First look: Here’s how Google Photos’ new Redact tool will work

Google Photos has unveiled its new Redact tool, which allows users to hide sensitive information in their photos. This feature has been unearthed after a recent APK teardown revealed a Redact tool hidden within the code of Google Photos. Initially, the button in the Markup section was unresponsive, causing the app to crash when tapped, leaving the true functionality of the tool shrouded in mystery. However, after switching to version 7.89, Android Authority was able to successfully activate the feature and test it out.

The Redact tool offers three distinct redaction styles: Mosaic, Mosaic Light, and a noise-based Blur. These options provide users with varying degrees of obscuring techniques to protect sensitive areas within their photos. Currently, this feature remains in development, and there is no indication of a public rollout at the moment. Despite this, the demonstration clearly shows that Google has progressed from a non-functional button to a functional feature, marking a significant improvement in the tool's development.