Facial Recognition in Google Photos

Google Photos can recognize faces in photos. This makes it possible to search for photos that feature a specific person. The photo program creates a kind of photo album with the photos that show the same person. The user can then also give this group the name of the person, so that a literal search can be done by name.

To use face recognition, the function must first be turned on. In the app it works like this:

• Open the app Google Photos .
• Tap the circle with your initials or profile picture at the top right.
• Tap on Settings for Photos.
• Tap on Group similar faces.
• Make sure the slider behind ‘Face grouping’ is blue by tapping it if necessary.
• Tap on OK.

It may take a while for Google Photos to recognize all faces.

On the computer, Google Photos is also available through the Internet browser. There, follow the steps below to enable facial recognition:

• Open the internet browser and surf to photos.google.nl
• Click the gear icon at the top right .
• Next to ‘Group similar faces’, click Show more.
• Make sure the slider behind ‘Face grouping’ is blue by clicking on it.
• Tap on OK.

It may take a while for Google Photos to recognize all faces.

Once the feature is on, Google Photos will get to work organizing photos with faces. Follow the steps below to view the created groups in the app.

• Tap at the bottom of the screen To search.
• Under ‘People’ are photos of people who appear frequently in your photos. Tap on Look at everything.
• Tap a face to see all photos that contain that person.

See all photos of a person on the online version of Google Photos like this:

• Click in the left menu Albums.
• click on People.
• Click on a face to see all photos of that person.

Is a person often in photos? Then add that person’s name to a group of photos using the following steps for the app. After that, just search for this person’s name to see all the photos with him or her.

• Tap at the bottom of the screen To search.
• Under ‘People’ are photos of people who often appear in your photos. Tap on Look at everything.
• Tap a face.
• Tap on Add a name.
• Type a name.
• Tap on Ready.

Is a person often in photos? In the online version of Google Photos, add the person’s name to a group of photos. From now on, just search for this person’s name.

• Click in the left menu Albums.
• click on People.
• click on Add a name.
• Type a name.
• click on Finished.

Manually add a photo to an album of photos of a specific person. This is useful if Google does not recognize that person itself. Please note: to use this function, face recognition must be turned on and Google must clearly recognize a face in the photo. If not, the option will not appear.

• Tap the tab photos if not already selected.
• Tap a photo.
• Tap the icon with three dots in the top right .
• A window with options will appear. Scroll down if necessary until ‘People’ is displayed. Google Photos will tell you if a face can be added. If so, tap the pencil icon next to ‘People’.
• In a new overview are all the people in the photo. At the bottom are the people who have not been recognized. Tap the plus sign next to the person you want to add.
• In the photo, tap where the person is standing.
• Tap on Ready.

Does Google Photos not recognize a person in a photo? Then manually add it to that person’s album of photos. Please note: to use this function, face recognition must be turned on and Google must clearly recognize a face in the photo. If not, the option will not appear.

• Click in the left menu photos, if not already selected.
• Click on a photo.
• Click on the circle with ‘i’ .
• Information about the photo opens. Under ‘People’ are faces that are recognized in the photo.
• Click the pencil icon .
• Under “Available to add,” click the plus sign.
• Click a label in the photo to add it.
• click on Ready.