Remove Tool in version 26.2 is extremely slow.

[Jqqerry]

The current version of Photoshop continues to have issues.

Especially in versions after 26.0, the Remove Tool often triggers crash reports after being used a few times and operates very slowly.
(Please don’t mention the Faster or More Stable options, as they are not fundamental solutions to the problem.)

This is how the Remove Tool performs in version 25.12.
While 25.12 isn’t the most stable version, its speed isn’t too bad. (As I’ve mentioned in other threads, there’s also this bug: in versions 25.12/26.2, it seems that the first stroke is always processed by the CPU, which makes it slow, while the GPU seems to take over from the second stroke onward.)

And this is how the Remove Tool performs in version 26.2. You’ll definitely notice the difference in speed—it’s extremely slow. During the time you wait for it to process, the results are either the same as in 25.12, fail to remove the object properly, or trigger a crash report, making it a very unstable version.

Additionally, the reason I kept Generative AI turned ON is that enabling it produced results similar to those in version 25.12.
When it’s turned OFF, the speed improves slightly, but it’s still slower than the standard Content-Aware tool, the results are inaccurate, and it’s practically unusable for actual work.

Also, the studio driver is already up-to-date.
I’ve been reporting issues regarding the stability of the Remove Tool since last year, but it seems to be becoming increasingly unstable and slower over time.

Of course, I’m always grateful for Adobe’s continuous advancements and technology offerings, but I hope the Photoshop team can address this issue.
The main advantage of the Remove Tool, in my opinion, was that it was faster, automated, and provided fairly decent results compared to traditional tools like the Healing Brush or Clone Stamp.

However, at this point, it’s slower than doing it manually, and the quality is even worse (in version 26.12). It feels like the identity of the Remove Tool has weakened considerably.

Of course, even if you're lucky enough to get a good result, there’s still a chance of a crash report being triggered. So, it’s both funny and sad that you have to immediately press Ctrl+S before and after using the Remove Tool to save the PSD and protect your data.
I’m not joking. 

From the massive crashes caused by Object Selection and Select Subject, the introduction of the "More Stable - GPU bypass" wasn’t really a solution either. Until that feature was introduced, I kept reporting bugs while constantly pressing Ctrl+S with every step.

And now, I see that the same “More Stable” option is being recommended for most reports related to the Remove Tool.
Please, fix Faster so it can operate with its original speed and stability. I just want to focus on my work.

Having to press Ctrl+S every time I use a tool is terrifying.

[Daniel Presedo]

Thank you for the very detailed feedback,
I have shared it with the team. 

[stockphotog.miller]

It consistently takes at least 5 full seconds every time I use the remove tool for small things like bumps on skin, and longer for larger objects. I thought it was a conflict with a 3D print slicer program I'm running but I've uninstalled that program and the problem persists. At these speeds the tool isn't worth having.

[Jqqerry]

@Daniel Presedo  

Thank you. Please provide updates if there are any changes or updates.

The essence of the Remove Tool is that users can achieve a level of quality similar to what they would achieve manually, but with just a simple click and in a short amount of time.
However, that essence has been compromised, and the current Remove Tool holds no meaningful value in that regard.

@stockphotog.miller That's correct. Even with a small brush size, it takes a very long time, and this happens even on the latest hardware. There's a lot that is wrong with it.

[SamSeddon]

Agreed, it is just worse. No Longer recognizes straight lines even, makes everything mooshy or fake [cursing removed] looking.

[stockphotog.miller]

I found one thing that was causing the slowdown. Apparently in a recent update Adobe in their ever growing desire to control what we do and upsell us on AI has added an option at the top of the page to turn GAI on or off while using the remove tool (that feature may have been there before but I don't think so) and have by default turned it on. I turned it off (counterintuitive, I know) and now the remove tool works just like it did before. Quality, spped, everything. As usual, thanks for nothing Adobe.