How to Remove Objects from Photos Using Photoshop

(Last updated on September 5th, 2023)

Short Summary

In this article, you will learn how to remove objects from photos using photoshop using two main methods:

• The content-aware fill tool: This tool can remove objects that have a simple shape and a uniform background by filling in the selected area with similar content. To use this tool, you need to select the object you want to remove and then go to Edit > Content-Aware Fill.
• The spot healing brush tool: This tool can remove objects that have a small size and a complex background by replacing the pixels of the selected area with pixels from around the retouched area. To use this tool, you need to select the spot healing brush tool from the toolbar and then click or drag over the object you want to remove.

You will also learn how to refine the edges of the removed object and apply adjustments to match the color, tone, and contrast of the surrounding area.

By following these steps, you will be able to remove objects from photos using photoshop like a pro and create stunning images that look realistic and consistent.

Introduction

Have you ever taken a perfect photo, only to realize that there’s something in the background that ruins it? Maybe it’s a person, a wire, a logo, or anything else that you don’t want in your image. Perhaps you’re trying to photoshop someone into a picture. Or maybe you want to create a composite image by combining different elements from different photos. In either case, you need to know how to remove objects from photos using photoshop.

Photoshop is a powerful and versatile software that allows you to edit and manipulate images in various ways. One of the most useful features of photoshop is the ability to remove objects from photos without leaving any trace. You can do this by using two main methods: the content-aware fill tool or the spot healing brush tool. Both tools can analyze the surrounding pixels and fill in the selected area with similar content, creating a seamless result.

In this article, we will show you how to use both methods to remove objects from photos using photoshop. We will also show you how to refine the edges of the removed object and apply adjustments to match the color, tone, and contrast of the surrounding area. By following these steps, you will be able to remove objects from photos using photoshop like a pro.

Method 1: How to Use the Content-Aware Fill Tool to Remove the Object

The content-aware fill tool is a smart and efficient tool that can remove objects from photos by filling in the selected area with content that matches the surrounding area. It works best for removing objects that have a simple shape and a uniform background, such as a sky, a wall, or a grass field.

To use the content-aware fill tool, follow these steps:

1. Open the photo you want to edit in photoshop.
2. Select the object you want to remove using one of the selection tools, such as the lasso tool, the quick selection tool, the magic wand tool, or the pen tool. If you’re not familiar with making selections, see how to deselect in Photoshop for more guidance. You can access these tools from the toolbar on the left side of the screen.
3. To make an accurate and precise selection, zoom in on the object by pressing Ctrl and + (Windows) or Command and + (Mac) on your keyboard. You can also use the add and subtract modes on the top menu bar to add or subtract areas from your selection. To feather the edges of your selection, go to Select > Modify > Feather and enter a value in pixels.
4. Once you have made your selection, go to Edit > Content-Aware Fill. This will open a new window with a preview of your selection and some options on the right side.
5. On the right side, you will see a sampling area option that shows which pixels are used to fill in your selection. You can adjust this area by using the lasso tool or the polygonal lasso tool on the toolbar on the left side of this window. You can also use the add and subtract modes on this toolbar to add or subtract areas from your sampling area.
6. Below the sampling area option, you will see some output settings that allow you to change how your selection is filled in. You can adjust these settings according to your preference and see how they affect your result on the preview window.
7. When you are satisfied with your result, click OK on the bottom right corner of this window. This will apply the content-aware fill tool to your selection and remove the object from your photo.

Here are some examples of different types of objects that can be removed using the content-aware fill tool:

• Simple shapes: You can easily remove simple shapes such as circles, squares, or triangles using the content-aware fill tool, as long as they have a uniform background. For example, you can remove the red circle from this photo by selecting it and using the content-aware fill tool.
• Complex patterns: You can also remove complex patterns such as bricks, tiles, or flowers using the content-aware fill tool, as long as they have a consistent pattern. For example, you can remove the flower pot from this photo by selecting it and using the content-aware fill tool.
• Large areas: You can even remove large areas such as buildings, mountains, or clouds using the content-aware fill tool, as long as they have a similar color and texture. For example, you can remove the building from this photo by selecting it and using the content-aware fill tool.

Here are some tips and tricks on how to improve the results of the content-aware fill tool:

• Use multiple passes: Sometimes, the content-aware fill tool may not produce a perfect result on the first try, especially if the object you want to remove is large or complex. In that case, you can use the content-aware fill tool multiple times on the same area, until you get the desired result.
• Change the blending mode: Sometimes, the content-aware fill tool may create a noticeable difference in the color or contrast between the filled area and the surrounding area. In that case, you can change the blending mode of the filled layer to make it blend in better with the rest of the image. To do this, go to the layers panel on the right side of the screen and change the blending mode of the filled layer from normal to something else, such as darken, lighten, overlay, or soft light.
• Apply noise reduction: Sometimes, the content-aware fill tool may create a noticeable difference in the noise level between the filled area and the surrounding area. In that case, you can apply noise reduction to the filled area to make it smoother and less grainy. To do this, go to Filter > Noise > Reduce Noise and adjust the settings according to your preference.

Method 2: How to Use the Spot Healing Brush Tool to Remove the Object

The spot healing brush tool is another smart and efficient tool that can remove objects from photos by replacing the pixels of the selected area with pixels from around the retouched area. It works best for removing objects that have a small size and a complex background, such as dust specks, scratches, stains, or blemishes.

To use the spot healing brush tool, follow these steps:

1. Open the photo you want to edit in photoshop.
2. Select the spot healing brush tool from the toolbar on the left side of the screen. You can also press J on your keyboard to access this tool.
3. Adjust the size and hardness of the brush on the top menu bar. You can also use the [ and ] keys on your keyboard to change the size of the brush. The size of the brush should be slightly larger than the object you want to remove.
4. Set the mode to content-aware and sample all layers on the top menu bar. This will allow the tool to sample pixels from all visible layers and create a more realistic result.
5. Zoom in on the object you want to remove by pressing Ctrl and + (Windows) or Command and + (Mac) on your keyboard.
6. Click or drag over the object you want to remove with the spot healing brush tool. The tool will automatically replace the pixels of the selected area with pixels from around the retouched area.

Here are some examples of different types of objects that can be removed using the spot healing brush tool:

• Dust specks: You can easily remove dust specks from your photos using the spot healing brush tool, as they are usually small and isolated. For example, you can remove the dust specks from this photo by clicking on them with the spot healing brush tool.
• Scratches: You can also remove scratches from your photos using the spot healing brush tool, as they are usually thin and linear. For example, you can remove the scratches from this photo by dragging over them with the spot healing brush tool.
• Stains: You can even remove stains from your photos using the spot healing brush tool, as they are usually irregular and blotchy. For example, you can remove the stain from this photo by dragging over it with the spot healing brush tool.

Here are some tips and tricks on how to achieve flawless results using the spot healing brush tool:

• Zoom in: To make a precise and accurate selection, zoom in on the object you want to remove by pressing Ctrl and + (Windows) or Command and + (Mac) on your keyboard. This will allow you to see the details of the object and avoid selecting unwanted areas.
• Use a single click or a short drag: To avoid creating unnatural or distorted results, use a single click or a short drag with the spot healing brush tool. This will allow the tool to sample pixels from a small area and create a seamless result.
• Use a hard or soft brush depending on the edge type: To match the edge type of the object you want to remove, use a hard or soft brush with the spot healing brush tool. A hard brush will create a sharp edge, while a soft brush will create a smooth edge. You can adjust the hardness of the brush on the top menu bar.

Related Links

• Change the color of an object in Photoshop
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• Flip a layer in Photoshop

How to Refine the Edges of the Removed Object

After using either method to remove objects from photos using photoshop, you may notice that some edges of the removed object are still visible or look unnatural. This can ruin the realism of your image and make it obvious that you edited it. To avoid this, you need to refine the edges of the removed object using photoshop.

To refine the edges of the removed object, follow these steps:

1. Select the area where you removed the object using one of the selection tools, such as the lasso tool, the quick selection tool, the magic wand tool, or the pen tool. You can also use the add and subtract modes on the top menu bar to add or subtract areas from your selection. To feather the edges of your selection, go to Select > Modify > Feather and enter a value in pixels.
2. Go to Select > Refine Edge. This will open a new window with a preview of your selection and some options on the right side.
3. On the right side, you will see some edge detection and output settings that allow you to change how your selection is refined. You can adjust these settings according to your preference and see how they affect your result on the preview window.
4. When you are satisfied with your result, click OK on the bottom right corner of this window. This will apply the refine edge tool to your selection and smooth and feather the edges of the removed object.

Here are some examples of different types of edges that can be refined using the refine edge tool:

• Hard edges: If the object you removed had a hard edge, such as a building or a sign, you can use the refine edge tool to make it sharper and cleaner. For example, you can refine the edge of the building in this photo by adjusting the contrast and the shift edge settings on the refine edge window.
• Soft edges: If the object you removed had a soft edge, such as a cloud or a curtain, you can use the refine edge tool to make it smoother and more natural. For example, you can refine the edge of the cloud in this photo by adjusting the smooth and the feather settings on the refine edge window.
• Hair or fur edges: If the object you removed had a hair or fur edge, such as a person or an animal, you can use the refine edge tool to make it more realistic and detailed. For example, you can refine the edge of the dog in this photo by adjusting the radius and the smart radius settings on the refine edge window.

Here are some tips and tricks on how to achieve natural-looking edges using the refine edge tool:

• Use different view modes: To see how your selection looks on different backgrounds, you can use different view modes on the preview window. You can access these modes by clicking on the icon on the top left corner of this window or by pressing F on your keyboard. Some of the view modes are overlay, black and white, on black, on white, etc.
• Paint over problem areas: To fix any problem areas on your selection, such as gaps or holes, you can paint over them with the refine radius tool or the erase refinements tool on the toolbar on the left side of this window. The refine radius tool will add more pixels to your selection, while the erase refinements tool will remove pixels from your selection.
• Shift the edge inward or outward: To adjust how much of your selection is included or excluded from your refined edge, you can shift the edge inward or outward by using the shift edge setting on the right side of this window. A positive value will shift the edge inward, while a negative value will shift the edge outward.

How to Apply Adjustments to the Removed Object Area

After using either method to remove objects from photos using photoshop, you may notice that the color, tone, and contrast of the removed object area do not match the surrounding area. This can make your image look unnatural and inconsistent. To avoid this, you need to apply adjustments to the removed object area using photoshop.

To apply adjustments to the removed object area, follow these steps:

1. Select the area where you removed the object using one of the selection tools, such as the lasso tool, the quick selection tool, the magic wand tool, or the pen tool. You can also use the add and subtract modes on the top menu bar to add or subtract areas from your selection. To feather the edges of your selection, go to Select > Modify > Feather and enter a value in pixels.
2. Go to Image > Adjustments and choose one of the adjustment tools, such as levels, curves, hue/saturation, color balance, etc. You can also access these tools by pressing Ctrl and U (Windows) or Command and U (Mac) on your keyboard for hue/saturation, or by pressing Ctrl and L (Windows) or Command and L (Mac) on your keyboard for levels.
3. Adjust the settings of the adjustment tool according to your preference and see how they affect your result on the image window. You can also use the preview option on the adjustment window to compare your result with the original image.
4. When you are satisfied with your result, click OK on the bottom right corner of the adjustment window. This will apply the adjustment tool to your selection and match the color, tone, and contrast of the removed object area with the surrounding area.

Here are some examples of different types of adjustments that can be applied to the removed object area:

• Brightness and contrast adjustments: If the removed object area is too bright or too dark compared to the surrounding area, you can use the brightness and contrast adjustment tool to change the brightness and contrast levels of the removed object area. For example, you can adjust the brightness and contrast of the removed object area in this photo by using the brightness and contrast adjustment tool.
• Color balance adjustments: If the removed object area has a different color cast than the surrounding area, you can use the color balance adjustment tool to change the color balance of the removed object area. For example, you can adjust the color balance of the removed object area in this photo by using the color balance adjustment tool.
• Exposure adjustments: If the removed object area has a different exposure level than the surrounding area, you can use the exposure adjustment tool to change the exposure level of the removed object area. For example, you can adjust the exposure level of the removed object area in this photo by using the exposure adjustment tool.

Here are some tips and tricks on how to blend in the removed object area with the rest of the image using adjustment tools:

• Use layer masks: To apply adjustments only to specific areas of your image, you can use layer masks. Layer masks are grayscale images that control the visibility of layers. White areas on a layer mask show the layer, while black areas hide it. You can create a layer mask by clicking on the layer mask icon at the bottom of the layers panel. You can then paint on the layer mask with black or white brushes to show or hide parts of your layer.
• Use clipping masks: To apply adjustments only to one layer, you can use clipping masks. Clipping masks are layers that clip or limit the visibility of other layers below them. You can create a clipping mask by holding down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) and clicking between two layers on the layers panel. The upper layer will become a clipping mask for the lower layer.
• Use blend modes: To change how two layers blend together, you can use blend modes. Blend modes are options that affect how the pixels of one layer interact with the pixels of another layer. You can change the blend mode of a layer by choosing one of the options from the drop-down menu at the top of the layers panel. Some of the blend modes are normal, darken, lighten, overlay, soft light, etc.
• Use opacity settings: To change how transparent or opaque a layer is, you can use opacity settings. Opacity settings are options that affect how much of a layer is visible or invisible. You can change the opacity of a layer by adjusting the slider at the top of the layers panel.

Conclusion

In this article, we have shown you how to remove objects from photos using photoshop using two main methods: the content-aware fill tool or the spot healing brush tool. We have also shown you how to refine the edges of the removed object and apply adjustments to match the color, tone, and contrast of the surrounding area.

By following these steps, you will be able to remove objects from photos using photoshop like a pro and create stunning images that look realistic and consistent.

We hope you enjoyed this article and found it useful. Please feel free to share your feedback or questions with us. Thank you for your attention and happy editing! 😊

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)