In Google Photos, an Animation is a quick-moving GIF you create from photos or videos you select. A motion photo is captured by a camera and contains additional shots around the main image; Google Photos can let you browse those shots and save one as a separate still. The key difference is when each begins: an Animation is assembled afterward, while a motion photo originates at capture.
How Animations and motion photos differ
| Feature | Animation | Motion photo |
|---|---|---|
| Where it starts | Created in Google Photos from media you select. | Captured by a camera as a motion photo. |
| What you work with | Multiple selected photos and/or videos. | A single motion photo whose available shots can be browsed. |
| Main purpose | Make a quick-moving GIF from selected media. | Choose a still shot from the motion photo and save it as a copy. |
| Documented Android steps | Create → Animation → select media → Create. | Open the photo → swipe up → Shots in this photo → choose a shot → Save as copy. |
| Speed adjustment | Google says the documented Animation workflow does not let you speed up or slow down the result. | Not stated in Google’s cited help instructions. |
Google documents these workflows for Android. Menu names or availability may differ in other versions or platforms. Google Photos Help: create and edit photos and videos; Google Photos Help: edit your photos.
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Make an Animation from selected photos or videos
Use Animation when you want Google Photos to combine a selected set of existing media into a quick-moving GIF. Google’s Android instructions describe this path:
- Open the Google Photos app.
- Tap Create.
- Choose Animation.
- Select the photos and/or videos to include.
- Tap Create.
Google describes Animations as “a quick-moving GIF of selected photos and videos.” The documented workflow does not offer controls to speed up or slow down the result. Google Photos Help.
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Choose a still shot from a motion photo
Use shot selection when you already have a motion photo and want a different still image from within it. On Android, Google’s instructions are:
- Open the motion photo in Google Photos.
- Swipe up on the photo.
- Tap Shots in this photo.
- Browse the available shots and choose one.
- Tap Save as copy. The still copy appears beside the original.
This saves a separate still copy; it is not the same workflow as creating an Animation from a selection of media. Google Photos Help.
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Photo to video is a separate feature
Google Photos also has Photo to video, which applies generated motion to a still photo and produces a short video. It is different from both an Animation assembled from selected photos or videos and a motion photo captured by a camera. Availability and controls can change, so use the current app interface for that feature rather than assuming its menus match the Android steps above. Google introduced the feature in its 2025 Google Photos announcement.
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Which one should you use?
- Choose Animation to make a quick-moving GIF from multiple photos and/or videos you select.
- Use motion-photo shot selection to pick and save a still from an existing motion photo.
- Choose Photo to video if your goal is to add generated motion to one still image and make a short video.
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