Google’s new Magic Portrait feature is a Pixel-perfect delight

Abstract

Forward of its current I/O developer convention, Google launched the world to Android’s new Materials 3 Expressive design language.
As a part of Google’s efforts to refresh the appear and feel of Android, the corporate has added in a enjoyable new wallpaper characteristic known as Magic Portrait.
Magic Portrait leverages Google’s AI prowess to isolate foreground and background layers of a picture, routinely curating it into a lovely lock display screen aesthetic.

Forward of its annual I/O developer convention for 2025, Google lately took the wraps off

its fresh new design language
for the Android working system. When this Materials 3 Expressive visible overhaul was first leaked forward of its official unveiling,

I wasn’t initially sold on it
— I am usually resistant to vary, and I felt not sure about all of the added blurs and animations sprinkled all through the system.

A few days in the past, I obtained the Android 16 QPRI Beta 1 over-the-air (OTA) replace on

my own personal Pixel 9 Pro
, giving me an opportunity to check out Materials 3 Expressive for myself. Because it seems, I am an enormous fan of Google’s new design language: when in movement on my system, it is aesthetically pleasing and subtly playful, with good consideration to element.

Whereas I used to be actually anticipating the Materials 3 Expressive interface tweaks to hit my Pixel with this beta replace, I wasn’t anticipating the arrival of a brand new characteristic within the type of Magic Portrait. Magic Portrait is a brand new wallpaper impact that ties in with Google’s refreshed

Android
design language efforts, providing computerized picture framing and a enjoyable animated unlock transition.

When it is all arrange, the top result’s a lock display screen with a lovely foreground topic within the highlight.

Utilizing

artificial intelligence
, Android’s new Magic Portrait characteristic is ready to isolate the foreground and background parts of any portrait photograph in your gallery. From right here, it surfaces varied framing choices for adjusting the cutout form, whereas letting you tweak the colour accenting to greatest match the colours pulled out of your picture in query.

When it is all arrange, the top result’s a

lock screen
with a lovely foreground topic within the highlight, with a seamless unlock animation when transitioning into the house display screen setting. When the house display screen is reached, the remainder of the photograph is revealed in a single swift and silky-smooth movement.

Associated

Google’s big Android redesign is official, and it’s teeming with expression

At its Android Present: I/O Version, Google has unveiled Materials 3 Expressive, the following evolution of Android’s design language.

Magic Portrait is an absolute delight

In movement, the characteristic brings Android wallpapers to life

I attempted Google’s new Magic Portrait characteristic with a number of portrait photographs of myself and family members, and the AI-powered topic lifting labored effortlessly every time. It solely takes a few seconds for the system to work its magic, and the ensuing lock display screen design is at all times a stunner in my view. I am essential of AI options for AI’s sake, however Magic Portrait is a type of far-and-few-between functions of AI that feels pure and genuinely helpful in elevating the smartphone expertise.

I additionally examined out Magic Portrait with non-portrait photos, to combined success. In fact, the picture you throw on the system must have a discernible topic and background, so it will not work properly with, say, a panorama photograph of a canyon. That being mentioned, I discovered the characteristic to work properly with close-up photographs of issues like flowers, and pets are a great pairing for the characteristic as properly. As ever in Google’s post-Material You Android era, the OS is excellent at pulling out visually harmonious accent colours that add additional polish to the general impact.

Magic Portrait is a type of uncommon AI-powered options that serves to please the consumer in a manner that “simply works.”

Except for adjusting shapes and isolating topics, Magic Portrait may also be used to transpose climate results onto any lock display screen picture of your selecting. These embrace fog, rain, snow, and solar, with an extra choice to dynamically match your native climate circumstances. I discovered this characteristic to work properly, with granular management over the depth of the impact accessible through a slider. Lastly, Magic Portrait ropes within the current cinematic characteristic that has existed on Pixel telephones for a while now, which makes use of AI so as to add a unusual parallax impact to pictures (one which I’ve by no means discovered notably convincing in my testing).

Magic Portrait is a type of uncommon AI-powered options that serves to please the consumer in a manner that “simply works,” relatively than bending over backwards to attempt to justify itself. It is a completely non-obligatory expertise, however I discover it provides a contact of much-needed character to the Pixel expertise. Different Android OEMs, in addition to

Apple
with its newer iOS variations, have featured comparable parallax, background isolating, or unlock transition results prior to now, however I believe Google’s expressive tackle the thought is a house run, even whereas nonetheless in its beta kind.