Using Generative AI with the Remove Tool in Photoshop (beta)

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Photoshop’s Remove Tool is my retouching tool of choice for quickly removing small distractions or blemishes from an image. The Remove Tool uses a form of AI called machine learning to better understand how to fill in the unwanted area using detail from other parts of the image.

But while the Remove Tool is great for removing small areas, it struggles with larger areas. That’s because the Remove Tool does not use generative AI so it can’t generate new image detail from scratch. Instead it’s limited to using existing detail from other parts of the image. So if the area you try to remove is too big, it becomes obvious that other parts of the image were used as the replacement. A small section from here, a bigger section from there and a whole lot of nothing useful.

At least, that’s the way the Remove Tool used to work. But the latest Photoshop beta release changes all that. In the beta, the Remove Tool now has the option to use generative AI. This means it can now tap into Adobe Firefly to create entirely new image detail, just like Photoshop does with Generative Fill.

The Remove Tool also adds the option to turn off generative AI when you don’t need it, which speeds up your workflow. Or you can set the Remove Tool to Auto mode and let Photoshop decide if it needs generative AI or not. Let’s see how it works.

Which Photoshop version do I need?

For now, the Remove Tool’s new generative AI feature is only available in the Photoshop beta. If you have an active Creative Cloud subscription you can install the Photoshop beta using the Creative Cloud Desktop app.

Let's get started!

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Step 1: Open your image in Photoshop

Start by opening your image in the Photoshop beta. Generative AI is not yet available with the Remove Tool in the official Photoshop release.

I’ll use this image of a woman posing on the street, and I’ll use the Remove Tool to remove the man standing behind her.

Normally the Remove Tool would not be the best tool to use for this situation. We’ll see why in a moment.

Step 2: Create a new layer

To avoid making permanent changes to the image, add a new blank layer above it.

In the Layers panel, click the Add New Layer icon at the bottom.

Photoshop adds a new layer named Layer 1 above the image on the Background layer. We’ll do all of our Remove Tool work on this blank layer.

Step 3: Select the Remove Tool

Select the Remove Tool from Photoshop's toolbar. By default, it’s nested behind the Spot Healing Brush so you’ll need to click and hold on the Spot Healing Brush icon and choose the Remove Tool from the list.

Step 4: Turn on Sample all layers”

In the Options Bar, make sure Sample all layers is checked so Photoshop will let you work on the blank layer you just added.

You can also turn on Remove after each stroke (which is on by default) so that Photoshop will instantly remove the area you paint over as soon as you release your mouse button.

Step 5: Choose whether or not to use generative AI

What’s new with the Remove Tool here in the Photoshop beta is the Mode option which is where you choose whether or not to use generative AI.

There are three choices:

• Always use generative AI
• Never use generative AI
• Auto (May use generative AI)

From my experience, Auto is pretty good at knowing when to use generative AI and when it’s not needed. Generally speaking, it’s best to use generative AI when removing larger areas of your image and to not use generative AI for smaller, simpler areas.

The reason not to use it is that generative AI needs to connect to the Adobe Firefly servers over your internet connection, which takes considerably longer. The Remove Tool is already very good at removing smaller areas without using generative AI, and not using it is much faster.

However, removing larger areas of your image with the Remove Tool is where generative AI shines by generating entirely new image detail that matches the surrounding area. Without generative AI, the Remove Tool usually just makes a mess, as we’ll see in a moment.

Using the Remove Tool without generative AI

To see the difference between using the Remove Tool with and without generative AI, I’ll try removing the man from the photo using both options.

I’ll start with the Remove Tool’s Mode set to Never use generative AI.

Selecting the area you want to remove with the Remove Tool is easy. Rather than painting over the entire area, simply paint a continuous brush stroke along the edges of the area. The Remove Tool will automatically select the entire area when you release your mouse button. And if you have Remove after each stroke selected in the Options Bar, it will then remove the area as well.

So to remove the man from the photo, all I need to do is paint a brush stroke around him. Photoshop highlights the area you paint over in magenta. Make sure to include a bit of the surrounding area as well to avoid any lines or harsh transitions, as I’m doing here.

I’ll release my mouse button, and because I have Remove after each stroke selected in the Options Bar, Photoshop goes ahead and removes the man from the photo.

But with generative AI turned off, the Remove Tool did a horrible job. Somehow it decided that the woman’s head would be a good choice for replacement detail. It also added a bunch of junk in there as well.

This is why the Remove Tool would normally be a bad choice for removing a large area like this. Without generative AI, the Remove Tool is forced to grab replacement detail from other parts of the image and it just doesn’t work.

Using the Remove Tool with generative AI

I’ll undo that by pressing Ctrl+Z on a Windows PC or Command+Z on a Mac.

This time, I’ll set the Mode option for the Remove Tool to Always use generative AI.

I'll again paint an outline around the man in the photo, just like I did before.

Then I’ll release my mouse button. An easy way to tell you’re using generative AI is that it’s taking longer. That’s because Photoshop now has to connect to the Adobe Firefly servers over the internet. So expect to wait several seconds while a progress bar keeps you company.

But was it worth the wait? Absolutely yes. Look how much better of a job the Remove Tool was able to do using generative AI. The man is gone from the photo as if he was never there. Generative AI added new detail in his place that blends in perfectly with the surrounding area.

If there are any small problem areas, simply paint over them again with the Remove Tool to clean them up. But in this case the Remove Tool with generative AI did a great job.

Should you always use generative AI with the Remove Tool?

Thanks to the new generative AI feature in the Photoshop beta, the Remove Tool can now do an amazing job of removing larger areas from your photos. In fact, it's as good as Generative Fill because they both use Adobe Firefly to generate new image detail.

But does that mean you should set the Remove Tool’s Mode option to Always use generative AI? My suggestion is no.

The Remove Tool works great without generative AI for removing smaller areas. Generative AI is really only needed for larger or more complex areas. And because generative AI takes longer, you’re really just slowing yourself down when using it for no reason.

Instead, set the Mode to Auto. Photoshop usually knows when to use generative AI and when you can do without it. You can always switch to Always or Never manually when Photoshop gets it wrong, but Auto mode works great in most cases.

And there we have it! That's how to use generative AI with the Remove Tool in the latest Photoshop beta.

Related tutorials:

• Using Generate Background AI in Photoshop
• How to generate entire images in Photoshop
• Extend an image with Generative Fill
• Use Generative Fill to turn photos to paintings

Don't forget, all of my Photoshop tutorials are now available to download as PDFs!