Google is making a major change to how you edit and save photos in Google Photos. When using advanced editing features like Magic Eraser, Unblur, or Ultra HDR, it'd save the edited version as a duplicate. Going forward, this won't be the case with Google directly applying changes to the original image.

Until now, using features like Magic Eraser or Unblur, or editing Ultra HDR and C2PA images, would create a duplicate copy in your Google Photos library. This meant multiple versions of the same picture, all cluttering your photo library. Plus, if you didn't immediately delete the version you disliked, finding the right picture and deleting the unwanted copies would become increasingly difficult after a few days.

Thankfully, Google is finally putting an end to this menace. It is rolling out a major upgrade to the editing and saving pictures workflow in Google Photos. On Android 11 and later devices, Google Photos will no longer create a duplicate edited image. Instead, it will apply all the changes to the original picture itself.

Don't worry about losing access to the non-modified picture, though. You can always open the editor in Google Photos to adjust the previous edits. Google explains this with an example in its announcement: "If you applied a filter or adjusted the brightness, those tools remain set to your last preference so you can continue to adjust them until the photo is perfect."

So if you are experimenting with Magic Eraser or Unblur on a picture and don't like the changes, you can always fine-tune the results or revert to the original version.

Edit freely without cluttering your photo library

As someone who frequently uses Google Photos AI-powered editing tools, this is a great quality-of-life improvement. Previously, it was annoying that even a minor edit would create another copy of the same picture, cluttering my already cluttered library.

The change should also make it easier to experiment with different edits without worrying about managing multiple copies afterward. And with Google increasingly adding more AI-powered editing features to Photos, this streamlined saving experience is a welcome improvement.

Note that Google is not removing the option to save an edited picture as a separate copy. The "Save as a copy" option still exists, so you can keep both the original and the edited versions of an image. Today's change ensures that Google Photos will no longer force you to create a duplicate when using certain advanced editing features.

Since the changes are rolling out to Android 11 and newer devices, it should benefit the large majority of Google Photos users. Google has not confirmed a rollout timeline, but expect it to take a few days to appear on your device.