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

This thread is now closed. Please update to LrC 14.x or LrD 8.x. If you wish to provide feedback, please go to the new article.

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 (Dec 2024):  With the new release, it is no longer necessary to perform Generative Remove Operations prior to Cropping. 

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 edits is:

1. Denoise 
2. Heal (includes Generative AI Remove)
3. Crop (includes traditional Cropping, Lens Correction, Transform, or any operation changing the geometry of the image, including round-tripping to PS to use Gen-Expand)
4. Global Edits
5. AI Selective edits (Sky, Person, etc)
   
   If you deviate from that, you may see the removed object remain 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.

[john_2203]

The Generative AI Removal tool has been working fantastic today for me in lightroom. I'm very pleased today with the results! 

[pjsc_peter]

From timetables time AI remove does stop working. I get the error message that a problem occurred and I should retry later. When this happens a reorg of the catalog is the solution. After the reorg, and the restart of Lightroom classic it is working again. Is this a known behavior?

[steve_0621]

I seem to have been blocked from using Generative remove for some reason unknown to me. I am getting a message saying my use of Firefly has been restricted for a violation of the rules? One moment it was working perfectly for my needs and the next see,s I can no longer access. Can someone please assist me with this issue or explain the reason for this? Thank you!

[jenniferh94333300]

I have been restricted due to trying to remove a dog's pink soldier out of an image he is happy in.  It's senior photos of his owner kissing him in the middle of a park FULLY CLOTHED AND NOT OBSCENE.  Come on, I need to work and this is restricting my ability to deliver to my clients

[corey_0386]

Just updated Lightroom Classic to the latest version a few days ago (v 13.5.1) and now when I try to use Generative Fill, I get a pop up saying Generative Fill Failed and sometimes a pop up saying my access was restricted due to a violation of terms. It makes no sense. Unsure if it has to do with the version I am on as it has worked up until now. I rather stick to using Lr for this feature rather than launching photos into Photoshop as it saves me time working only within Lightroom. Im on macOS (which is also up to date). Im hoping there is a fix for this!?

[Jessica32328835701g]

I'm having the same issue, just today. I'd also love to know a fix or if it is a known issue.

[daleducatte]

Hi, I'm getting the same error messages, as are some other people.  There's a recent post on Reddit from an Adobe employee that Adobe is aware of the problem and is working on it. See here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Lightroom/comments/1fka2el/suddenly_unable_to_use_the_remove_tool_due_to/

[Disgruntled user]

Same. Trying chat and contacting an agent. Let's see what they say. I don't pay a premium each month for to have to put up with this.

[corey_0386]

Thank you! Good find. Hopefully they can resolve this soon for all of us.

[pjsc_peter]

Try to reorganize your database.

------------------------------
*Peter Heuchert* Email: peter@pjsc.de
Bretzenheim Web: http://www.pjsc.de <>
Germany

[Clint_Kaster5817]

I am deeply disappointed in the ham-handed application of misguided censorship by Adobe.  While I recognize that you are intent on pushing toward AI-powered "tools", making the program an unusable minefield of Big Brother-ism is the wrong way to proceed.  I've seen some thoughtful suggestions but without some public response from Adobe it seems like the only way to get our frustrations across is to abandon the platform.

[removed by moderator]

[ejsg]

hi, i was editing a picture and after erasing a person from a picture ( a man ), suddenly a woman appeard in the picture sitting in the same chair as the man.  

can you explain what happend. thanks

[John R Ellis]

[This post contains formatting and embedded images that don't appear in email. View the post in your Web browser.]

@ejsg: "after erasing a person from a picture ( a man ), suddenly a woman appeard in the picture sitting in the same chair as the man. "

You have to select all the parts of the man, otherwise Remove will try to generate a replacement matching the unselected parts. Using your screenshot, it was sufficient just to select all the parts of the man and the pieces of the chair, and Remove was smart enough to erase the man and leave the chair:

But due to a glitch in the LR Classic Remove (but not LR Desktop or Camera Raw) sometimes you need to select all the parts of the object to be removed with connected brush strokes and then refine with Subtract to remove the parts of objects you don't want touched. 

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

If that still doesn't help, please attach a full-resolution JPEG exported from the unmodified original photo, so we and Adobe can see the issue in detail. With nearly everyone who has posted a problem photo, we've been able to show how to quickly remove the desired objects.

[ejsg]

thank you very much for your rsponse mr ellis. 

[markus_4175]

Hallo,

ich nutze die Betaversion generatives Füllen sehr gerne. Ich habe viele Bilder aus der Stadt zu bearbeiten und auch dort möchte ich gewisse Menschen entfernen. Leider werden von LIghtroom immer neue Menschen kreiert. Ich hätte aber gerne einfach nur den Hintergrund. Habe das in seinem neusten Tutoriel bei Stefan Schäfer auch so gesehen, da waren allerdings einzelne Menschen vor bewachsenem Hintergrund. Da wurden tatsächlich keine neuen Menschen erstellt. Was mache ich falsch?

[John R Ellis]

@markus_4175: "I want to remove certain people there as well. Unfortunately, LIghtroom is always creating new people."

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 a full-resolution JPEG exported from the unmodified original photo, so we and Adobe can see the issue in detail. With nearly everyone who has posted a problem photo, we've been able to show how to quickly remove the desired objects.

[sagavortex]

It doesn't work in Lightroom! I have no issues with it in Photoshop, but the results are very disappointing for the same operation in Lightroom Classic! (Both generative AI remove or object aware remove)

[Arnold-Norway]

It is important to learn and follow the guidelines. I am very satisfied with the way Generative Remove AI is in Lightroom Classic. I have given a few examples in this thread, and can show more. It works every time for me, even complex situations. 
https://www.lightroomqueen.com/generative-remove-replace/

[Deb1234]

Remove tool rarely removes. 

[John R Ellis]

@sagavortex and @Deb1234, 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 a full-resolution JPEG exported from the unmodified original photo, so we and Adobe can see the issue in detail. With nearly everyone who has posted a problem photo, we've been able to show how to quickly remove the desired objects.

[alicelinck]

it would be PERFECT if when using the AI GENERATIVE inside Lightroom we could add a note referring to the change we need to be made, just like in Photoshop.
The best of both worlds.
Would be also PERFECT if we could use a previous photo as a reference to what we want to change in a photo.
For example, someone with eyes closed in a picture that is part of a sequence of shots, if we could only select the area in both images. 
Let's say there are four people in a family photo and it's a sequence of shots. In the best photo where everyone has the best smile, one of them closed the eyes. If only we could select the open eyes from a previous image to give AI GENERATIVE a clue and reference of what that person's eyes look like when opened... it would be a dream come true! 🙂

[lloyd_pdx]

This question may belong in another discussion, but I'll start here. I'm attempting to "remove" my own cast shadow that is falling on the subject's pants. No variation of the Remove tool even comes close. If I attempt to "remove" my own cast shadow in other images, where it's falling on the ground or other non-subject area, the tool works better. I suspect that "remove" in the first image isn't really a "remove" scenario, is it? Any suggestions or other workflow suggestions are welcome.

[John R Ellis]

@lloyd_pdx: "I'm attempting to "remove" my own cast shadow that is falling on the subject's pants."

Please attach a full-resolution JPEG exported from the unmodified original photo, so we and Adobe can see the issue in detail. Without the image, it's hard to give meaningful feedback.

[lloyd_pdx]

Thanks, John. JPG from original NEF below, no modifications.

[ArcherA4]

Really looking forward to the pro removal - very interesting question.

I took one look at the image and thoroughly saw your point as I couldn't see how the AI could recognise the shadow as a thing to remove. Having said that I'm surprised by the result of an unpolished first 30 second hack...

It's a Generative AI Object aware remove with a bit of subtraction over the patch of sun on her left hip. There's certainly some movement in the hand and you lose the henna and bracelet etc so there is a good image but not the same image. I wonder if this is a case for "interaction" in a future development - being able to tell the AI that the selected area is a shadow so to change/remove that but preserve the underlying structure