is a senior editor and founding member of The Verge who covers gadgets, games, and toys. He spent 15 years editing the likes of CNET, Gizmodo, and Engadget.
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Issue
You just want to search your archived photos, instead of interacting with an AI assistant.
Quick fix
Inside the app, tap the Google account button at top-right, then go to Photos settings > Preferences > Gemini features in Photos, and turn off either “Search with Ask Photos” or “Use Gemini in Photos”.
The full story
When Google rolled out its new AI-powered ‘Ask Photos’ search tool, I gave it a go — but after finding it slower, less helpful, and more confusing than the classic search, I always wound up pressing Google’s handy button labeled “Switch to classic search” or “Use classic search” instead. (Some people found you could get there quicker by double-tapping the magnifying glass.)
But a couple months ago, Google removed all those easily accessible options, and the double-tap now directs to Gemini instead of Google’s old system. I couldn’t figure out how to turn it off at first… but thankfully, the option for classic search is still there, buried in a settings menu. See steps above.
I will say that Ask Photos is better than it was originally; it seems Google had a bit of a wake-up call.
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