Google has introduced a new image editing and creation tool called Google Pics, designed to work directly within Google Docs and Slides. It offers a simple way to refine existing images and create new artwork, primarily within the Google Drive ecosystem, unlike Google Photos or Google Images.
Getting Started with Google Pics
To use Pics, you need a paid Google AI Pro or Ultra subscription or access through a Google Workspace plan with Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, or Enterprise Plus. The feature is currently only available on desktop.
Once you’re in an eligible account, open a Doc or Slides file, click on an image, and look for the “Edit” option beneath it. (Pics is a desktop-specific feature, at least for the moment, so you won’t find it in the Docs and Slides mobile apps.) With Pics in the picture, hovering your mouse over that option should reveal text that says “Edit this image with Pics.” (If you don’t see that text, you’re either not on an account where Pics is available or the Pics update just hasn’t rolled out to you quite yet. Google says it’s in the midst of adding it onto all eligible accounts as we speak, so keep checking — it should show up soon.)
The system first processes the image to identify its elements. After a few seconds, you can hover over any part of the image to see a description and click to edit it.
Editing Existing Images
You can give the system instructions in plain English to make changes, such as altering the color of a specific element, changing text, or modifying the background. You can also translate text within the image to another language.
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The tool allows for up to five edit requests at once, processed simultaneously. Processing time varies based on the complexity of the edits, typically taking only a few seconds. You can cancel the process by pressing Esc or clicking the minimize icon (two diagonal arrows facing each other) in the upper-right corner. Once finished, apply the changes by clicking “Replace image.”
A plus icon at the bottom lets you upload your own photos to use as reference points or elements within the image.
Creating New Images in Pics
To create new images, manually open the Pics generation interface by visiting pics.new in a browser. This is separate from the “Generate an image” option in Docs and Slides, which opens a different Gemini panel.
The interface uses a standard Gemini prompt for image generation. It offers a unique feature: generating multiple image results to choose from, but only when making an edit in the main prompt box of this specific interface.
A cropping tool at the top adjusts an image’s dimensions by cropping the existing content, without resizing it to fit the new dimensions, which can sometimes result in images that do not look correct.
