Google Photos appears to be preparing Copy and Download controls for QR codes used to share albums. The additions would let users save an album’s QR code as an image or copy it for use in compatible sharing apps, replacing the current workaround of taking a screenshot.
Google introduced QR-based album sharing last year as an alternative to sending a link. A recipient can scan the code to access the shared photos, but Google Photos currently provides no direct way to preserve that code for someone who is not nearby. Screenshots can fill that gap, though they create an extra image in the library.
The new controls were found in version 7.93.0 of the app and are not publicly available. Copy would be intended to place the QR code into a form that can be passed through supported apps, while Download would save it directly as an image.
Google is also working on changes to the Collections section, including the ability to pin items at the top and reorganize folders. Folder reordering has already begun reaching some users, and an introductory screen for the revised interface has been identified in the app.
There is no official rollout date for the QR-code controls. Because they were discovered in app code, their design or availability could still change before any public release.
