Google Pixel phones include a powerful but overlooked editing tool called Auto Frame within the Google Photos app. Initially launched with the Pixel 9 series, the feature has now arrived on the Pixel 9a and newer models. It uses AI to automatically crop and resize images, suggesting better framing so users don't have to worry about composition in the moment.

Auto Frame analyzes a photo's subject and can either tightly crop the existing image or employ generative AI to expand the background, creating a wider shot. This allows the AI to propose several creatively framed versions of the same picture, from centered subjects to portraits using the rule of thirds. Users can refresh for more options and always keep the original file.

What sets this tool apart is its post-capture utility. Unlike in-the-moment camera settings, Auto Frame works on any photo in your library, old or new. It provides a subtle way to improve images without heavy-handed AI, serving even as a learning aid for understanding photographic composition. It's a quietly transformative edit for the average mobile photographer.