Let’s be honest, many of us use some form of editing tool to improve the overall quality of images/videos for those crucial social uploads. While almost all smartphones now offer native editing features, there are some tools exclusive to flagships. And then there’s the latest Google Pixel 8 Pro (review), which leverages the power of AI (artificial intelligence) to offer some handy editing tools. Mind you, these tools go beyond conventional editing features to adjust tones and brightness. The Pixel 8 Pro now lets you manipulate subjects’ faces, move them around a frame, and even unblur old photos in minutes.
Here are five Google Pixel 8 Pro editing features you need to know.
Table of Contents
Magic Editor
In simple words, Pixel 8 Pro’s Magic Eraser lets the user move the subject for a better focus. Now, this subject can be anything, be it your dog or flower vase. It can also be you.
For the feature to work, you will first have to back up the image you want to edit. Following that, select the edit option on Google Image > Click on the Magic Editor option (purple icon) above cancel > Long-press the subject and move around the frame > Hit next (right arrow key). The Google Photos app will offer multiple results, which look the best according to you. There’s an option to “get a new set of results” if you’re unhappy with the current output(s).
In our testing, we found that the Magic Editor needed improvement. The tool can move around the subject, but it fails to manipulate shadows. Also, the edge detection isn’t as smooth as Google claims. Therefore, the subject feels like a copy-pasted item in the photo. Safer to say, it’s a matter of time before this feature becomes more sophisticated.
It can also let you manipulate some scenes.
Best Take
What does work very well is “Best Take.” This Google Pixel 8 Pro feature allows users to change facial details in an individual or group photo, provided that the Photos app can detect the face. With that, best take can make your subject look into the camera, smile, or make silly faces.
To use Best Take on the Google Pixel 8 Pro, select the image > Edit > Tools > Best Take. In this case, Best Take detected only two faces in the frame. The two in the background now look happier in the photo.
Portrait
Similarly, with the new Pixel 8 Pro, you can also use a dedicated “portrait” option to add a rich bokeh effect to your photo. Interestingly, the feature works with old photos saved on the Google Photos app.
For instance, I selected this image captured with the OnePlus Nord 3 5G in July 2023. Despite being taken in extremely low-light conditions, the Pixel 8 Pro’s portrait tool did a decent job of adding a bokeh effect.
Unblur
The new Google Pixel 8 Pro also lets you “unblur” old blurry photos, though it works best with moderately shaky images. It can be pretty useful if you want to revive images captured with your old phone’s camera.
I used the Pixel 8 Pro’s unblur feature to improve this shot taken with the OPPO Reno 10+ 5G. Moreover, I also used the Magic Eraser to remove the watermark at the bottom right, which can be a big concern for professional creators in the future. The unblur feature can also slightly improve the readability of blurry texts.
Audio Eraser
Perhaps my favourite feature on the Pixel 8 Pro is the “Audio Eraser” that removes background noise from recorded videos. The result is much sharper and clearer speech.
It can be highly useful for video creators who want to make videos on the go without caring too much about the microphone.
Meanwhile, if you’re wondering how the Pixel 8 Pro fares against the iPhone 15 Pro Max (review) in terms of camera performance, here’s our comparison.
