If you’ve ever tried removing wires, cables, or other distractions from your photos, you know how tedious it can be. Photoshop’s new AI-powered tool aims to change that. This feature, currently available in the Photoshop beta, lets you erase unwanted elements in a few clicks without the need for complicated selections.
Coming to you from Unmesh Dinda with PiXimperfect, this informative video breaks down the latest addition to Photoshop’s suite of editing tools. Dinda walks you through how the new "Remove Tool" and its AI capabilities have simplified the process of cleaning up images. The video shows how, with just a few clicks, you can get rid of distractions like wires, people, and even reflections. Dinda explains that it doesn’t stop at just removing—Photoshop intelligently reconstructs the background, making the edit almost seamless.
One of the key features highlighted is the ability to use the “Find Distractions” option. This setting automatically detects and selects elements like wires or people, saving you the trouble of painstakingly selecting each area manually. For example, when removing people from a scene, the tool only selects them and leaves out other parts of the image, making the process far more efficient. You can also choose whether to use generative AI or not. This means Photoshop will decide whether it needs AI assistance to fill in the removed sections or handle it with the built-in algorithms.
Dinda tests this tool on complex images, like a crowded street in front of the Colosseum, and shows that while it doesn’t always get it right, it’s a massive time-saver. You still have control over the final result, as you can refine the selection, add or subtract areas, and use the tool non-destructively on separate layers. This flexibility is critical when dealing with challenging edits that require more precision.
Another standout feature is how well this tool handles reflections and shadows. When using the “Find Distractions” mode, it doesn’t just pick the people—it detects their reflections and shadows too. This means you’re not left with half-finished edits where you’ve removed a person, but their shadow is still visible. Dinda demonstrates this with several examples and compares results with and without the generative AI feature turned on. The tool intelligently decides when it’s needed, producing more polished results when AI is active.
However, the tool is not without its limitations. Dinda highlights cases where the Remove Tool struggled to maintain texture or clarity, particularly in heavily populated scenes or intricate backgrounds. But even in these situations, it provides a solid foundation for more manual touch-ups. You can further refine areas using the same tool, or switch to other tools like the Clone Stamp for added accuracy. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Dinda.
Problem here is without removing the tower, it looks weird with there not being wires running to it
In the one example it also removed the cables of the bridge slightly.
There is no doubt that Unmesh is the man when it comes to Photoshop. He is always my first port of call after a major Photoshop update. While I’ve not tried this new tool I urge people to beware and check the result before finalizing the edit. I’ve often been caught out by Photoshop leaving tell tale signs after something has been removed and you then carry out an edit that creates a halo or some strange artifact around the area that has been edited. While these tools are fantastic they are not infallible.
Where would we be without people such as Unmesh who produce this constant stream of Photoshop knowledge to help keep us up to date?
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