Guided Search is coming to Google Photos (v7.53)

Key Points of This Article

A “Guided Search” feature is expected to be introduced to Google Photos, allowing users to filter searches step-by-step with specific criteria like location, people, and things.
An analysis of the in-app code from the Android Google Photos app v7.53.0.827222094 update has confirmed the addition of new descriptions related to the “Guided Search” feature.
An interesting aspect is the potential for integration with external apps.

Currently, Google Photos, Google’s online photo library service, supports keyword and sentence searches.

However, it appears a “Guided Search” feature will be introduced in the future, allowing users to narrow down searches step-by-step using specific criteria like location, people, and things. An analysis of the in-app code from the Android Google Photos app v7.53.0.827222094 update, released on Monday, November 10, 2025, confirmed the addition of new code related to this “Guided Search” feature.

<activity android:theme="@style/Theme.Photos.Search" android:label="@string/photos_search_guidedsearch_activity_label" android:name="com.google.android.apps.photos.search.guidedsearch.GuidedSearchActivity" android:exported="false" android:configChanges="smallestScreenSize|screenSize|screenLayout|orientation|navigation|keyboardHidden|keyboard" android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize" android:parentActivityName="com.google.android.apps.photos.search.SearchActivity" android:resizeableActivity="true"/>

<string name="photos_search_guidedsearch_activity_label">Search</string>

<public type="activity" name="com.google.android.apps.photos.search.guidedsearch.GuidedSearchActivity" id="0x7f00013e" />
<public type="string" name="photos_search_guidedsearch_activity_label" id="0x7f142340" />

What’s noteworthy about this upcoming “Guided Search” feature in Google Photos is its potential to integrate with external apps. However, this is not an integration of the “Guided Search” feature as a whole; for now, the possibility of some of its functions integrating with external apps has been confirmed.

These specifications may change in the future leading up to the official rollout of “Guided Search.”

<activity android:theme="@style/Theme.Photos.SearchGuidedConfirmation" android:name="com.google.android.apps.photos.search.guidedthings.GuidedThingsConfirmationActivity" android:configChanges="smallestScreenSize|screenSize|screenLayout|orientation|navigation|keyboardHidden|keyboard" android:parentActivityName="com.google.android.apps.photos.search.SearchActivity" android:resizeableActivity="true">
    <meta-data android:name="WindowManagerPreference:FreeformWindowSize" android:value="system-default"/>
</activity>

<activity android:theme="@style/Theme.Photos.SearchGuidedConfirmation" android:name="com.google.android.apps.photos.search.guidedthings.GuidedThingsConfirmationActivity" android:exported="true" android:configChanges="smallestScreenSize|screenSize|screenLayout|orientation|navigation|keyboardHidden|keyboard" android:parentActivityName="com.google.android.apps.photos.search.SearchActivity" android:resizeableActivity="true">
    <meta-data android:name="WindowManagerPreference:FreeformWindowSize" android:value="system-default"/>
</activity>

In any case, the introduction of “Guided Search” to Google Photos will likely make it easier to find the photos and videos you are looking for.