White ghost left behind after using Remove

[Happiest Camper]

Does anyone have a solution to this? I've been getting it sporadically for years when I use the Stamp tool, or in the case of this photo the Remove tool. It leaves this white ghost of what it has removed. In this photo I'm editing a Nikon RAW file using Generative AI, but it does it with the Stamp & Healing tools as well.

[JohanElzenga]

This is a known issue if you have used a sky mask. The mask did not cover the object you removed later, so it now has a gap where the removed object used to be. The solution is easy: You need to update the mask (Lightroom shows this with a red dot underneath the masking icon). If possible, remove unwanted objects first, and then create the sky mask.

[Happiest Camper]

Thank you. I thought that is what it might be. I deleted the Sky mask, all masks actually, reset and redid it, still have it.

[JohanElzenga]

You do not have to delete the sky masks! I said you need to update them, not delete them and recreate them. When you select them, there will be an update mask button. Using the 'Update all AI settings' menu will also do it.

[Happiest Camper]

I also updated them, did that first. When that didn't work I completely got rid of them. I teach LR, I'm a pretty advanced user. It did not work.

[JohanElzenga]

Generative Remove creates pixels based on the underlying image, so you may have to use that before you do anything else if you make very strong edits.

[Cetronix]

I'm also having this same issue.  I also can't click on the "Update Mask" as it is not clickable.

[Claire H.]

Hi @Happiest Camper, I'm just checking in to see if the suggestion helped or if you are still running into this issue? Let us know how things are going. Happy to keep troubleshooting with you if needed. Thanks! ^CH

[Cetronix]

Still running into this issue.  Lightroom is fully up to date as well.

[Jao vdL]

This happens if you have a mask defined or are using one of the adaptive profiles (which creates masks in the background). Just recalculating the ai masks (there is a little circular icon you should see near the histogram in Classic) should fix these ghosts. 

[Cetronix]

That little circular icon does NOT appear for me.  I've been told to just update the masks, but it's not possible. 

[Cetronix]

Is it possible to upload a picture and show what I am trying to fix?

[Jao vdL]

That's weird I just did the same thing and updating the mask fixed the ghost in the sky completely. Is your Lightroom fully up to date? 

[GoldingD]

Either reset the photo or create a virtual copy and reset ti (as in no edits, as in as imported). Hopefully with no presets etc. applied at import,  and try out the removal before accomplishing anything else. Does it misbehave?