Google Photos is rolling out new video editing templates to help you quickly create “trendy,” polished videos. The feature, an extension of Highlight videos, uses pre-packaged music, text, and beat-matched cuts.
Google Photos is adding ‘trendy’ new video templates
Google is looking to make video creation in the Photos app a bit more automated and, well, “trendy.” The app is getting new video editing templates designed to simplify the process of making shareable clips.This new feature is an expansion of the “Highlight video” tool that first appeared in 2023. According to Google, these templates are “pre-packaged” with everything you need: cuts matched to the beat of included music and even spots for text overlays. The goal is to make it “easier than ever” to create a polished, share-worthy video without much manual effort.
If you’re rushing to the app to find them, you might need to hold on. This doesn’t appear to be widely available just yet, as many users are still seeing the original Highlight video tool. However, Google has detailed how it works on a support page.
How to use the new templates
- Open the Google Photos app and tap Create > Highlight video.
- Browse the available templates and tap Use template of your choice.
- Select your photos and videos. You can do this manually or use the Help me select feature, which uses Search or suggestions (people, places, dates).
- Tap Next to generate the video.
- From there, you can review, customize the clips/music/text, and tap Save.
Why this matters for your social videos
A highlight video using the Photo to Video option in Google Photos. | Images credit —PhoneArena
Google Photos is in a constant battle for relevance against apps like Instagram (Reels), TikTok, and CapCut, which are built from the ground up for fast, trendy video creation. While Photos has powerful storage and search features, its creative tools have often felt more functional than fun.These templates are Google’s clear attempt to catch up. By automating the most tedious part of video editing—syncing clips to music—they are lowering the barrier for casual users who just want to post a nice-looking recap of their weekend or vacation without learning a complex new app. This is aimed directly at the person who wants a “Reel” look without leaving the app where all their photos and videos already live.
Are these templates actually useful?
From my perspective, this is a smart and necessary move. The original “Highlight video” creator is functional, but it’s also a bit basic. It often just feels like a slideshow with music. Adding beat-matching and stylized text is what separates a simple “memory” from a video people actually want to watch on social media.
It’s available for me already as you can see in the examples above, so for a quick, zero-effort video to share with family or friends, this could be perfect. It’s clearly for the user who is overwhelmed by dedicated editors but still wants a polished result.
