Android Photo Picker is getting an upgrade that gives users more control over their data

Published Aug 21, 2026, 6:00 PM EDT Timi is the news and deals reporter for Android Police, who has been reporting on technology since 2008. He has worked in tech retail and also the IT space, providing hardware and software support, which gives him a unique perspective on the tech that he covers. This allows him to effectively break down complex subjects into easy-to-read pieces that even casual readers can enjoy. Before joining Android Police, he was a news writer for XDA, where he eventually transitioned to covering deals. He also worked as an editor and reporter for Neowin, where he covered news and attended major tech events like CES. He also reviewed phones, tablets, PC products, and other devices. In addition, he also created video content for the Neowin YouTube channel. Sign in to your Android Police account We all share photos. But what about the location data attached to them? You don't often think about it, but you should, because sharing a photo can give folks much more information than you realize. If you haven't thought about this before, the good news is that many apps already remove that kind of data for you. And if it doesn't, you can usually turn it off in an app before you send it. Google is set to make a big change to Android, giving users the ability to choose whether they share a photo's location when using Android Photo Picker. This is the default image selection interface that pops up whenever you need to select an image on Android. Hopefully we'll see this soon Credit: Google Google shares via Reddit that there will be a new update going out to developers that will introduce "a new API that lets apps get this info with explicit user consent (via Android Authority)." You can see how this will look going forward when implemented, as shown in the image above. Users will have the option to share the location information embedded in photos and videos. The good news is that your selection will be saved, so you won't have to decide again later. The Photo Picker will also include an option to remove location access. This button lets users turn the setting on or off. For the most part, it's a nice touch, but people have been complaining about Photo Picker for years. Any kind of improvement is welcome. To be clearer, this is just the first step in this change, so there could be more updates in the future. The Reddit thread states that the update is set to go live with the "August 2026 Mainline update." This recent announcement is mainly for developers. Hopefully, this new feature will generate a lot of feedback. Hopefully, we'll see this roll out to Android devices soon. Pixel 11 hits retail shelves In addition to the news above, don't forget that new Pixel 11 phones are rolling out to retail. The company offers an assortment of new devices if you've been looking for something new. We don't know how they will be received, but you probably won't hear much news about them after this week. As the year comes to a close, most brands have showcased their flagship devices for the year. The only one left is Apple.