Known Participant

P: I can only get Generate Image to work with the latest Firefly Fill model

Forum|Forum|3 months ago
May 5, 2026
37 replies
671 views

I can only get Generate Image to work with the latest Firefly Fill model. Not with any of the partner models (Win 11 desktop and laptop - the former running only the most current Ps production rel. 27.6 and the latter running only the latest Ps beta - not both on the same machine). Also, after trying to use reference image with a partner model it’s impossible to delete or remove the downloaded reference image. The trash can icon in the ref image dialog box doesn’t delete or eliminate the downloaded ref image. I’ve tried with multiple different base and reference images. And, I’ve tried by writing a prompt 1st (then the Generate button grays out) or making the selection and trying to establish object only and place in the selected area then choose the partner model. Neither approach works. It only works with the latest Firefly model - no partner models and I prefer working with Gemini and having the flexibility to use prompts.

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Fotomaker01RAAuthor

Known Participant

You're welcome! I tried with latest beta build on 2 consecutive days (as mentioned in 2 latest replies) and had different experiences each time. I'd be really curious to find out if getting those CTB Ref Image dialog box options back (ie, Object only on Transparency & Full Image) would make a difference in the accuracy of what's applied from a Ref Image to the starting image.

CShubert

Community Manager

Thank you @Fotomaker01RA will tell the team.

Thanks,

Cory - Photoshop Product Manager

F

Fotomaker01RAAuthor

Known Participant

@CShubert Hello Cory - I tried a few more tests today (Aug. 9, 2026 a.m.) trying to swap in a piece of clothing using a Reference Image to replace a piece of clothing a subject’s wearing in a photo. Very unpredictable content results, but the “Generate” button in the CTB continues to be usable with both partner and Adobe models (I’ve used Firefly 5).

I’m still not able to get the Ref Image applied accurately as a replacement to clothing being worn by the subject in the image.

I tried several different approaches: (A) Using the Obj Selec tool to detect subject’s jkt. Clicking the ref image icon and selecting the image (a full photo, not an image on transparency). Being very explicit in the prompt box (for ex.: “Replace the the subject’s jacket with the reference image grey t shirt”). Model = Nano Banana. That produced a generic grey t-shirt (not the ref sht) and gaps in the skin on his arms and mutant hands). (B) The same selection/method and ref image and a less specific prompt (“Replace the subject’s jacket with the grey t shirt”). Nano Banana. Again it swapped in a different, generic grey t shirt, the bare arms were better but the hands were mutant and looked like plastic mannequin screw ons. (C) The same selection and ref image with the same less specific prompt - using Firefly 5. Result was a long-sleeved grey sweatshirt with realistic looking hands.

Some observations:

The AI models no longer seem to be able to accurately replicate the Ref Image content as a replacement for content in a starting image. The Ref Image becomes a vague inspiration for color - doesn’t reflect actual style or color. At least wrt the clothing example I’ve been testing with for consistency.
When original content must be removed and gen AI content (like bare arms) must be manufactured to replace it, it is inconsistent - sometimes works sometimes totally misses. Prompts can make a difference (maybe). Ironically, more specific prompts seemed (at least in tests today) to produce worse results (test A).
The postage stamp sized single results in my Properties panel look better than the full size renderings in the workspace. For ex., the 1st test above in which big sections of the guy’s arms (bare skin) were completely missing and hands were mutated didn’t look like that at all in those tiny ref images in the Properties panel. There he had fully formed arms and what looked like normal hands that mirrored his hands in the actual photo. But when I clicked on those options again to see them large they were bad and as described above.
There’s no longer an option (at least from the CTB) to choose: Use Full Ref Image or Use Object/Subject on Transparency. Even though having those options in the recent releases produced mutant arms/hands (and Generate didn’t work for partner models - at least Win 11 - before) using a Ref Image was accurately replicating the ref image clothing when those choices for how to work with the Ref Image were in the CTB.
Bottom Line: Results are inconsistent (espec if missing content - like bare arms - must be generated or existing hands preserved, Ref Image is now strictly being treated as inspo vs accurate source to reproduce, Prompt wording can produce radically different results.

Hope my descrips are clear!

Snips:

Test C noted above
Ref Image Used for Replacements

CShubert

Community Manager

Thank you @Fotomaker01RA will make sure to share with the team.

Thanks,

Cory - Photoshop Product Manager

CShubert

Community Manager

Hi @Fotomaker01RA, new Beta update, please download and see if your issue is fixed.

Adobe Photoshop Version: 27.11.0 20260805.m.3628

Thanks,

Cory - Photoshop Product Manager

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Fotomaker01RAAuthor

Known Participant

@CShubert Hi Cory! Thanks for the follow-up msg. I just got a new (Android) phone this past Sat. and have been consumed setting that up. More to go…

Per your question re: using Ref Image to replace content in an image. I just updated to the latest beta rel. (P.R.) in order to test the feature. See my notes below. Mixed results depending on the approach I used. Better than when 1st rptd. but still some “quirks”. Quick reminder for the Beta I’m working on a Win 11 laptop running NVIDIA 4090 processor.

Also, beta downloads (consistently no matter which day or time of day for past several months) have crawled and regularly gen msg, “Progress is slower than usual...”. I have fiber to the home 300 Mbps symmetrical and very high spd LAN. Progress counter goes up % x % and then stalls repeatedly throughout the download/install. Updating today from my prior release took 30 minutes. Could a server be throttled somewhere?

Test 1 of Replace Element in Orig Image with Ref Image:

I selected subject’s jacket using Ps beta Selection Brush. Clicked icon in CTB to add/load my Ref. Image. Then chose Gemini Nano Banana (partner model). This time - unlike when 1st rptd - ‘Generate’ button doesn’t grey out in the CTB. It is active and clickable. I clicked. I’ll attach snips of orig image and result using this approach. The output was not in the same style or hue tone (it’s a darker shade of grey) than the ref image. But it has improved not only by replacing the varsity jkt with a grey t-shirt (even if not same design/style as ref image) and it didn’t mutate the subject’s hands (which was happening previously) and didn’t produce gaps in the skin on the subject’s arms (which also happened before) - the AI constructed a full, properly shaped set of arms and hands this time. That’s a clear improvement both wrt being able to use the partner model via CTB and the resulting image! (I’m not a commercial retoucher prepping images of products for clients - in that case, they’d likely need the exact ref image t-shirt placed on the subject vs an AI alternative interp. - both style and color).

Test 2 of Replace Element with Ref Image:

I used a selection approach you favor. With the Object Selection Tool active I waited for the options bar widget to ID elements in the scene. I hovered over the subject’s varsity jacket then clicked on that highlighted area to create a selection. As soon as I did that, the CTB disappeared (I keep it pinned to the center-right of my Options Bar). In the Window menu I had to click CTB off (it was still checked On even though it was gone), then on again for it to reappear. During this process, the marching ants selection around the jacket to be replaced were still marching. I clicked on the icon in the CTB to choose my Ref Image. The CTB immediately disappeared again. I repeated the off/on process in the Window menu again and the CTB reappeared. I then chose Adobe Firefly Image 5 to process. Clicked Generate (that button was active). Output, again, was a different style and color (tonally) than the ref image. But it too replaced the jacket cleanly with a grey t shirt and manufactured realistic arms and kept the subject’s hands without them mutating. So, also progress from my last testing.

Unlike my earlier tests (that would substitute exact looking versions of whatever I used as a ref image), in these results the AI is being more “creative” (fashion ppl can be like that - I used to work in the ‘rag trade’ in NYC ages ago) and perhaps decided the subject would look better in a crew neck vs v neck t shirt. Now, the AI is right IMO. But, if someone needs an exact product swap/match, at least for my two tests, the Ref Image process didn’t deliver that.

I hope this helps! Let me know if add’l info would help. BTW, processing time for the output image is equivalent to most AI processing I experience in Ps. It didn’t seem faster or slower.

CShubert

Community Manager

Hi @Fotomaker01RA, touching base to see if your issues have been resolved? The most recent update is:

Adobe Photoshop Version: 27.10.0 20260802.m.3625 8f8ccb9 arm64 (beta, PublicBeta)

and if you have updated to this, please share if you still see the issues from the original post.

Also, if you do, could you share any screenshots again of what you see in your workflow or video.

Thanks,

Cory - Photoshop Product Manager

CShubert

Community Manager

Hi @Fotomaker01RA , two things to check…

Please update to the recent Ps Beta: Adobe Photoshop Version: 27.9.0 20260614.m.3573 f286363 arm64 (beta, PublicBeta)
Go to Preferences/Technology Previews and tick the box for “Enable Modern User Interface”, restart Ps Beta and see if this fixes the issue.

Thanks,

Cory - Photoshop Product Manager

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Fotomaker01RAAuthor

Known Participant

Hi Cory - I updated desktop CC then Ps beta rel. 27.9 and the build you state above. Also added the Enable Mod User Interface (which I hadn’t had activated before) in Prefs. Now the “Generate” button is active in both the CTB and via Edit > Gen Fill. But there are other quirky bhvrs. occurring now… I made another video to show y’all.

The bhvrs are different depending on the model used (Gemini, Flux, Firefly Fill/Expand) - most aren’t desirable wrt how they’re replacing content using a chosen ref image. Unfortunately. If you’d like to see my video demos I can use the WeTransfer approach again to your email. I’ve already remuxed the file to a .mp4. WT only holds large files for a couple days. I tried several approaches to replacing content using ref images in the vid I just made for you/your team. If you’d like to see it I can send tomorrow (6/16). There’s also no longer options to choose: Use Just the Object or Use the Entire Image when working with Ref. Images. One thing that changed for the better (besides “Generate” button working with partner models in CTB) was that when I clicked to Trashcan the Ref Image, that image now goes away. It couldn’t be removed when I 1st reported and sent the 1st vid.

BTW, so sad to see the splash page come up with the news of Jeff Schewe’s passing! I didn’t know him personally, but have communicated with him in the past. And, regularly use PhotoKit in my production version of Ps (via File > Automate).

Thx for your note above and for the team troubleshooting the ref image adventures.

I’ll attach a few snips of some of the quirky outputs I got tonite using Ref Images after the changes to the Beta & my Prefs today (images captioned). I have others if you’re interested…

Nano Banana Model - Created Mutant Arms
Firefly Expand/Fill - Could Go Work in NYC Fash Dist, Created New Styles
Firefly Expand/Fill - Closer to What Desired, But No “Gen Similar” option in Rt Panel

CShubert

Community Manager

Thank you @Fotomaker01RA for the great followup, have passed this all on to the team. Please go ahead and share the link to the video and I will download and share with them.

Thanks for the kind words about Jeff’s passing. He was a force in the photo community for years and his loss has been felt around the world.

Thanks,

Cory - Photoshop Product Manager

CShubert

Community Manager

Hi @Fotomaker01RA, the team has started to see what is happening for you. Thank you for your help and we hope to have an answer for you soon.

Thanks,

Cory - Photoshop Product Manager

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Fotomaker01RAAuthor

Known Participant

Thanks for your note, Cory! 🤞🏻

CShubert

Community Manager

Hi @Fotomaker01RA have you reviewed the info on this update to make sure you are aware of what changes have happened for this feature?

Thanks,

Cory - Photoshop Product Manager

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Fotomaker01RAAuthor

Known Participant

Hi Cory - I replied to your question in this post:

I tried both Ps beta 27.9 - when both CTB and Edit menu approaches didn’t work I rolled back to rel. 27.8. It behaved the same as 27.9 (which was different than when I’d originally posted - b/c back then at least the Edit menu use of Ref Images with partner models worked). Figured the 27.9 install might have had a hiccup the 1st time. So, reinstalled it. After the 2nd install of rel. 27.9 (beta) I was again able to get partner models to work with ref images from the Edit menu. But still not via the CTB. The CTB still only supports Firefly Fill/Expand on my Win 11 systems with Ref Images.

Hope that answers your question!

CShubert

Community Manager

Thank you for all your info and files and patience @Fotomaker01RA. The team is looking into your videos and we hope to have an answer for you soon.

If the team would like to reach out and setup a time to chat let me know if that would be something you would like to do….

Thanks,

Cory - Photoshop Product Manager

CShubert

Community Manager

Hi @Fotomaker01RA checking to see if you are still seeing this issue with the latest Ps Beta: Adobe Photoshop Version: 27.8.0 20260528.m.3556 b3d3456 arm64 (beta, PublicBeta)

Thanks,

Cory - Photoshop Product Manager

F

Fotomaker01RAAuthor

Known Participant

Hi Cory, I just saw your checking in msg, set up my laptop and downloaded what’s shown as the latest Ps beta (rel. 27.9) - see attachments. The prior rel. I was running (which was the most updated in the 27.8 group also didn’t work with the CTB, but did work using the Edit > Gen Fill menu option).

But now, with today’s install to 27.9, not only does the Contextual Taskbar (CTB) still not work with ref. images and partner models. Now, I can no longer get partner models to work with ref images using the Edit > Gen Fill approach (which worked fine when I 1st reported the issue I was experiencing).

Now, Ref Images only works with Firefly Fill/Expand both in the CTB and the Edit menu. That’s a big step backwards. Unfortunately. I’m really bummed and disappointed (discouraged?).

Release installed 6/5/26 to Win 11 laptop (NVIDIA 4090)

What was listed in Updates on my laptop - I ran them before re-trying Ref Images

Updating via desktop CC was extremely slow. Has been the last several times there’s been an update I’ve run. We have FTTH (fiber to the home) which is a 300 Mbps symmetrical network service (our LAN supports that rate too). There were no browsers or other apps active while I was running the updates - only desktop CC.

F

Fotomaker01RAAuthor

Known Participant

To cover the bases (6/5/26 @ 9:15pm) I just rolled back to rel. 27.8 (see snip below for full build #) and tried again. Now, the features that worked before with 27.8 (ie, Edit menu > Gen Fill) no longer support Partner Models with Ref Images. It’s behaving like 27.9. Something broke that’s impacting the rollback too on my Win 11 PC.

Rolled back to this Release/Build after testing the newer Rel.

Again, the download/install process was extremely slow. The way it’s been behaving (throughout 2026) is that the download crawls to about 44-45% then sits there stalled. After a couple minutes sitting there at that level of progress a msg box appears that states the “download is atypically slow’ (but it’s not atypical anymore). Wondering if it’s a server issue that needs some goosing (that’s a tech term...😉). In past years, it was a steady % progress and would be fully completed in the time it now takes to get to 44%.

CShubert

Community Manager

Hi @Fotomaker01RA thank you for the excellent videos of what you are seeing.

First thing, please share your sysinfo: go to the top menu bar and in Help/System information, copy and paste all that info here. Also, make sure you are on the latest Ps Beta which is Adobe Photoshop Version: 27.8.0 20260516.m.3543. We should release an update on Thursday if you want to wait for that one, but at least you need to be on this most current Ps Beta because your video shows you on an earlier version.

Thanks,

Cory - Photoshop Product Manager

F

Fotomaker01RAAuthor

Known Participant

Hi Cory, Thanks. I’m in the middle of a project on my laptop, but will grab the sysinfo as soon as I’m at a break point. The Ps Beta version (Win 11 - NVIDIA 4090 laptop processor) I’m on and that I made the vids with = x513.3540. I updated to that version so it was the most recent when we corresponded & I said I’d be making the videos for you.

Don’t know if you saw my follow-up note… In the version I’m running right now (aka, the videos version) I’m able to get Reference Images working with all the Partner Models when accessing Generative Fill via the Edit menu. From there, it works as it should and the Generate button in that dialog box doesn’t grey out. It’s usable and live even after a Ref Image is downloaded. But, the functionality does Not carry over into my Contextual Taskbar (where I believe it should). As you saw in the vids, as soon as a Ref Image is downloaded when using the Contextual Taskbar, the only model that works with Ref Images is the Adobe Firefly Fill/Expand. I’m no coder, but it seems as if some code linkage to the functionality that works from the Edit menu is missing & prevents Ref Images from being used with Partner Models via the Contextual Taskbar.

Thx for the update! Much appreciated. Best regards.

CShubert

Community Manager

I think I missed that the issue is with the CTB alone, not the overall use. That makes me want to say it could be a corrupt preference. To fix that, or make sure it is NOT the cause, please:

1. Try resetting Prefs for the Beta:
/Users/yourname/Library/Preferences/ Photoshop Beta Settings (Mac Ventura)
/Users/yourname/Library/Preferences/Adobe\ Photoshop\ \(Beta\)\ Settings (Mac) 

C:\Users\user name\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop (Beta)\Adobe Photoshop (Beta) Settings

Launch BETA Photoshop While Pressing The Keyboard Shortcut
With Photoshop closed, press and hold Shift+Ctrl+Alt (Win) / Shift+Command+Option (Mac) on your keyboard and then Launch Photoshop the way you normally would.
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#Manually 

Thanks,

Cory - Photoshop Product Manager

F

Fotomaker01RAAuthor

Known Participant

Hi Cory, I sent you two .mp4 videos showing what happens when trying to use Reference Images with partner models (vs with Firefly Fill/Expand) yesterday via WeTransfer. They only hold files temporarily. I just received an email saying the content will expire in another day & hasn’t been downloaded yet. I copied the link to you via your email also. Take care!

F

Fotomaker01RAAuthor

Known Participant

Hi Cory - I don’t know if you saw the 2 short demo videos I recorded/sent (see above) several days ago to show you what happens when I try to use Ref Images and partner models (via the Contextual Taskbar). It doesn’t work (at least not on my Win 11 system). As I demo’d in the video, the “Generate” button greys out and is unusable.

Today (5/16), I just tried something else to experiment. Working with the same base image & ref image, instead of trying to make my desired ref image-based change in the Contextual Taskbar, I used Edit > Generative Fill instead. Guess what, by doing that I was able to use partner models (I tried the latest Gemini Nano Banana) and it worked as it was supposed to!

It seems there may be some mis-connection in the Contextual Taskbar code if the feature is supported and works via the Edit > Gen Fill menu.

I hope that add’l. info helps the Ps devs to troubleshoot and correct for an upcoming release. Take care!

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