Use Google Photos on your Android XR device

The newly redesigned Google Photos app brings a new dimension to your photos and videos in a way that's only possible on Android XR. You can now:

  • Experience panoramas like never before.
  • Get immersive in 360 and VR180 media.
  • Relive your memories like you’re there with 2D to 3D media conversion of photos and videos.

With Google Photos on Android XR, you can use your existing Google Photos backup. You can also access content saved directly on your Android XR device.

A GIF showing how to spatialize Google Photos content with Android XR.

You can use Google Photos on Android XR in 2 modes:

  • Home Space mode: You can use Android XR like the Google Photos app on phone or tablet, where you can star, share, and edit your 2D photos alongside other apps. You can also adjust the size of the Photos app window and multitask.
  • Immersive mode: In this mode, Android XR takes over the full environment to immerse you in all of your content. You can step into your memories with 2D to 3D conversion of photos and videos and get immersed in panoramas and 360 content.

A GIF showing a 2D image converted to 3D.

What you need

To use Google Photos on Android XR, you need to:

  • Have an Android XR device.
  • Sign in to the Android XR operating system (OS) with a Google Account.

Ways to use Android XR

Play 4K videos with your Android XR device

  1. On your Android XR device, open the Google Photos app Photos.
  2. To view your backed up videos, sign in to your Google Account.
  3. Select the video you want to view.
  4. At the top, select Go immersive.
    • To view your other videos,swipe left or right.
  5. To exit Immersive mode and go back to your video in Home Space mode, select Exit .
  6. To go back to the Google Photos app gallery, select Back Back.

Experience 2D panorama & 360 photos

  1. On your Android XR device, open the Google Photos app Photos.
  2. To view your backed up photos, sign in to your Google Account.
  3. On the left, select Spatial.
  4. Select the photo you want to view.
  5. To go back to the Google Photos app gallery, select Exit .

Display 2D photos on a big screen

An image showing a 2D photo on a big screen.

  1. On your Android XR device, open the Google Photos app Photos.
  2. To view your backed up photos, sign in to your Google Account.
  3. Select the photo you want to view.
  4. At the top, select Go immersive.
    • To view your other photos, swipe left or right.
  5. To exit Immersive mode and go back to your photo in Home Space mode, select Exit .
  6. To go back to the Google Photos app gallery, select Back Back.

Experience media in 3D

Important: When you convert content, photos take just a few seconds but videos can take time to process. You’ll get a notification when your spatialized photo or video is ready in the headset.

With Google Photos, you can convert your existing 2D photos and videos into 3D content. The quality of your results may vary. The size and resolution of photos and videos eligible to be converted are also limited.

  1. On your Android XR device, open the Google Photos app Photos.
  2. To view your backed up photos and videos, sign in to your Google Account.
  3. Select the photo you want to convert to 3D.
  4. At the top, select Go immersive.
  5. To start the conversion process, in the toolbar, select Spatial.
  6. To go back to the Google Photos app gallery, select Exit .

Tips:

  • After spatialization, you can change between 2D and 3D views.
  • You can access your stored spatialized content locally when signed in to the same account and headset.
  • You can view VR180 videos.

Share content

Important: Sharing and backing up spatialized content isn't supported yet. You can share native 3D content like Multiview High Efficiency Video Coding (MV-HEVC) video, but viewing in 3D depends on the recipient's device and app capabilities.

  1. On your Android XR device, open the Google Photos app Photos.
  2. To view your backed up photos and videos, sign in to your Google Account.
  3. Select the photo or the video you want to view.
  4. At the bottom left, select Share Share.
  5. Select people to share with.
    • To share with one person: Select their name.
    • To find someone specific:
      1. Select Search .
      2. Enter their name, phone number, or email address.
  6. Select Send.

Learn about Google Photos on Android XR

The Google Photos on Android XR has been fully redesigned, including:

  • Home Space: Multitask alongside other apps with the familiar Photos app.
  • Immersive: Take over the entire space and fully immerse into your favorite photos and videos with:
    • 2D to 3D conversion
    • Native 3D videos and photos
    • Panoramas, 360, and VR180
Understand spatialization limits
While there’s no limit for photo spatialization, you can spatialize up to 5 videos simultaneously and up to 100 videos a month.
Re-upload photos
You don't need to re-upload your media to Google Photos. Google Photos on Android XR uses your Google Photos backup and displays content saved directly on your Android XR device.
Troubleshoot spatialization

Photos take just a few seconds but videos can take time to process. To find out the status of your video, you can refer to the progress bar and you’ll get a notification when available. Since this happens in the cloud, you can continue to browse, close the app, or even turn off the device.

A photo or video may fail to convert due to:

  • Format
  • Limitation on the size or resolution of photos and videos
  • Monthly quotas for video conversion

You can contact support for issues.

Related resources

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