Google has fixed a Google Photos bug that prevented Android users from sharing edited pictures through other apps. The problem caused edited images to disappear from image selection screens in apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram. The fix is now available through recent Google Photos updates.
The issue affected users who edited pictures in Google Photos and saved the changes to the original image. After saving, the edited picture would no longer appear when users tried to select it from another app.
The problem had been reported since around July and August 2026. It affected several Android apps that allow users to select pictures from their phone's gallery.
Google has now addressed the issue through an update to its Photos app. The fix is available in Google Photos version 7.97. The problem has also been found to be resolved in version 7.98.
The bug caused inconvenience for users who regularly edited pictures before sharing them through messaging apps. Even though the edited images were saved in Google Photos, other apps could not find them through their image selection tools.
Users had earlier found a temporary way to avoid the problem. They could save an edited picture as a separate copy instead of replacing the original image. This allowed the new version to appear in other apps for sharing.
Google had acknowledged the issue in September 2026 and said it was working on a solution. The latest update has now addressed the problem.
Android users can update Google Photos through the Google Play Store. Installing version 7.97 or a newer release should resolve the issue. Users who already have version 7.98 should also have the fix. They can check whether edited pictures now appear when selecting images in WhatsApp, Telegram and other apps.
Google has not shared the exact technical reason behind the problem. However, the update restores access to edited images across other Android apps, removing the need for the earlier workaround.