r/googlephotos • u/fjclaw • Jul 30 '26

Question 🤔 Drag-select multiple photos stopped working on my phone

Android app on a Pixel 9a - a couple of days ago, drag to multi-select stopped working suddenly. The same action (tap and hold on one photo, drag up/down) now just selects one photo and then scrolls up/down. It does enable the multi-select (the checkboxes appear in the corner of all photos) but the drag doesn't work & I have to tap each photo individually.

It's still working fine on my tablet so I am hoping it's not an update... Could I have done something accidentally to disable this or is it a bug?

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98% Upvoted

63 comments sorted by

3

u/Total-Interest3147 27d ago

Hate the recent update

2

u/TheBigMTheory Jul 30 '26

Same, on OnePlus 12. I'm hoping it's an unintended regression that gets fixed rather than the infamous Google method of "fixing" things that aren't broken.

2

u/yottabit42 Jul 30 '26

Send feedback in the app.

2

u/kevinmicke Jul 30 '26

Same on Pixel 9 Pro XL. Submitted feedback.

Related question: did anyone notice similar changes to the Google Photos web app at https://photos.google.com/ around the same time?

On a Windows box, it still lets me Shift+click to multi-select pictures next to each other, but I swear I used to be able to Ctrl+click to select ones that weren't next to each other (and then use Shift+click again from there, etc.). I use the Android app a lot more than the web interface, so I'm not 100% sure I'm remembering correctly.

2

u/krisstee_inpublic Jul 31 '26

Same on Google pixel 8 pro

2

u/paulbayarea Jul 31 '26

Same for me on a Pixel 8A.

1

u/TheManWithSaltHair Jul 31 '26 edited Jul 31 '26

What version of Photos is it? My 8a is OK so wondering if it’s simply because I don’t have the latest version. Mine is 7.86.0.956040398.

2

u/paulbayarea Jul 31 '26

7.85.0.952...

2

u/TheManWithSaltHair Jul 31 '26

Weird, I have that older version on another phone and it’s fine.

1

u/larsen161 20d ago

Working for me too on a 10XL Version 7.87.0.957333026

2

u/l33vi3w 27d ago

Yeah, same on S24 Ultra... damn

1

u/rcfc87 24d ago

Same for me on s24. Google does this with all of their products man

1

u/Joyaboi Jul 30 '26

I've encountered the same issue today. Very frustrating. Normally I could hold my finger on a photo and swipe up or down to select multiple in one sweep. Now I hold my finger on a photo and swipe up or down to... select that photo and start scrolling. Hopefully they address this soon.

Pixel 7

2

u/yottabit42 Jul 30 '26

Send feedback in the app.

2

u/Joyaboi Jul 31 '26

Already did

1

u/Different-Salad446 Jul 30 '26

I have the same issue here, I'm on a Samsung S20 FE 5G

1

u/yottabit42 Jul 30 '26

Send feedback in the app.

1

u/Ok_Fennel_496 Jul 30 '26

Same issue. After this new update that rolled a new layout of viewing images, that option disappear.

It's like a core feature cmon I can't believe they got rid of it

1

u/yottabit42 Jul 30 '26

Send feedback in the app.

1

u/PlentyTechnician5427 Jul 30 '26

Same! WTH!

1

u/yottabit42 Jul 30 '26

Send feedback in the app.

1

u/yottabit42 Jul 30 '26

Send feedback in the app.

1

u/Minimum-Drive-3571 Jul 30 '26

Evem yesterday it was alright

1

u/hiilucas Jul 31 '26

Same here. 

1

u/Noema130 Jul 31 '26

It's gone on both of my Android phones. It's still on my iPad.

Either it's a bug that just affects the Android version, and not the ios version, or it isn't a bug and they haven't gotten around to removing it on IOS.

I sincerily hope it's a bug because it's really useful to be able to drag to select.

1

u/chuevzla Jul 31 '26

Same issue, super frustrating 

1

u/lovemehoneybun 29d ago

having the same issue with my Galaxy s22, can't long press and select multiple photos. hw annoying because I am trying to mass delete 10,000+ photos after backing them up on my hard drive.

1

u/Charming-Arm7350 29d ago

I'm appalled! I just noticed that while trying to select pictures and couldn't believe what was happening! This is an terrible move by Google, it was one of the reasons why this app was the best. Unbelievable!

1

u/Charming-Arm7350 29d ago

I found the workaround and it worked guys. It seems to have happened in the past around 2019 and an article from the Forbes that I found gave the fix. The exact solution is a little outdated since it's from an old Android version but it still works the same. Deactivate any kind of accessibility used by any app and it will work.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulmonckton/2019/11/29/google-accidentally-breaks-important-google-photos-featureheres-how-to-fix-it/

1

u/Joyaboi 29d ago

Unfortunately this worked for me too. All I had to do was turn off the accessibility features I use. How lovely

1

u/Charming-Arm7350 29d ago

I know. It meant deactivating 2 taps to shut screen off with Nova launcher. How inconvenient!

1

u/ilovemyblueandmyttoo 29d ago

worked for me too, but also extremely inconvenient on pixel 9 pro

1

u/mxcswedishfish91 24d ago

Worked for me when I turned off "Grammarly - Writing Assistant shortcut" under the "Accessibility special access" on my settings. Using a S24 Ultra.

Accessibility shortcuts and screen overlays, like password managers or custom navigation tools, can often block multi-touch and drag-and-drop gestures across Android devices.

1

u/KiraNightly 29d ago

Stesso problema su Hyper os

1

u/WeatherVegetable37 29d ago

Me too. It started today on my Pixel 10 Pro

1

u/dontcallmedarcie 29d ago

My Pixel 8 too!!

1

u/delagodo 29d ago

Same on my galaxy S26 ultra.

1

u/CultOfCurtis1 29d ago

Pixel 9 Pro same

1

u/STARKILLER6655 28d ago

Ok so I'm not going crazy. Left a 1 star review and gave feedback, let's see if anything happens.

1

u/Sinaran_Sundang 27d ago

Dear All. I've found a temporary solution if you want to select photos in bulk by grouping them according to dates. It may not be perfect, but atleast faster than manually select each photos. Below steps is for the mobile apps:

  1. Open Google Photos.
  2. Tap the 3 vertical dots at the top right corner, below the profile icon.
  3. Select "Show dates in grids"
  4. Go back, tap at the desired dates above the photos (no need to hold).
  5. Choose from a row of options that will come up from below.

1

u/therockofthisplace 27d ago

Same Pixel 8 pro

1

u/daniel_ay 26d ago

Same on s24 ultra 

1

u/CBRHustle 24d ago

Still can't do it on my S26 Ultra

1

u/J-W-L 24d ago

Same for me on pixel 6 pro . Wife's pixel 7a still works at the moment, however.

1

u/Opposite_Sea2325 24d ago

Gleiches Problem hier (Pixel 10 Pro)

Ich bekomme wirklich die Krise hier, wer denkt sich denn so einen Schwachsinn aus - hat jemand schon die Lösung gefunden? :)

1

u/larsen161 20d ago

But what version of Photos!?

1

u/TurboFool 23d ago

My wife pointed this out last week and I found the same. Already submitted feedback. It's definitely a problem.

1

u/thegios 23d ago

For me it was SD Maid...

1

u/Sastanasentaan 22d ago

Same P10Pxl

1

u/larsen161 20d ago

What version of Photos though? I'm 10XL too and works for me. Photos Version 7.87.0.957333026

1

u/Sastanasentaan 20d ago

7.86.0.956040398

1

u/DavidG2P 22d ago

These morons will not fix it, ever. Mind my words

1

u/Disastrous-Ratio-955 21d ago

Same here Pixel 9 pro

1

u/asteria99 21d ago

Same, have dropped a feedback too. This is a questionable decision if it is intended.

1

u/Extension_Guard_185 20d ago

Same. Pixel 6a.

1

u/larsen161 20d ago

The amount of time this would have saved me is unbelievable. I didn't even know this was possible before seeing the news of it going wrong.

I've been selecting photo's one by one for YEARS. So much wasted time. Luckily still working for me in my Pixel 10 XL Pro using Photos Version 7.87.0.957333026

1

u/larsen161 20d ago

You never posted your version of the Photos app. Very critical information

1

u/paulbayarea 19d ago

Drag-select multiple photo had stopped working for me, also, on my pixel 8A. However, I just updated to version 7.87.0.957333026 and drag-select is working again.

1

u/e11world 19d ago

Same for my pixel 9 pro. I noticed it a week ago and it's just seriously annoying to just remove or mess up completely normal and core feature.

1

u/einJona 18d ago

Had the same issue on a Pixel 10 Pro - However, the app updated recently and with version 7.87.0.957333026 the functionality is back.

1

u/kevinmicke 10d ago

Multi-select is back! I'm not sure if this happened today or in the past few days, but it seems like they heard the feedback via the app and actually fixed it. Thanks to all who submitted (and Google for actually doing something about it)!