The powerful and feature-enriched gallery app by Google offers tons of useful functionalities. If one or two features are missing in its mobile app, it more than compensates them on its web version. The Google Photos website supports several handy shortcuts that might help you edit and manage images. In this guide, we won’t be looking at basic shortcuts. Our topic of discussion will be related to some of the lesser-known Google Photos keyboard shortcuts.
Selecting Images using Shortcut
When you hover over an image, you get a checkbox to select that image. However, there is a much simpler way of doing so. With the help of the X keyboard shortcut key, you can select as many images as you wish in Google Photos. On the contrary, to deselect any images use the Esc key and to do so for a single image, click the X key again.
Zooming into an Image
To zoom into any image, all you have to do is press the Z key once. This keyboard shortcut key zooms into any selected image in Google Photos. Similarly again clicking on the Z key will bring back the image to its default size.
Editing an Image in Google Photos
Google Photos website also holds some editing capabilities. For example, you could apply 13 filters, do basic Pop, Color, and Light adjustments, or carry out the Crop and Rotate functionalities. Although you might be using these edits for ages, not many of you might be aware that the same could be done via a shortcut. To edit any image in Google Photos, use the E keyboard shortcut.
Search for an Image in Google Photos
With such a plethora of images stored, it becomes a painstaking effort to search for the required image. This is where the Search feature comes in handy. But rather than moving your cursor over to the Search field and clicking it, you could use a shortcut for the same. Just use the forward-slash (/) keyboard shortcut and start your Google Photos search.
Rotate an Image with a Keyboard Shortcut
Rotating an image requires a lot of effort if you use the Photos website. First, select the image, head over to Edit, search for the Rotate option, and then carry out said task. This is asking quite a lot for performing a simple task. Fortunately, there is a keyboard shortcut for that in Google Photos. This could be done using the Shift + R key combination.
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Auto Edit an Image
For the lazy few, Google Photos provides an auto-enhanced mode. It automatically applies the best suitable filters on the desired image. You can access this filter from the Edit menu. However, there exists a shortcut for that as well. Use the E key to go to the Edit menu and the A keyboard shortcut to apply the Auto filter.
View Image Information
All clicked images have associated EXIF metadata. EXIF stores important information regarding that image like the date, time, location, etc. To view this information on any image in Google Photos, use the I keyboard shortcut.
Archive an Image in Google Photos
Similar to other apps, Photos also allows for archiving of images. Once you do so, it gets hidden from the normal view (although the same could still be accessed via the Archive and Albums section). If you wish to archive any image in Google Photo, hit the Shift + A keyboard shortcut. If you want to view an archived version of a website, you should view the cached copy or old version of a website.
Download an Image
To download any image, take the help of the Shift + D shortcut. If you have selected more than one image, then they will get downloaded in a compressed ZIP or RAR format. You should also read our guide on how you can preview and extract a file inside a Zip file in Google Drive without unzipping it.
View Original
If you have modified an image, and wish to compare it with the original copy, press and hold the O key. It will show you how the image looked initially, without any modifications. This view will only be available until you have pressed the O key.
So these were some of the useful Google Photos keyboard shortcuts. If these shortcuts are too difficult to keep a tab on, use the Shift + ? key combination and you can see all the above shortcuts on one single screen.
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