Google Photos has long been able to estimate the location of pictures that don’t contain geodata. It previously did this using Google Account Location History but has since stopped and is giving users the ability to remove those estimates.
Reportedly, Google Photos has now been able to estimate the location of pictures that even don’t contain geodata. Earlier, it did the same by using Google Account Location History. But now, it has stopped the same and started giving users the ability to remove those estimates respectively.
Since previously Google Photos evaluate missing locations by using your broader location history. It is the “opt-in Google account setting that saves where you go with your devices so you can enjoy personalized maps, recommendations, and more.” In addition to this, the other way the backup service achieve this was by observing noticeable landmarks in pictures.
It is to be noted that Google Photos has stopped using locations in regard to new photos and videos. Alternatively, the company works more rigorously in the ability to identify landmarks. While it works with the same tendency on Google Lens, Maps Live View, and VPS.
To help you search and organize your photos and videos, Google Photos can use locations such as those saved from your device’s camera, those you add manually or those estimated using inputs such as visible landmarks and Location History. We’re investing more heavily in our ability to identify landmarks, and we’ll no longer use Location History to estimate locations for new and existing photos moving forward. You can easily manage your location settings at any time right from Google Photos.
Google enables the ability to remove estimated photo locations
As a result of this change, Google enables its users and giving the ability to remove all estimated photo locations. It includes those as well, that are derived from Location History and landmarks. Therefore, in upcoming months, users will see an in-app prompt that let users “keep” or “delete” estimates. Also, the user will have until May 1, 2023, to make their decision while it has been removed by Google automatically.
Although, if you have “Estimate missing locations” enabled in Google Photos settings (Location > Location sources). One can also “View and manage estimated locations” from that screen through a gallery and map view respectively.
On the other hand, no photos are being deleted as part of this update, nor will there be any changes to Location History as well.
Going forward, if you want to delete estimated locations from your photos, you can only do that in Google Photos. If you want to delete locations from your Location History, you may continue to do that within your Location History settings.