Google Pixel 10 Auto Best Take: How to Fix Group Photos

What Best Take Does and How It Helps With Group Photos

Best Take is a Google Pixel camera feature that helps you fix group photos where someone blinked, looked away, or made an awkward expression. Instead of discarding the entire photo, you can swap a person’s face with a better version of the same person from another shot taken in the same burst or sequence. The feature works entirely on the device and is available on Pixel phones, including the Pixel 8, Pixel 9, and the upcoming Pixel 10 series.
The key idea is simple: you take several photos of the same group in quick succession. Best Take then analyzes the faces across all the frames you select and lets you pick the best expression for each person individually. The result is a single composite photo where everyone looks their best, even if no single frame was perfect.

What You Need Before You Start

Before you can use Best Take to fix a group photo, make sure the following conditions are met:

A compatible Pixel phone. Best Take is available on Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and will be available on the Pixel 10 series. It is not available on older Pixel models.

A series of photos taken in quick succession. Best Take works best when you have several frames of the same group with similar composition. The feature relies on having multiple shots of each person’s face to choose from. Using the camera’s burst mode or simply tapping the shutter button several times in a row works well.

Photos stored on the device. The feature processes images that are saved in Google Photos on your phone. It does not work with images imported from other cameras or devices.

Google Photos app updated. Make sure your Google Photos app is up to date. Best Take is accessed through the Google Photos editor, not the camera app itself.

How to Use Best Take to Fix a Group Photo

The process is straightforward and can be done entirely on your phone. Here are the steps:

Open Google Photos. Locate the group photo you want to fix and tap to open it.

Tap the Edit button. This is the pencil icon or the slider icon at the bottom of the screen, depending on your phone’s software version.

Look for the Best Take option. In the editing tools, scroll through the options until you see “Best Take.” It may appear under the Tools or Suggestions section. Tap it.

Select the frames to use. Google Photos will show you a row of thumbnails from the same shooting session. These are photos taken around the same time with similar framing. You can tap to select or deselect which frames you want Best Take to consider. Using more frames gives the feature more options to work with, but too many may slow down processing. Three to five frames usually provide a good balance.

Let the phone analyze the faces. After you select the frames, the phone will process the images. This may take a few seconds. You will see the faces of the people in the photo appear as circles or icons.

Choose the best expression for each person. Tap on a person’s face. You will see a grid or carousel of alternative expressions from the other frames. Swipe through the options and tap the one you like best. Each person can be adjusted independently.

Preview the result. After you have made your selections, the composite photo will update. You can zoom in and check details like eye direction, smile, and overall naturalness.

Save the edited photo. When you are satisfied with the result, tap “Save a copy” or “Done” depending on your software version. The original photo is preserved, and a new edited version is created.

Tips for Getting the Best Results

Best Take is powerful, but it works best when you set yourself up for success. These tips will help you get more natural-looking results:

Take multiple photos in quick succession. Hold down the shutter button to use burst mode, or tap the shutter button rapidly. The more frames you have, the more choices Best Take has for each person.

Keep the composition consistent. Try to keep the camera position and framing similar between shots. If you move the camera significantly between frames, the faces may not align well, and the composite may look unnatural.

Use consistent lighting. Drastic changes in lighting between frames can cause mismatched skin tones or shadows. Stick to one lighting condition for the burst.

Check for alignment issues. In some cases, if people have moved their heads or bodies significantly between frames, the swapped face may not align perfectly with the body. Zoom in and check the edges of the face, especially around the jawline and hair.

Use Best Take as a safety net, not a replacement for good photography. The feature is designed to fix minor expression issues, not to replace a well-timed group photo. It works best when most of the frame is already good, and you just need to swap a face or two.

Common Problems and How to Handle Them

Best Take option is not showing up

If you do not see the Best Take option in the editor, the most likely reason is that you are trying to edit a single photo that was taken without a matching series. Best Take needs at least two frames from the same session to work. If you only have one photo of the group, the feature will not appear. Make sure you are viewing a photo that was part of a burst or a sequence of shots taken close together.
Another possibility is that your phone or Google Photos app is not updated. Check for updates in the Play Store and the system settings.

The expressions look unnatural or misaligned

This can happen if the person moved their head significantly between frames, or if the lighting changed. Try selecting a different set of frames. If you are using too many frames with very different head positions, Best Take may struggle to find a good match. Stick to frames where the person’s head position is similar, and only the expression changes.
If the issue persists, you can manually choose a different frame for that person. Sometimes the automatic suggestion is not the best one. Scroll through the options and pick a frame where the face alignment looks more natural.

Best Take works but the rest of the photo looks weird

Because Best Take composites faces from different frames, other parts of the photo may show slight inconsistencies. For example, someone’s hand or clothing may be in a slightly different position in the selected frame. This is more noticeable when people are moving their arms or bodies. To minimize this, use frames where the subjects are relatively still, and only their facial expressions change.

The feature is not available on my Pixel model

Best Take is a feature exclusive to Pixel 8 and later models. If you have a Pixel 7 or earlier, you will not have access to Best Take. You can still use other editing tools in Google Photos, but face swapping is not available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Best Take work with photos taken by other camera apps?

Best Take works with photos taken using the Pixel camera app that are stored in Google Photos. It does not work with images imported from other cameras, screenshots, or photos taken by third-party camera apps.

Does Best Take work with videos?

No, Best Take works only with still photos. It is designed to composite faces from multiple still frames.

Is Best Take available on the Pixel 10?

Best Take is expected to be available on the Pixel 10 series, as it has been a standard feature on Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 models. The exact implementation may vary with new software versions, but the core functionality should remain the same.

Can I undo a Best Take edit?

Yes. When you save a Best Take edit, the original photo is preserved. You can always go back to the original by deleting the edited copy or by using the “Revert” option in Google Photos if the edit was saved as a version of the original.

Does Best Take work with pets or animals?

Best Take is optimized for human faces. It may not reliably detect or swap animal faces.

Conclusion

Best Take on Google Pixel phones is a practical tool for fixing group photos where not everyone is looking their best. By combining multiple frames into one composite image, you can ensure that every person has a good expression without needing to reshoot the entire photo. The feature is easy to use, works entirely on the device, and preserves your original photos. For Pixel 8, Pixel 9, and upcoming Pixel 10 users, it is one of the most useful camera features for group photography, especially in situations where you only get one chance to capture the moment.

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Rino Tota

Writer and Explorer at GloboSoft

Technology enthusiast with extensive experience in the digital world. With a degree in engineering and years of experience in the tech industry, I'm dedicated to exploring the constantly evolving digital world and translating technological advances into a language accessible to everyone.