Google is giving Pixel users a smarter way to handle screenshots with the release of Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1. The update moves screenshot editing out of Google Photos and into the Pixel Studio app, bringing advanced AI editing to the table.
First spotted by Telegram user Omar Tosca and reported by Android Authority, instead of relying on the basic markup tools inside Photos, screenshots on the beta now open directly in Pixel Studio. From there, users can crop, add captions or stickers, draw with a pen tool, or use a resizable highlighter tool. The bigger upgrade, however, comes in the form of AI-assisted editing.
Turns out, Pixel Studio in this beta allows users to select parts of a screenshot and describe the changes they want. Then, the AI generates the edit with a "Preview" tag displayed to indicate that the feature is still in testing. In one demo, asking the tool to change colours instantly worked, though it also unexpectedly removed text from the screenshot. This shows that the feature is still under testing.
Another thing to note is that users will need to be running version 2.0.001.793728176.12 of the Pixel Studio app alongside the Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1 update for this feature to work. Otherwise, screenshots will continue to default to the old Photos editor. The feature was spotted in action on a Pixel 9 Pro.
This move will understandably take screenshots from being just static captures to editable and shareable assets. However, this is not the only AI voodoo we've gotten from Google. The Pixel 10 series launch saw the debut of the AI-powered Camera Coach feature, Google Photos getting conversational AI-editing powers, as well as an AI-powered Journal app.
