Google Photos Rolls Out 2025 Recap: With only a few weeks left before 2025 wraps up, Google Photos has started rolling out its brand-new ‘2025 Recap’ experience. This annual feature gives users a beautifully curated highlight reel of their most memorable moments from the past 12 months. From personal milestones to everyday snapshots, the recap uses cinematic visuals, smooth graphics, and personalised photo selections to tell the story of your year — all in a single scroll.
Google is also adding more control this year, letting users hide specific people or photos they don’t want included. Once changes are made, the app regenerates an updated recap within about 30 minutes. Overall, the feature closely resembles YouTube Recap and YouTube Music Recap, bringing Google’s ecosystem of yearly summaries closer together in style and experience.
Google Photos Recap Appears in Memories Carousel, Collections Tab
Users on X have reported that the 2025 Recap has begun appearing inside the Google Photos app. You can find it in two places:
- The Memories carousel at the top of the Photos tab
- The Collections tab
The recap stitches together key photos and videos with cinematic transitions and animations, showcasing everything from vacations and events to everyday candid moments.
Google also makes it easy to share your Recap with friends and family on messaging apps and social media. If you decide to remove certain faces or photos, the app refreshes the entire Recap automatically.
Gradual Rollout: Most Users Will See It Soon
The 2025 Recap feature is rolling out in phases, so not everyone will get it immediately. Many users are expected to see the new recap appear in the coming days. You may also get a prompt asking you to enable backups for photos and videos if your media isn’t already backed up — a requirement for the Recap to generate content.
To view it manually, you can:
- Open the Google Photos app
- Tap Photos
- Look for the Recap in the Memories carousel
Both Android and iOS users can access this feature.
Google Confirms Notifications, Eligibility Rules
Google’s support page states that users will receive a notification once their 2025 Recap is ready to view. Throughout December, the recap will remain pinned inside the Collections tab for easy access. After that, it will shift into your main photo grid under the December section.
However, not everyone will receive a full recap. Here’s what you need:
- You must have taken enough photos during the year
- You need to be using the latest version of Google Photos
- You must have Face Groups enabled
If these conditions are met, the app will automatically generate the complete Recap for you.
Similar to YouTube and YouTube Music Recap
Google Photos’ 2025 Recap takes cues from YouTube Recap 2025 and YouTube Music Recap 2025, offering a more unified visual identity across Google’s apps. All three follow a similar aesthetic — bold colors, smooth animations, and punchy summaries designed for sharing.
With the rollout underway, users can expect Google Photos to give them a colourful, emotional, and personalised look back at 2025 just in time for the year’s end.