Earlier in 2025, Google rolled out a redesign of the editing interface in Google Photos. While the update added some fresh design elements, it also removed certain features many users considered essential — most notably the perspective correction tool.
That change sparked widespread frustration, especially among people who often photographed documents, artwork, books for sale, or flat items — where proper alignment matters.
Now, after months of user complaints and feedback, Google has reverted some of those changes. As of app version 7.55.0.835314738, the perspective tool is back — along with the original sharp‑corner crop frame (instead of the rounded‑corner version from the redesign).
The perspective tool lives inside the crop/edit menu.
It allows users to manually adjust the corners or edges of an image so that objects appear straight and properly aligned — for instance, correcting tilted buildings, skewed document photos, artwork taken at an angle, etc.
For people photographing items for resale, scanning documents, or capturing artwork, this feature offers a quick and easy way to get a clean, distortion‑free image without needing third‑party editing apps.
After the redesign, many users reported that their usual workflow was broken: angled photos looked skewed, artwork photos distorted, documents misaligned.
On forums such as Reddit, users expressed irritation at having to depend on external apps again for something previously simple. For example:
“I used it to get clear pictures of documents … now they just removed it.”
The rounded‑corner crop frame introduced in the redesign made it harder for some users to judge the exact boundaries of their cropped images.
The perspective correction tool has been re‑introduced in the editing menu.
The crop interface corners have reverted to their original sharp (90‑degree) corners.
Open a photo in Google Photos → tap Edit → Crop.
Once you activate the crop mode (even by making a slight adjustment or selecting a framing option), the perspective icon will appear — usually at the top-right corner.
From there, you can manually adjust the corners or edges to straighten the image.
Note: Because Google seems to have hidden the tool behind the crop action, some users may not immediately see it — especially if they go directly to “Edit → Adjust” or other menus.
The restored perspective tool works only on photos, not video.
The workflow to access it is less intuitive than before: you must start cropping first. Many feel this is a step backwards compared to older versions, where the tool was immediately visible.
Because the restoration is rolling out gradually (server-side), some users may still need to wait before seeing the update on their devices.
For many users, this update restores a core utility that made Google Photos more than just a gallery app — a true everyday photo editor.
Document / Artwork Photography: People who photograph documents, books, artworks, or flat items no longer need third‑party apps to correct skewed angles.
E‑commerce / Resale: Sellers listing products online can straighten product photos quickly and easily for better presentation.
Everyday Photos: Even casual users benefit — travel photos of buildings, posters, signage, etc. can now be corrected for perspective distortion.
Restore Trust: The rollback shows that user feedback can influence big companies — reassuring many about Google’s commitment to usability alongside new features.
The return of the perspective tool in Google Photos demonstrates a welcome change: sometimes simplicity and control matter more than flashy redesigns.
By restoring this tool, Google has acknowledged that small but powerful manual editing features—like correcting skewed angles in photos—are indispensable for many users. While the re‑introduction is not without quirks (hidden behind the crop action, photo-only limitation), it's still a significant win for anyone who values precise framing.
If you’ve been frustrated with Google Photos since early 2025, now is a good time to update the app (version 7.55.0.835314738 or later), revisit your editing workflow, and reclaim that handy perspective‑correction tool.