TL;DR
During a Christmas beach trip in India, the author learned a little-known Google Photos shortcut from their partner that speeds up selecting multiple images. The tip involves a small white circle beside each date and a long-press on the date (or month) to bulk-select photos, but the author criticizes the UI for making the control hard to discover.
What happened
While on a beach vacation in India over Christmas, the author’s partner showed a simple Google Photos shortcut that reshaped how he manages images. Google Photos groups images by date and places a small white circle on the right side of each date; tapping that circle selects all photos and videos from that day. Alternatively, long-pressing the date itself achieves the same bulk selection. In Month view, a long-press on the month selects everything captured during that 30-day span. The author discovered the shortcut while using a Samsung Galaxy S21 and immediately began using it to share, delete, add to albums, archive, back up, or move files to the Locked Folder. He praised the time savings but criticized Google’s user interface for making the selection control small and distant from the date, which limits discoverability. The author also noted handedness matters: left-handed users may find the date long-press more convenient, while right-handed users might reach the circle more easily.
Why it matters
- Bulk-selection shortcuts save time when sharing, deleting, or organizing many photos from the same day or month.
- Discoverability issues in the UI mean useful features can remain unused unless someone shows them to you.
- Handedness affects reachability—interface placement can favor left- or right-handed users.
- Easier multi-selecting can change how infrequent photo-takers manage and share their images.
Key facts
- The author visited a beach in India with their partner during Christmas.
- The partner demonstrated a Google Photos shortcut that enables quick bulk selection.
- A small white circle located to the right of each date selects all photos and videos taken that day.
- Long-pressing the date also selects all media from that day; long-pressing a month in Month view selects all media from that month.
- The author used a Samsung Galaxy S21 when discovering the feature.
- After selecting media, users can share, delete, add to an album, move to archive, back up, or move items to the Locked Folder.
- The author criticized Google for placing the selection circle far from the date and making it small, reducing its visibility.
- Left-handed users may find long-pressing the date easier; right-handed users may prefer tapping the circle on the right.
What to watch next
- Whether Google will move or restyle the multi-select circle to improve discoverability: not confirmed in the source
- Any official Google Photos UI updates or documentation that highlight multi-select gestures: not confirmed in the source
- Broader rollout or platform differences for this behavior (other Android phones, iOS): not confirmed in the source
Quick glossary
- Google Photos: A photo and video storage and management app from Google that organizes media by date and offers backup, sharing, and editing features.
- Bulk select: Selecting multiple files at once so you can perform actions like sharing, deleting, or moving them together.
- Locked Folder: A secure area in Google Photos where users can place images or videos that require authentication to view.
- Month/Day view: Display modes in Google Photos that group images by day or by month for easier browsing and selection.
- UX (user experience): How a person interacts with and experiences a product’s interface, including ease of discovery and efficiency of actions.
Reader FAQ
How do I select all photos from a single day in Google Photos?
Tap the small white circle beside the date or long-press the date to select all photos and videos from that day.
Can I select an entire month at once?
Yes. In Month view, long-press the month to select the photos and videos captured during that 30-day span.
What actions can I take after selecting multiple items?
Selected items can be shared, deleted, added to an album, moved to archive, backed up, or moved to the Locked Folder.
Was the discovery of this shortcut widely visible in the app?
The author says the small circle is hard to spot and criticized Google’s placement, suggesting the feature isn’t highly discoverable.
Does this behavior work the same on other devices or OS versions?
not confirmed in the source
A vacation moment with my partner changed how I use Google Photos Credit: Lucas Gouveia / Android Police | Olezzo / Shutterstock By Rahul Naskar Published 9 minutes ago Rahul Naskar…
Sources
- A vacation moment with my partner changed how I use Google Photos
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