Google Photos 7.97 for Android Adds Customizable Collections

Google Photos for Android is rolling out a major redesign of its Collections tab, replacing a fixed layout with customizable sections. The change arrives as a server-side update associated with Google Photos 7.97, after the floating navigation bar change in July.

Core rollout

The redesign is now widely rolling out with Google Photos 7.97. Testers reported receiving the update by restarting devices and opening the Photos app, rather than using the usual Force stop step.

Old layout replaced by customizable sections

The earlier Collections design opened with a 2×2 grid. Favorites and Trash were placed at the top, while the other two shortcuts changed based on usage. Large cards followed for Albums, On this device, People & pets, Wardrobe, Documents, Places, Stickers, and Moments. On Android, the page continued with a list of Screenshots, Videos, Recently Added, Archive, and Locked.

The redesigned Collections tab is built around customization. Its first section is called Pinned, and users can choose which cards appear there. By default, the carousel shows Favorites, Screenshots, and Trash. The section can also be removed entirely.

How the new Collections tab works

After Pinned, the tab presents carousels for On this device, Albums, People & pets, Wardrobe, Places, and Documents. A View all option at the top-right corner lets users jump to the full grid or list view. Users can hide individual sections and rearrange the order in which they appear.

The page ends with an Other Collections grid containing Favorites, Screenshots, Moments, Videos, Recently Added, Stickers, Creations, Archive, Locked, and Trash. A Reorder button is placed at the very bottom.

Why the change matters

The Collections tab is where Android users look for albums, screenshots, archived photos, and locked items. By letting users pin, hide, and reorder sections, Google Photos shortens the path to frequently used content. People who mainly use Favorites or Screenshots can keep those items visible, while users who rely less on those sections can remove them to reduce clutter.

The rollout also highlights how Google Photos updates can reach users through server-side changes. Instead of relying only on the usual app update workflow, some users can receive the new layout by restarting the device and opening the Photos app.

Rollout status

The redesign is now widely rolling out with Google Photos 7.97 on Android. The next point to watch is how broadly the customizable Collections tab spreads and whether Google continues to refine the layout in later updates.