Sharing Google Photos albums via QR codes may soon become way easier

Google Photos has let you share albums with a link for some time now. Last year, the app gained a QR code-based solution to make things easier. However, it doesn’t let you directly download the QR code to your phone, with Google recommending users to take a screenshot instead. A future update to the Photos app may finally fix this.

In version 7.93.0 of Google Photos, we’re able to get an early look at an updated album sharing interface that includes options to copy or download the QR code directly. This should effectively put an end to the practice of taking screenshots of the QR code to share an album with your loved ones.

When live, users should see pill-shaped Copy and Download buttons just below the code. Selecting Copy lets you paste it into your preferred messaging app, while tapping Download saves a copy of the QR code on your device.

It feels like Google initially designed the QR code-based system to share albums with people nearby, rather than online. Nevertheless, it’s good to see that a future update may change that, although exactly when that will be is for Google to decide.

The updated Collections tab is almost here

We have exclusively reported on the updated Collections tab on Google Photos, including the ability to pin items to the top of the page. Separately, Photos has already started rolling out a reordering functionality for the Collections tab that lets you control where a particular folder appears.

Google now seems to be putting the finishing touches on a new bottom sheet that introduces users to both functions. “Collections have a new look, and are easier to get to. Pin and reorder what’s important to you. Hide anything else,” the sheet reads, alongside buttons to View Collections or Start customizing.

While we can’t say if or when Google Photos will roll out the updated QR code-based album sharing experience, the revamped Collections tab feels like it could be here pretty soon.