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.

[Ian Lyons]

@Strat27712050fqyn 

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

[antoine1789]

Hello,

I'm using Lightroom Classic.

OK when it works it's incredible but lots of time it replace the personne or the objet instead of eraising it... I don't understand why. I try differents settings but I have the same resulte... juste replace instead of eraise.

If someone could explain to me.

Thanks in advence for your tips.

[Ian Lyons]

@antoine1789 

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

[Nik Onthelook]

I love this. Saves me time removing people but don't always work everytime. It is a great feature. Just like Ai in photoshop - don't always remove people/object everytime though, just replaces them but most of the time in my experience, it is great!

[Ian Lyons]

@Nik Onthelook 

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

[waltoncreative]

Love how it manages in most cases to fix problems that even Photoshop would struggle with.

BUT. There are a lot of times when it generates extra grain that wasn't there in the original. Maybe this is to do with working on the ENR version? It is as if the new patch uses the grain from the original image?

Oh and of course - I would love for it to be FASTER.

[John R Ellis]

@waltoncreative: "There are a lot of times when it generates extra grain that wasn't there in the original. Maybe this is to do with working on the ENR version? It is as if the new patch uses the grain from the original image?"

It's not accessing the undenoised image. But there have been a number of examples here where it doesn't quite match the texture of the background replacement. Try including a much larger amount of background around the object being removed -- that often works for me to get better background matches. If that doesn't help, upload the DNG to Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar, and post the sharing link here.

[HardShadows]

I have a question...my understanding was that denoise should be one of the first steps in the workflow before diving into other adjustments...is that still ture?...should denoise be used before ai replace, or visa versa now?

[Ian Lyons]

The preferred order as recommended by Adobe is: Denoise - Heal (Including Gen Remove)- Crop/Edit - AI Selective edits.

The recommendation can be found in the last but one post by Rikk Flohr on this page https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-discussions/p-new-ai-powered-generative-remove-earl...

[okphotography]

want to start with LOVE this addition, this is the first time i am seeing this i'm Trying to remove a lump post and it's doing the job of removing the post but it seems to be leaving dark mark where the brush has been

[John R Ellis]

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@okphotography: it's doing the job of removing the post but it seems to be leaving dark mark where the brush has been"

I've seen that sometimes too. I've found that if you include much more of the background in the selection, it often does a better job of matching the replacement:

 

Note to others: The darker shadow is the shape of the selection, not the exact shape of the pole, and it occurs on the screenshot, so this is not being caused by a previously applied Sky mask that needs updating.

[heidid99034767]

It would be amazing if the AI remove could reference other photos in the same catalog to fill more accurately. Here's an example where the generated fill from a truck going by is quite believable...except that it removed a recognizable bridge in the background. 

[John R Ellis]

@heidid99034767: "an example where the generated fill from a truck going by is quite believable...except that it removed a recognizable bridge in the background. "

Can you attach a full-resolution JPEG corresponding to the original photo for the attachment AI1.PNG?  There's no truck on the bridge in AI2.PNG.

[belcamp george]

Lightroom develop sliders ae sticky and do not return to the

original

[John R Ellis]

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@belcamp george: "Lightroom develop sliders ae sticky and do not return to the

original"

If you're referring to the sliders in the Masking panel, click the option Reset Sliders Automatically:

[belcamp george]

ok

--

[louloubell]

Well that was weird. it removed a person but replaced her with a totatally random other person

[John R Ellis]

@louloubell: "it removed a person but replaced her with a totatally random other person"

See this article for how to more reliably remove objects:
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.

[Carnegius]

So far so good. It's pretty good this new feature, I just wish it was instantaneous. Do I need more computing power for this?

[John R Ellis]

@Carnegius: "Do I need more computing power for this?"

No, Generative AI Remove is computed on Adobe's servers in the cloud, so it takes about the same amount of time for everyone.

[smcyyc]

Tried to remove a simple water bottle from a plain background using both the remove and heal tools.  Tried multiple different refreshes.  Nothing worked.  Finally a clone took care of it.  Five more minutes of pfaffing around.  Haven't been impressed to date.

[John R Ellis]

@smcyyc: "Tried to remove a simple water bottle from a plain background using both the remove and heal tools. "

See this article for how to more reliably remove objects:
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.

[kevind36976440]

Lightroom Develope Visualize Spots function does not perform in the same way as in ACR (Which I prefer)

[getho]

There is a workflow issue with this tool.
Lets say you use gen fil, and then move to a new image. You chose to use the heal tool, but decide you need to try remove it will automatically start the gen fill process.  If you click cancel its take you back to the heal too.  What about if I want to try plain old remove? I have to click on the remove tool and try to click the Gen Fill check box before the progress dialog box appears!

holding control whilst selcting remove removes your selection.  
Surely a better paradigm is to separate the selection part of the process (including the new object aware option), and then have a three-way choice - heal/remove/gen fill.  It is very clunky at the mo.

[MNauman]

This is a great Feature for restoring old photographs that I'm doing for a researcher, and also removeing objects in Photographs I took on a trip... truely amazing.  I even removed cars, parking lot, and Motel cabins in a Momumeny Valley Photograph to get a shot of the way it was before it was developed... did a fantastic job... took 10 seconds.  Takes a little getting use to of what to select but your guidance I discovered after the fact is right on.  Sometimes I have to do it in two stages.