P: PS 26.1 Generative Fill mask are larger than the original selection

[Kindhearted_Gleam9686]

Photoshop 26.1

Windows 19045.3324

Step 1: Open a test image

Step 2: Make a small selection with the polyganal lasso tool.

Step 3: Click Generative Fill, then click Generate

Expected result: The mask for the resulting Generative Fill layer should match the original selection

Actual result: The mask for the resulting Generative Fill layer expands to be larger than the original selection in an octagon shape with feathered edges.

[vuriae]

For some reason, my Generative Fill has suddenly started generating outside of the marquee selection I make. It was working fine 20 minutes ago but is now behaving differently. I've tried resetting preferences and uninstalling, but it hasn't fixed the issue. Is this a bug? Is it fixable? Please help!

[Olaf Giermann]

Have you perhaps set a soft/feathered edge for the lasso tool?

[vuriae]

Not that I can see. My feather is set to 0.

[Anshul_Saini]

Hi @Kindhearted_Gleam9686,

Thank you for detailing the issue! I’d like to clarify that this behavior is actually expected and not a bug. The expansion of the mask in an octagonal shape with feathered edges occurs because of how the Generative Fill feature processes selections. This has been consistent behavior across both the older and the latest versions of Photoshop with different Firefly models.

I hope this helps!

Best,

Anshul Saini

[Kindhearted_Gleam9686]

@Anshul_Saini this is absolutely not consistent with older versions of photoshop. Reverting to 26.0 corrects the issue. I can also confirm that this was not an issue in previous versions. Clearly something has changed in the 26.1 update with regard to how generative fill manipulates initial selections.

After some experimentation, it appears that 26.0 generative fill slightly expands selections that are ~50 px X 50 px or larger but only by a couple pixels. Selections smaller than ~50 px X 50 px are not expanded. At ~110 px X 110 px or larger the mask edges will start to appear feathered. Selections smaller than ~110 px X 110 px will not be feathered. See examples below.

26.0 small selection:

26.0 small selection generative fill mask

26.0 large selection:

26.0 large selection generative fill mask:

26.1 on the other hand, expands initial selections by a lot more pixels and by X increment regardless of initial selection size, unlike 26.0. The mask edges are also feathered about twice as much and regardless of initial selection size, unlike 26.0. See examples below

26.1 small selection:

26.1 small selection generative fill mask

OVER 15.5 TIMES LARGER:

26.1 large selection:

26.1 large selection generative fill mask:

Clearly 26.1 generative fill expands the initial selection and feathers it far more than 26.0 and previous versions. And any minimum selection size threshold for preventing those adjustents has been removed. This is overstepping for any selection size but for small selections, the resulting mask is near useless since it defeats the precision of the original selection and results in unnecessary additional mask corrections. Please revert these changes to the previous iteration or add settings to allow personal refinement

[taylorg81009603]

Excuse me?

[taylorg81009603]

It is actually not consistent amongst differnent versions. It's new to 26.1 alone. This bug completely renders Generative Fill unusable.

[Christeaa]

same here!! I haven't seen anyone talk about it either. I've been using the Remove Tool with Gen Ai as a substitute, but hopefully there's a fix soon.

[Kindhearted_Gleam9686]

@vuriae @Christeaa @Olaf Giermann Are you using 26.1? If so, this is likely the same issue others, including myself, are experiencing. Basically, gen fill in 26.1 expands and feathers the initial selection far more than 26.0 and previous versions did. Plus there doesn't seem to be a minimum selection size threshold, so selections will be expanded and feathered the same amount regardless of initial size. This will be less noticeable in large selections but VERY noticible in small selections (eg 10px X 10px).

Reverting to 26.0 "fixes" the issue. Be sure to disable auto updates for photoshop, otherwise it will just reinstall 26.1 the next chance it gets.

See my post for more information and some test results showing the difference in how gen fill handles initial selection manipulation in 26.0 vs 26.1. Please consider an upvote so we can bring this issue to Adobe's attention

Here's another post about it

[MeredithStotzner]

Hi all,

Thanks for alerting us to this issue. I'm sorry that its affecting your productivity 😞 
I can confirm the pixel buffer spread is larger in 26.1 than 26.0
We'll let you know here when we have a solution (other than the work around to fall back to v26.0)
Thank you,
Meredith

[Olaf Giermann]

@vuriae @Christeaa @Olaf Giermann Are you using 26.1?

I wasn't. I see the same issue now. 🤪

[Sameer K]

Updated status to investigating.

[salmeron.studio]

It's terrible behavior. please change that ASAP. We make a selection for something and specifically there's things or edges or pixels we don't want to change. CHANGE IT!

[Kindhearted_Gleam9686]

@MeredithStotzner I see that there's an update (26.2) but I don't see anything in the release notes about this issue. Do you know if it was addressed?

[Kindhearted_Gleam9686]

The 26.2 update does not fix the issue. When can we expect a fix?

@Sameer K @MeredithStotzner @Olaf Giermann 

[Chriscurtisbass]

Updated to version 26.3 and the problem still exisists.

[TheWanderer77]

Can you guys please fix this? It has been months, and it's unacceptable for AI functions in a paid product to not work as intended, especially when the technology is advancing so quickly and competition is fierce. Get with the program!

[WillD81]

How is the investigation going?

[Kindhearted_Gleam9686]

@WillD81 wish I knew. Note that reverting to 26.0 or earlier is the only "fix" that I am aware of. Personally I reverted to 25.12.x. Supposedly the gen fill results are better than 26.x produces but YMMV. Additionally this allows me to have both 25 and 26 installed so I can work in 25 and test 26 when updates become available.

I was impressed with support's quick initial response. But now 4 months later...

[wAIPUFSILUSHIGANLOGERSDF]

This is new behavior. How do we correct it so that generative fill is useful and isn't just ruining images?

[Kyle31318907q32r]

This is a platform-breaking bug, and treating it like a small issue is going to make Adobe quickly lose market share compared to alternative generative AI platforms.

This is an ongoing and persistent issue, causing many people to use outdated versions of Photoshop. The new version of Photoshop essentially renders the generative AI feature obsolete. It is exclusively useful in 26.0 and before.

The expanded selection area makes digital touch-ups like removing dust from an image unusable because it also paints over random artifacts that are entirely not selected.

[Olaf Giermann]

Quote from @Kindhearted_Gleam9686 

"The expanded selection area makes digital touch-ups like removing dust from an image unusable because it also paints over random artifacts that are entirely not selected."

By the way, I would not recommend using Generative Fill for retouching such small element in great number. That is especially important now that Adobe limits the generative credits.

If you use the Remove tool instead, you not only avoid the problem with the larger fill, but also don't use up any of your generative credits.

Have you tried using the remove tool for your purposes? 

[Bojan Živković]

I completely agree with @Anshul_Saini this is normal and expected behavior. There are many situations where a patch should blend with adjacent objects or pixels. From my investigation, you can still use Reselect from the Select menu to correct the mask if needed.

[Kindhearted_Gleam9686]

That quote was from @Kyle31318907q32r, not me. Good point for that particular scenario. However, as you know, there are a bajillion scenarios when gen fill is a better option or preferred. Unfortunately for users, this expanded selection problem renders PS 26.1 and up Generative Fill difficult and challenging to work with, at best.

Note this thread regarding the same issue with additional testimonials, information, and examples.

7 months later and still no fix for this issue. When can we expect Adobe to address it?

@Anshul_Saini 

@Olaf Giermann 

@Bojan Živković

@MeredithStotzner 

[Kindhearted_Gleam9686]

Please review all the replies in this thread. This is absolutely NOT "normal and expected behavior" nor is it "consistent behavior across both the older and the latest versions of Photoshop" as incorrectly stated by @Anshul_Saini

See this thread about the same issue for additional testimonials, information and examples.

I agree that a gen fill patch should blend with adjacent objects and pixels. In fact, gen fill was already doing this well before Adobe decided gen fill selections needed to be expanded and feathered (PS 26.0 and before). Expanding and feathering the precise selections that the user makes causes far more problems than it solves. The results are worse, not better. It's completely unnecessary.

Can the gen fill masks be fixed as you suggested? Technically, yes. But you're asking us to literally fix every gen fill mask. This is very time consuming, tedious, and unnecessary. It's an unacceptable "solution".

When will Adobe address this problem? Please let me know if you have any questions, need additional information, or would like to discuss this further.

@Anshul_Saini 

@Olaf Giermann 

@Bojan Živković

@MeredithStotzner