Generative Expand on transparent canvas always consumes Firefly generative credits

Forum|Forum|2 months ago
May 4, 2026
2 replies
66 views

raw file - canvas expanded - selection of part of transparant area - no means found to fill generative without using AI consuming credits. Would like to work as before in previous PS versions. How ?

Correct answer Anshul_Saini

Hi @Pieter329832029knk,

Thanks for clarifying what you meant. I checked this internally, and the behavior itself has not changed in Photoshop 26/27. Generative Expand has always been a cloud-based Firefly feature and therefore consumes generative credits when used.

What likely changed in your case is the entitlement plan associated with your Adobe account. That’s why you’re now noticing credit consumption for Generative Expand, whereas previously it may have appeared effectively unlimited.

For reference: https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/apps/generative-ai/generative-credits-faq.html

Generative Expand belongs to the Standard Generative AI feature category.

If your goal is specifically to expand transparent canvas areas without consuming credits, Photoshop currently does not offer a non-generative/offline equivalent of Generative Expand.

The closest alternatives would be Content-Aware Fill, Clone Stamp, Spot Healing workflows, and manual extension techniques, but they will not behave the same as Firefly Generative Expand.

Also, I'd like to point out that the Remove Tool currently does not consume credits.

This is likely related to the subscription entitlement difference rather than a Photoshop 26/27 bug or removal of functionality.

Best,
Anshul Saini

Anshul_Saini

Correct answer

Community Manager

Hi @Pieter329832029knk,

Thanks for clarifying what you meant. I checked this internally, and the behavior itself has not changed in Photoshop 26/27. Generative Expand has always been a cloud-based Firefly feature and therefore consumes generative credits when used.

What likely changed in your case is the entitlement plan associated with your Adobe account. That’s why you’re now noticing credit consumption for Generative Expand, whereas previously it may have appeared effectively unlimited.

For reference: https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/apps/generative-ai/generative-credits-faq.html

Generative Expand belongs to the Standard Generative AI feature category.

If your goal is specifically to expand transparent canvas areas without consuming credits, Photoshop currently does not offer a non-generative/offline equivalent of Generative Expand.

The closest alternatives would be Content-Aware Fill, Clone Stamp, Spot Healing workflows, and manual extension techniques, but they will not behave the same as Firefly Generative Expand.

Also, I'd like to point out that the Remove Tool currently does not consume credits.

This is likely related to the subscription entitlement difference rather than a Photoshop 26/27 bug or removal of functionality.

Best,
Anshul Saini

CMass

Community Manager

Hey @Pieter329832029knk,

Are you thinking about Content Aware Fill? Check this article out: https://adobe.ly/4dpP2Q8

Let me know if this is helps. :)

^CM

Pieter329832029knkAuthor

Known Participant

Hello, this is not what I was looking for. It is not about generative fill in of a selection “in” the picture (e.g. to replace some removed item). I want generative fill of a transparant canvas area (created by extension of the picture pixels format) after having selected (part of) this blank transparent zone. The only options I see now in PS 26 or 27 is a generative fill with AI ànd Firefly, but this consumes credit(s). So I want to have the old fashioned generative expand feature (could but must not be AI), although without any credit consumption. Hope you or someone else can give me a hint or solution how to operate for this.

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