P: New AI-powered Generative Remove (Early Access) available across all surfaces.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

This post applies to Lightroom Classic and the Lightroom Ecosystem products.
Post Camera Raw feedback here

The Lightroom team is sharing an early look at Generative Remove, which makes it easier to remove unwanted objects and distractions, even on complex backgrounds, with a simple brush stroke. Generative Remove is powered by Firefly AI.

How to use Generative Remove on a desktop:

• You can find Generative Remove under the newly renamed Remove panel (aka “Heal”).
• Make sure the “generative AI” checkbox is enabled before you start brushing (note: when unchecked, Lightroom will use Content-Aware Remove to fill your brushed spots). 
• By default, you will be given a moment to refine your selection with an add or subtract brush. Remember to include shadows for a more accurate result! You can also skip this step by holding down ‘CTRL’ on windows or ‘CMD’ on mac as you finish your brush stroke. 
• Once you’re ready to apply and have accepted the terms, Generative Remove will use Firefly AI to remove your distractions and intelligently fill in the space that’s left by the removed objects. 
• Note: stable internet connection is required to use this feature.
• Generative Remove also lets you choose from multiple variations, so you can pick the one you like best, giving you full creative control. 
  
  Checkout the FAQ and Best Practices

Please give it a try and share feedback and/or report variations in this community forum. It would greatly help to include details like which app you are using (i.e., Lightroom Classic or Camera Raw) and other system details. Our team will continually monitor this thread to track issues to improve the future experience.

Lisa Ngo: Lightroom Product Manager
Posted by: Rikk Flohr 

Update:

Here are some tips if you are having issues with the feature replacing your object instead of removing it. 

• Enlarge your selection - if your brush stroke is too tight, you will have unexpected results.
• Remember that removing an object means painting over it, its shadow, its reflection, and any non-contiguous pieces. If you leave behind a shadow, a reflection, or a disconnected piece (e.g., a hand on a shoulder), the AI will attempt to create something to cast the shadow, reflect, or complete the unbrushed discontinuous item. You can avoid these issue by following the guidance provided in this linked tutorial. https://www.lightroomqueen.com/generative-remove-replace
• The recommended order for applying is: Denoise - Heal (includes Generative AI Remove) - Crop/Edit - AI Selective edits. If you deviate from that you may see the removed object remains as a ghost image. If this occurs you will have to use Update AI Settings, which can be found under the Develop module 'Settings' menu.

[samantha382101567ggi]

Spot removal sucks now. It doesn't remove all that I select even with the opacity all the way up. The size also sets itself for some reason. It just keeps getting smaller and I have to resize it a million times. I really hate this update.

[johnrellis]

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@samantha382101567ggi: "Spot removal sucks now. It doesn't remove all that I select even with the opacity all the way up."

To which Remove mode (button) are you referring: 

Remove (), Heal (), or Clone ()?

The names of these have changed a few times over the years, and the current naming is very confusing. There are separate issues and bugs with each, so it's important to know which one you're using. 

Also, please post a full-resolution screenshot (not a phone pic) showing the problem.

[johnrellis]

@samantha382101567ggi: "The size also sets itself for some reason. It just keeps getting smaller and I have to resize it a million times."

Unfortunately, this is a year-old bug for which Adobe hasn't prioritized a fix:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/camera-raw-bugs/p-retouch-circle-automatically-becomes-smaller-on-ima... 

Please add your upvote and details of how it occurs to that bug report.

[Glenn38211207c854]

This new arase tool is amaising!

[miket27858960]

Have had really good success removing things like flash on glasses. works fairly predictibly. I have the most issue if trying to remove small things like wayward strands of a graduation tassle

[garyb2613]

removes absolutely nothing!!!!!

[johnrellis]

@garyb2613: "removes absolutely nothing!!!!!"

See this article for how to remove objects more reliably:
https://www.lightroomqueen.com/generative-remove-replace/

Most complaints about Remove are addressed in the article. But if it doesn't help, please attach the original photo here (not an export) so we and Adobe can see the issue in detail. If the forum won't let you attach it, upload it to Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar and post the sharing link here.

[Balashova38212888tne5]

I love how it is work! Now I can do almost everything in LR without Photoshop 

[Andrei35917710r2e9]

It appears to do a good job ... hopefuly it will make it in the stable version and it will do a better job!

[Jackson Pete]

Trying to remove objects but just seems to add random objects in place of.

[Ian Lyons]

@Jackson Pete 

Removing an object means painting over it, its shadow, its reflection, and any non-contiguous pieces. If you leave behind a shadow, a reflection, or a disconnected piece (e.g., a hand on a shoulder), the AI will attempt to create something to cast the shadow, reflect, or complete the unbrushed discontinuous item. You can avoid these issue by following the guidance provided in this linked tutorial. https://www.lightroomqueen.com/generative-remove-replace

[orsolai16769571]

Quando uso la funzione, lightroom si blocca e sono costretta a riavviarlo. Se non blocca è lentissimo, anche solo a selezionare l'area, e a volte, la selezione rimane parziale. Mi sta facendo impazzire. Sto continuando a riavviare lightroom e proseguo il lavoro al passo di una lumaca

[Ian Lyons]

@orsolai16769571 

Checks that your computer meets the minimum system requirements as set out in this linked document https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/lightroom-classic/system-requirements.html

Also, check that you graphics card driver is up to date.

[JancakV]

I want to test and see.

[James Seith]

Good news and some not so good news, learning curve.

Good:  I use it all the time, when it works it's magic.  Even some big complicated items.  I actually use it to clean up areas that I might have masked before.  In one case I shot out of a bus window (I know, but it was the only chance in Scotland for me to try to get this shot) and although I caught the castle reasonably centered, there were some light streaks from window reflections that normally would have ruined the shot as they lit up items that were touching including parts of the castle.  Nothing worked.  So I gave Gen remove a try.  I marked the areas of light streaks on each object independent of the object touching it.  Boom.  So I moved on to the next object, a tree.  Boom.  Then a portion of the sky.  Boom.  Photo looks fine.

I often will jump in Luminar when I just can't make it work, and sometimes their version is OK, often it's not but it leaves ab entirely looking object that I have then been able to remove back in LR Classic.

Bottom line: it is the first step in my workflow after I compose and crop.  Almost every photo.

It still leaves some objects, especially those that are vividly colored from the background.  It reshapes them, but leaves them.  I found a good workaround is to used the clone tool to get ride of the object then use Gen Remove and the clone part that looks smeared--color is gone, just doesn't match the tone from any other part of the photo--seems to work fine.

[johnrellis]

@James Seith: "It still leaves some objects"

Review the recommendations in this article for how to remove objects more reliably:
https://www.lightroomqueen.com/generative-remove-replace/

It that doesn't help, please attach the original photo here (not an export) so we and Adobe can see the issue in detail. If the forum won't let you attach it, upload it to Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar and post the sharing link here.

"it is the first step in my workflow after I compose and crop."

Because Remove looks at all the pixels in the photo, including those that have been cropped out, it may replace rather than remove objects near the edges of the crop. So in general, Remove first, then Crop. (It's not the way most people think about their workflow, but it's the way that Adobe has currently designed it.) The article above explains in more detail.

[Jervision]

it does not work wel when it is something in de middle of the screen only changes it 

but i like that they keep trying

[johnrellis]

@Jervision: "It does not work well when it is something in the middle of the screen, only changes it"

See this article for how to remove objects more reliably:
https://www.lightroomqueen.com/generative-remove-replace/

Most complaints about Remove are addressed in the article. But if it doesn't help, please attach the original photo here (not an export) so we and Adobe can see the issue in detail. If the forum won't let you attach it, upload it to Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar and post the sharing link here.

[amya81355804]

more often than not, it'll do a solid job, however, it'll ocassionally change the exporsure and contrast of an entire image in addition to removing an object. frustrating and annoying.

[johnrellis]

@amya81355804: "It'll occasionally change the exposure and contrast of an entire image in addition to removing an object."

Frustrating indeed. I haven't seen reports about that before, and for Adobe to address it, they'll need to see the photo plus the Remove applications you've made. Please select the photo in Library and do Metadata > Save Metadata To File. Then upload the file (and if it's raw, the .xmp sidecar too) to Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar and post the sharing link here.

[Jen327336358v01]

Hi Adobe...this new tool is amazing!  I just noticed your note about the doing the denoise first.  I had been doing it last and things I had healed and/or erased appeared again after denoising.  So i will do it in the correct order and see how it goes

thanks

[jose angelp10841710]

Funciona en algunos casos. En otros, es imposible borrar lo no deseado, como en el caso de unas hojas de un árbol sobre el fondo del cielo en la parate superior de la fotografía. 4 hojas que no consigue eliminar. 

[johnrellis]

@jose angelp10841710: "it is impossible to erase what is unwanted, as in the case of some leaves of a tree against the background of the sky in the upper part of the photograph."

See this article for how to remove objects more reliably:
https://www.lightroomqueen.com/generative-remove-replace/

Most complaints about Remove are addressed in the article. But if it doesn't help, please attach the original photo here (not an export) so we and Adobe can see the issue in detail. If the forum won't let you attach it, upload it to Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar and post the sharing link here.

[sb2314]

The Photoshop version seems to work better in some cases. Lightroom seems to be catching up to it. If the subject/object is to be removed— I prefer to call it being made transparent, does not have much contrast as being out of focus, this feature struggles a little. Compared to a year ago, it is a fantastic improvement and hopefully a work in progress as with all Adobe products.

[johnrellis]

@sb2314: "The Photoshop version seems to work better in some cases."

This typically occurs when you're selecting an object near the edge of the photo, and there are pixels cropped out by Crop, Lens Correction, or Transform. Remove looks at all pixels, including those that are cropped out. So disable those tools, do Remove, then reapply them.

See this article for more details:

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/generative-remove-replace/

Most complaints about Remove are addressed in the article. But if it doesn't help, please attach the original photo here (not an export) so we and Adobe can see the issue in detail. If the forum won't let you attach it, upload it to Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar and post the sharing link here.