo, just like standard images. You can also roll back to the original version at any time. Considering the best Android phones all shoot in Ultra HDR by default now, though, this is more than a Pixel problem.

On Pixel 9, version 6.95.0.663024657 of Google Photos finally lets you edit Ultra HDR photos as usual, no copies required. Just like any other photo, Google Photos lets you roll back changes on Ultra HDR images to restore the original version of the photo, so you’re not losing anything making edits this way. You also still have the option to manually save your edits as a copy if you want the original version alongside the edited one.

A handful of edits will still create a copy when you save Ultra HDR photos. For example, you can’t add portrait blur or adjust the HDR effect slider without generating a copy. Those tools do the same on standard images too, though. Common edits to settings like brightness, highlights, and shadows won’t create a second instance of your photo anymore, with the edited version instead living on top of the original. After an Ultra HDR photo has been edited, you’ll see an option to revert the changes you made, so the original is still preserved inside Google Photos.

Available now on Pixel 9

And hopefully coming soon everywhere else

As of writing, this fix is exclusive to the Pixel 9 series. On my Pixel 8 running Google Photos version 6.95.0.663027175, most edits to Ultra HDR photos still cause a duplicate version to be created. This behavior makes it so you’ll have multiple versions of any photo you edit, which, depending on how often you touch up your pictures in Google Photos, can result in a lot of wasted cloud storage space.

Lots of Android phones from lots of manufacturers shoot Ultra HDR photos out of the box, too, so this issue is bigger than Pixel phones. I’ve reached out to Google to find out when this fix will make its way to other devices; we’ll update this piece with any relevant info I get back.

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  Google Pixel 9

  The Pixel 9 is Google’s most affordable 2024 flagship, making a few compromises when compared to the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL while retaining the Google smarts the lineup has become known for. An upgraded 48MP ultra-wide camera is paired with a 50MP main shooter, and the selfie cam added autofocus. All of this comes with new Gemini AI features and a 2,700-nit Actua display for exceptional value at its price point.

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  Google Pixel 9 Pro

  The Pixel 9 Pro is a new addition to Google’s lineup, slotting in as a smaller premium flagship to pair with the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The latter is the direct successor to 2023’s Pixel 8 Pro despite its new XL moniker, whereas the Pixel 9 Pro brings a new form-factor to Google’s high-end offerings, sporting the same dimensions as the standard Pixel 9 model while packing all the AI and camera prowess we’ve grown accustomed to from Google’s Pro lineup.