Mastering Photoshop's Remove Tool for Seamless Image Editing

All right, now we’re going to start with AI for Graphic Design, and the first software we’ll use is Adobe Photoshop. I’m going to open this folder, where you’ll see several subfolders and documents. I’ll start in the Retouching folder and begin by using one tool in particular: the Remove Tool.

I’m going to open this image in Photoshop. If you already have Photoshop open, keep in mind that your tool settings may be different from mine.

One thing I strongly recommend before starting is resetting your tools and workspace. At the top of the interface, you can right-click (or Control-click on Mac) and select Reset All Tools. You can also go to Window > Workspace and reset the workspace you’re using. I’m working in Essentials, so I reset Essentials, which restores everything to the default layout.

Another step I always take before class is resetting Photoshop preferences. On a Mac, go to Photoshop > Settings > General. On Windows, you’ll find this under Edit > Preferences. From there, I reset all warning dialogs and choose Reset Preferences on Quit, then click OK. After that, I quit Photoshop and reopen it so the changes take effect.

Once Photoshop is open again, I’ll drag and drop the image into the workspace. With the image open, I’ll start using the Remove Tool. For example, if I want to remove people or small distractions like cables, there are several tools I can use.

One option is the Spot Healing Brush, which works fairly well for small areas. I can brush over an object or shadow, and while it’s not always perfect on the first pass, repeating the action usually improves the result. However, removing something like cables takes more time, especially when following curved paths. Holding Shift lets you draw straight lines, but that isn’t ideal for curved objects.

This is where the Remove Tool becomes very useful. If I want to remove a person, I simply draw a loose circle around them and Photoshop removes the object automatically. The result is often fast and surprisingly clean. Compared to other tools, the Remove Tool saves time and produces more natural results in many cases.

At the top of the interface, the Remove Tool has a setting called Auto. When Auto is enabled, Photoshop decides whether to use traditional Content-Aware technology or Generative AI. The Spot Healing Brush relies on Content-Aware fill, which samples nearby pixels. This can work well, but sometimes it creates sharp or unnatural edges.

To demonstrate Content-Aware Fill, I’ll open another image. After selecting an object, I go to Edit > Fill > Content-Aware, and Photoshop fills the selection using surrounding pixels. While it works, you may notice sharp or mismatched areas. A better option is Content-Aware Fill, which opens a dedicated workspace. Here, you can see before-and-after previews and control which areas Photoshop samples from by painting green or removing unwanted sampling zones. This produces a more refined result and generates the fill on a new layer.

However, Content-Aware Fill doesn’t always work well for complex scenes. In those cases, the Remove Tool performs better. When Auto mode is enabled, Photoshop switches between Content-Aware and AI depending on how complex the removal is. I usually leave this set to Auto.

Another powerful feature is Find Distractions. Using this option, you can automatically remove wires and cables with a single click. While it works extremely well, it may miss wire shadows, which you’ll need to clean up manually. You can also remove people using the same feature. Photoshop highlights detected distractions and allows you to add or subtract areas before confirming the removal.

After the automatic removal, it’s important to review the image. You can clean up remaining artifacts using the Remove Tool or Spot Healing Brush. I’m using a Wacom tablet, which allows brush size to vary based on pressure. If you’re using a trackpad or mouse, the brush thickness remains consistent.

You can also enable Create New Layer in the Remove Tool options. This allows you to work non-destructively. When enabled, Photoshop places removals on a separate layer, which you can hide, move, or delete later. You can also enable Sample All Layers so the tool references the full image while editing non-destructively.

I’ll switch to another image to show how different tools compare. The Spot Healing Brush works well for small objects but struggles with complex areas like clothing folds or overlapping elements. In those cases, the Remove Tool provides better control. When using the Remove Tool, you’ll see a red overlay indicating the painted selection. If the overlay color is hard to see, you can change its opacity using the gear icon. I usually increase it to around 70% so I can clearly see where I’m painting.

Sometimes results aren’t perfect on the first attempt. If the removal looks odd, undo and try again, adjusting brush size or coverage. Photoshop’s AI may produce unexpected results, such as filling an area with incorrect textures or objects. This is normal, and repeating the process usually improves the outcome.

For more precision, you can also use the Lasso Tool to manually select an object, then click Remove from the contextual toolbar. This gives you more control over complex shapes. Again, using Create New Layer keeps your edits flexible and reversible.

In some cases, Photoshop may generate unusual results like replacing removed objects with unexpected shapes or textures. When this happens, simply undo, delete the generated layer, and try again. The key is experimentation.

To finish, I’ll show one final example. I’ll remove several objects from an image using the Remove Tool, adjusting selections as needed. If a result looks off, I can reselect the area, delete the generated layer, and retry. This trial-and-error approach is part of working with AI-based tools.

That’s the core idea behind the Remove Tool. Now it’s your turn to test it out. In the next video, we’ll review additional tools and techniques.