Popular Snapseed photo editing app finally gets an update, but it’s not getting AI

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My favorite free photo editing app lives to edit another day

Mobile phone with the Snapseed app on the Google Play store on display
(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

Snapseed lives to fight – or should I say edit – another day, following a recent update that was rolled out on the Play Store for Android devices, according to Android Police. 

I'm thankful - the long time app, which is owned by Google and has over 100 million downloads, remains one of my favorite free photo editors with some seriously powerful tools you simply don't get with your Android device's camera app.

Snapseed's smart tools include a wide range of one-push looks and a neat 'Selective' feature that can make localized edits, for instance, brightening just your subject to make them pop. 

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You'll be hard-pressed to see exactly what is new in this recent update, though. There's an auspicious lack of AI-powered tools that are regularly at the fore today in Google's own Google Photos app, and the swathe of AI-powered apps cropping up for iOS and Android devices, such as Canva.

Mobile phone with the Snapseed app editor on display

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

Google's own editing app features some neat if polarizing AI-editing tools, such as Magic Eraser – which recently made its way onto older handsets – and Best Take.

Since Google purchased Snapseed in 2012, updates have been few and far between. Major updates include 2017's redesign and a refresh in 2023 that made it compatible with Android 13. 

And so while the latest Snapseed update provides solace to its regular users that the free editor is going nowhere for now, it feels like the writing is on the wall for one of the most loved free photo editing apps, given 2024's rival apps rely so heavily on AI.

With the latest update, it's fair to assume that Google is putting most of its efforts into developing its own Google Photos app, likely future AI-powered tools. What its plans are with Snapseed remains to be seen.

Perhaps it's nostalgia on my part, but I'm hoping I can still use my long-time favorite free editing app for years to come. It remains a powerful editor despite its lack of AI, as you can see in one of my photo edits above. Maybe Google will change the tide for the editing veteran and introduce new, powerful tools, but that seems unlikely. Just please don't retire it.

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Timothy Coleman
Timothy Coleman
Cameras Editor

Tim joined the TechRadar team as Cameras Editor in 2023 and has enjoyed more than 15 years as a tech journalist specializing in camera gear. He's previously worked at Amateur Photographer, for a photo accessory manufacturer and as a freelance photographer and video producer, with clients including Studio 44 and Canon. He also started a media team in Nairobi, Kenya, where he lived for a few years volunteering for a faith-based organisation. Tim is married, father of three children, and loves being active, primarily running since hanging up his football boots.