Google Brings “Photo to Video” to Photos and YouTube Shorts

Google has quietly added its popular photo-to-video tool first seen in Gemini to Google Photos and YouTube Shorts apps. The feature lets anyone animate a still photo into a short six-second clip, no AI-jargon required. Users can expect this to arrive in the U.S. starting today, with a broader rollout over the next few weeks.

What You Can Do Now

Animate photos in Google Photos: Choose a picture, select prompts like “Subtle movements” or “I’m feeling lucky,” and watch it come alive with smooth, six-second animations.
Move into Shorts too: The same feature is coming to YouTube Shorts in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand by next week. This version lets you pick how long the clip runs.
Remix photos into art styles: Google Photos gains a new Remix tool—turning your images into anime, sketches, comics, or 3D art.
Create tab makes it easy: Both tools will appear under a new Create tab in Photos, arriving in August. It keeps collages, highlight reels, and these new features fast to find.

Why It Matters

No AI expertise needed: It’s all inside Photos and Shorts. Pick a prompt, and let Google handle the rest.
Smooth experience with transparency: Clips carry a visible watermark and an invisible SynthID tag, so viewers know it’s computer-generated.
Google builds on Gemini success: They first tested this in Gemini with Veo 3 tech. Now it’s hitting everyday apps powered quietly by Veo 2.

Final Thoughts

Google’s latest update turns photo galleries into creative play zones no professional tools needed. That six-second clip can bring old family photos or pet snapshots to life in a fun, shareable way. With clear labeling and easy-to-use prompts, this experiment blends creativity with care. Keep an eye out in your Photos and Shorts apps this week!