Android’s photo picker is getting an overdue search function

Andrew Romero | Jul 8 2025 - 7:03 am PT

Sharing photos has always been easy, but a little inconvenient in Android. The Photo Picker allows for recent photos to be shared, but it never offered a concise way to share specific images in a hurry. An update to the Photo Picker may change that with a search bar for quicker selection.

According to a report from Android Authority, some users are beginning to see a change to the Photo Picker in Android. The selection tool appears natively in messaging apps when the user tries to add an image. The box that appears with recent images offers up a very basic gallery.

In a new update, it seems that the basic view is getting a bit more fleshed out. The update that looks to be rolling out slowly showcases a new search bar at the top of the window. Tapping it allows users to enter keywords that would lead the picker to the right photo.

The new search system in the Photo Picker doesn’t appear to rely on the same LLM models that Google’s “Ask Photos” feature does. That tool makes the search process a little more natural, though it can feel a little more complicated. Still, Google Photos’ AI search function means images can be narrowed down with a much finer comb rather than basic keyword searches.

Advertisement - scroll for more content

The new Photo Picker update looks to offer a very basic search similar to what was seen in Google Photos prior to the more complex system.

Even with that being the case, a search function in the Photo Picker pop-up has been a long-awaited addition. Scrolling through hundreds of photos for the right one is a hefty task. Being able to search for yourself, videos, or places means that the process is far more precise.

Android’s Photo Picker was initially rolled out to enforce further privacy and security. Apps that access your local and cloud images are subject to higher restrictions, and the Photo Picker allows for that enforcement. Years later, it’s finally seeing some meaningful quality-of-life updates.

The update seems to be rolling out slowly. None of our devices look to have the search function available, yet.