Google Photos is improving video editing, with a new feature that lets you adjust the playback speed of videos. This makes it easy to liven up sequences, just like in specialized software.
If you have an Android phone, you probably use the Google Photos app to store all your photos and videos online on the internet giant’s servers. It’s a handy tool that automatically organizes captured images into albums, which can then be shared with friends and family. While the app’s built-in video editor isn’t as feature-rich as a dedicated video editing app, it’s still handy for most users. It offers a range of tools for basic editing, such as cropping and adding effects, all accessible with just a few taps of your finger.
Google plans to improve its editor, including adding the ability to change the playback speed of videos. Although this feature is not yet available in the current version of the application, Android Authority managed to manually enable it in the latest Google Photos beta 6.90, and it should eventually roll out to all users.
Google Photos: Slow down or speed up videos
This new feature is part of the video options in Google Photos’ built-in editor. It takes the form of a “1x” icon next to the buttons for muting, enhancing, and stabilizing the video. Tapping it opens a new user interface with the video preview at the top, followed by a timeline and some playback speed options.
The feature offers five playback speed options, namely 1/4x, 1/2x, 1x, 2x, and 4x. You can set the desired playback speed for the entire video or just a small portion using the timeline. Slowing down a clip can help create a dramatic effect, while speeding it up can give a dynamic effect. In short, this tool promises to be very useful!
The feature is still pretty basic for now. For example, it doesn’t allow you to adjust the playback speed of multiple sections simultaneously. To do this, you have to save the video after making the first change, then edit it again. But since the tool is still under development, it’s quite possible that this point will be corrected by the time it’s finally released.