Google Photos rolls out a customisable Collections redesign

Google Photos is rolling out a redesigned Collections tab that gives people more control over how their library is organised. The update is appearing with Google Photos 7.97 on Android and 7.98 on iOS, and the rollout is being delivered server-side rather than through a conventional app update prompt. ¹

The change replaces the older Collections layout with a more customisable view. A new Pinned section sits at the top, allowing users to choose which cards appear there and remove the section if they do not want it. The rest of the page is arranged into carousels for areas such as On this device, Albums, People and pets, Wardrobe, Places and Documents. ¹

Users can also hide individual sections and rearrange their order. A View all control leads to the full grid or list view, while an Other Collections area gathers shortcuts including Favorites, Screenshots, Moments, Videos, Recently Added, Stickers, Creations, Archive, Locked and Trash. ¹

Android Police reports that the redesign arrived in Google Photos version 7.97, with the changes enabled by a server-side push. The publication also says the update was visible on both a Pixel 9 Pro XL and a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, although availability can vary while Google completes the rollout. ²

Google’s official Play listing describes Photos as an app for storing, editing, organising and searching memories, and specifically highlights folders for screenshots, documents and custom albums. That makes the Collections redesign a fairly direct refinement of an existing part of the app rather than a completely new feature. ³

What changes for users

The practical difference is that Collections should feel less like a fixed catalogue and more like a dashboard. People who mostly use albums and places can put those categories within easier reach, while anyone who rarely opens areas such as Wardrobe or Documents can hide them. The redesign also makes the structure easier to scan by grouping categories into labelled carousels instead of leaving everything in one rigid arrangement.

The update is not a new cloud-storage tier, and it does not alter how Google Photos backs up images. It is a navigation and organisation change, but one that should matter to anyone who uses Photos as their main gallery rather than simply as a backup service.

Our opinion

This is the sort of small interface change that can make an everyday app noticeably less irritating. Google Photos has accumulated a lot of categories over the years, and a fixed layout inevitably gives too much prominence to things many people never use. Letting users pin, hide and reorder sections is a sensible answer. The only catch is that server-side rollouts are difficult to predict: two people on the same app version may not see the redesign at the same time. If it has not appeared yet, restarting the phone and opening Photos again may be worth trying, but there is no guaranteed manual switch to force it.