Photo-to-video in Google Photos is getting a big upgrade with Veo 3

What you need to know

• Google Photos' photo-to-video feature is now powered by the new Veo 3 model.
• Users can turn still images into six-second clips with higher-quality results.
• A new Create tab in Photos gives access to creative tools including Veo 3.
• The Create tab also features Remix, Highlight videos, collages, and animations.

Google today (September 4) announced that the photo-to-video feature in the Google Photos app is being upgraded with the company's latest state-of-the-art Veo 3 video generation model.

Similar to its Workspace apps like Gmail and Drive, Google has been slowly integrating its AI models into Photos. It's been just over a month since we got the ability to convert photos into videos in the Photos app, and today the company announced it is upgrading the underlying model to Veo 3.

For those unaware, photo-to-video in Google Photos lets users turn still images into short clips of about six seconds. The feature has been powered by Google's Veo 2 model until now, but the upgrade to Veo 3 should result in "even higher-quality clips."

Photo-to-video gets smarter with Veo 3

To use this feature, the company is also rolling out its new "Create" tab in the Google Photos app. Now, along with Photos, Collection, and Search, you'll see a new "Create" tab at the bottom, where you can access all creative features.

To convert a photo into a video, head to the Create tab, select your photo, and pick between two prompts: "Subtle movement" or "I’m feeling lucky."

Google Photos then uses Veo 3 to create a short clip. You can share the video directly from the app or save it for later. Google says users get a "limited number of generations each day," with higher limits for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers.

Beyond photo-to-video, the Create tab also includes Remix, which converts images into anime, comic, sketch, or 3D animation styles. Another new feature is Highlight videos, letting you create clips with phrases like "Mom" and "Paris," after which it selects photos and videos, adds music, and builds a video.

Other features like collage, Cinematic photos, and Animations will also live in the Create tab.

Google says the new Create tab and photo-to-video powered by Veo 3 are now available to U.S. users. There's no word yet on when these features will roll out to other regions, but it should be sooner rather than later.