Google Photos users frustrated by new Gemini AI search feature

Users of Google Photos are becoming more frustrated with the new Ask Photos search feature powered by Gemini, citing its poor performance and inaccurate results.

Ask Photos was designed to introduce a more conversational approach to searching image libraries. Instead of typing traditional keywords like “koala” or “Australia,” users are encouraged to ask natural questions, such as, “What animals did I see on my trip last year?” to retrieve relevant vacation images.

Despite being available for two years, the official support page still warns that the experimental feature may produce unexpected or inaccurate results. For many users, this warning has proven accurate.

A recent post on the Google Pixel subreddit highlighted growing discontent. One user expressed frustration at losing the ability to simply search for text within an image, noting that asking the Gemini AI to find photos with specific text no longer works. The post quickly resonated with the community, with one top reply calling it the understatement of 2026.

Some users prefer not to chat with an AI to find their photos, while others say Ask Photos often struggles with simple tasks like locating a picture of a monkey at the zoo. This criticism isn’t the first, as the Gemini integration has faced similar issues before.

A popular Reddit post from three months ago expressed disappointment in the platform’s decline, recalling that Google Photos was once the clear leader in image storage and organization.

With over 1.5 billion monthly active users relying on the decade-old service to store their irreplaceable memories, frustration rises when simple searches fail among trillions of files.

The rollout of the Gemini-powered feature was notably slow due to initial development issues. When early users reported problems with speed and quality, Google Photos Project Manager Jamie Aspinall publicly acknowledged these issues on X.

Although Google claimed to have addressed those initial issues last June, dissatisfaction persists. In March, Google Photos lead Shimrit Ben-Yair announced a new toggle that lets users revert to the classic search.

Users seeking the old interface can disable the AI by opening the Google Photos app, navigating to Photos settings, selecting Preferences, tapping Gemini features in Photos, and turning off Search with Ask Photos.