Google Photos Is Coming To Your TV, Starting With Samsung Models
Google Photos has had a big year, with Google bringing several AI features to the app, including support for Nano Banana edits and a rich editing experience for photos and videos. Earlier this month, Google rolled also out the Google Photos Recap 2025 feature that lets you revisit highlights from the past year and create shareable memories. But Google Photos doesn't work on the one device where viewing your best photos and videos makes the most sense, whether it's a Google Photos Recap memory or something else: the big-screen TV.
All that will change next year, starting with select Samsung TV models that will receive a Google Photos app for TV. Samsung announced the TV app on Monday, saying the Google Photos rollout will feature three phases, including an exclusive period for showing Memories on the TV.
Samsung wants to offer users "a seamless way to enjoy the moments that matter most, from trips and hobbies to everyday memories with loved ones," on an "immersive and larger screen." Users will only need to sign into their Google Photos account on the TV to start viewing those memories on the big screen. Google Photos will also "expand the suite of photo-driven experiences that integrate with Samsung's Vision AI Companion (VAC)," according to the company. Samsung explained that Google Photos content will appear in Daily+ and Daily Board throughout the day.
Google Photos will support AI features on TVs
Samsung said the Google Photos rollout will start with a Memories feature planned for March 2026. The feature will be exclusive to Samsung TVs for six months, a distinction that suggests other TV vendors may partner with Google to show Google Photos content. The Memories feature will show "curated stories based on people, locations, and meaningful moments." It's unclear how the TV app will pick memories, or whether the user will have to select which memories should appear on connected devices.
Google Photos on TVs will also include generative AI features. A "Create with AI" feature is coming later next year with templates created using Google's Nano Banana. Samsung TV owners will be able to use the Remix feature to turn photos into videos. These AI-powered edits will happen directly on the TV, though it's unclear what the experience will look like. Finally, Samsung also wants to offer personalized results to Google Photos users on TV, though how these are chosen is still unknown. Also, it's unclear how the data is processed and where. Samsung only says that "users may view related photos as a slideshow based on topics or contents of memories e.g. ocean, hiking, Paris, etc."
Even without AI editing or personalized results, having Google Photos content displayed on a big-screen TV is a welcome addition, especially for content that families share via Google Photos. That's also one good reason why other TV vendors may support Google Photos in the future.