Are you struggling with an expected person in the background of your perfect vacation picture or a distracting power line ruining your landscape shot?
Needless to say, unwanted objects can take away from an otherwise great photo. But fear not, Photoshop is here to save the day!
With its advanced object removal tools, you can easily deal with that annoying distraction and restore your photo to its actual form. Here are some quick tips to remove objects in Photoshop–
- Spot Healing Brush: Like a magic paintbrush, it lets you sample the selected area and “paint” over the unwanted object.
- Content-Aware Fill: It analyzes the surrounding pixels and fills in the gap with the rest of the image.
- Clone stamp tool: It allows you to seamlessly blend the unwanted part of an image by manually copying pixels.
That’s not even the end here! Keep on reading to explore many more object-removing techniques and achieve picture-perfect results with your photos.
How To Remove Unwanted Objects from Your Photos in Photoshop? [Easy Step-by-Step Guide!]
In this easy step-by-step guide, I’ll walk you through the process of removing unwanted objects from your photos. Whether it’s a distracting background element, someone passing by, or anything else, with our pro tips, you can seamlessly erase them from your photos and enhance your image to be visually appealing.
So let’s get started.
Step -1: Upload Your Image In Photoshop
All you need to start by arranging your Photoshop workspace. First, upload the image from which you want to remove the object. Once you’ve opened your Photoshop, go to the “File” menu and then Open.
Choose the image file that you want to edit. You can drag an image from your computer or as a shortcut key, you can simply press ctrl+O and upload the image.
Step -2: Locate The Object Removal Tool In Photoshop
Now that you have uploaded your image to your Photoshop workspace, it is time to work with the object-removing tool.
Well, you will find a bunch of object-removing tools in the Photoshop tools bar that work well for cleaning up your images as your own. Here are some of the main ones you can start with.
1. Spot Healing Brush Tool:
This is the most used spot-cleaning tool in Photoshop that would magically remove spots, marks, or small objects in your image. It mainly works by analyzing pixels from the surrounding area and using that information to seamlessly blend the blemish away.
As it works in a destructive nature, thus I prefer to use it at the very beginning, before start playing around with other edits.
Or you can use it at the very end after you’re happy with everything else. Anyway here is how you can use it for object removal:
- With the image in the workspace, create a new layer on the bottom right side of the screen.
- Now select the Spot healing brush tool from the toolbar or press J on the keyboard to directly select it.
- Once selected, go to the tool options bar and adjust the toolbar settings. For instance, check Sample All Layers, select mode “Normal”, and type to Content-Aware.
- When done, now the time comes to adjust the brush setting. Adjust the hardness to 50%, and the spacing to 25%. Set the roundness to 100% to get a perfectly round brush.
- Now, start retouching your image by dragging it over the distracted elements until it gets erased.
2. Healing Brush Tool:
Unlike the Spot Healing Brush Tool, the Healing Brush Tool in Photoshop is another helpful tool for removing unwanted objects from your photos but it works a little differently. It targets imperfections and objects larger than what the Spot Healing Brush can handle.
It mainly samples pixels from a chosen area and seamlessly blends them into the area you want to fix, The best part is that you can easily remove the distraction by keeping the natural texture and appearance of the photo.
Fret not! It’s quite easy to handle this brush tool even if you are a beginner in Photoshop editing. Here is how:
- Go to the toolbar and select the healing brush tool or simply press J on the keyboard.
- Now go to the tool options bar and adjust the toolbar setting. Select Mode, Source, Aligned, Sample, and Diffusion.
- When the brush setting is done, hold down the Alt key (Option key on Mac) and click on a clean area with a similar texture to what you want to use to cover the object.
- Now click or hold and drag the brush over the unwanted object. Photoshop will analyze the source area and use it to remove the unwanted object.
3. Clone Stamp Tool
When you are struggling with an image with a distracting pimple or flyaway hair, then the clone stamp tool in Photoshop is right there for you. It’s one of the magical tools to make those blemishes disappear in no time.
It mainly works by copying pixels from one source and stamping them onto the unwanted object to effectively erase it.
I mostly utilize this tool when I need to remove small, but well-defined imperfections. Like in the below picture, you can clearly define the difference between the before image having pesky facial imperfections like acne and blemishes and the after photo with flawless skin.
So how can you use it? Go as follows:
- With your image open in Photoshop, select the Clone Stamp Tool from the toolbar menu.
- Go to the tool options bar and adjust the brush size and shape, blending modes, opacity, and flow.
- If you are working with a blemished face image, I would recommend setting the opacity, flow, and blending mode at the default setting, and the opacity to 20 percent or lower to get a smoother result.
- Now paint the brush over the area you want to fix.
4. Patch Tool
The patch tool is another powerful retouching tool in Photoshop that you can also use to remove unwanted parts of an image, such as dark spots, and objects. It works through a selection around the area you want to remove. This can be a simple shape or a more complex outline depending on the object you’re targeting.
With the selection, you define a new area within the image that you want to use to “patch” over the unwanted area.
The patch tool seamlessly blends the source area onto the target by sampling the textures and patterns around it and giving it a natural fresh look.
See my recent work with the patch tool.
It’s quite simple to use this tool-
- Start by selecting the patch tool from the toolbar. Or, you can simply press J as a shortcut key to select this tool. Now, create a background copy from layer panel.
- Now go to the tool options bar, and set up the patch tool setting as per your image distraction.
- Now, draw a selection around the object of the image that you want to erase.
- Click and hold the mouse to make the selection. Now holding the mouse, just drag the selection to that part of the image you want to cover.
- When done, release the mouse, and you will find your image patched.
You can do it in another method as well. After making the selection, go to Edit and select Content-Aware Fill from the drop-down option. A dialog box will appear, and you can adjust the settings to meet your needs and click OK.
5. Lasso Tool
While in photo editing, most often you need to work with irregular or curvy edges, like a person, animal, plant, or piece of furniture. That is where the lasso tool enters.
It is a handy selection tool that lets you draw a freehand outline around any part of an image you want to isolate.
It’s like throwing a lasso around an object in real life but for digital images.
You can also use it when you want to select specific areas to edit, like brightening someone’s smile or changing the color.
Here is how you can use this tool to cut out the irregular part of your image object:
- With your image document open in Photoshop, select the lasso tool from the toolbar. You can also press “L” on your keyboard to select it.
- Now click on the spot of your image that you want to cut out. Start dragging the mouse around the object you want to select, following its curves and edges.
- On releasing the pointer, it will make a selection for that specific part. If you make a mistake, press the “Ctrl D (On mac Command-D)” key on your keyboard.
- You can even refine the selection. For instance, go to the “Options” bar> “Select and Mask” bar. Click on it and correct your errors.
6. Content-Aware Fill
Imagine you have an image of a picturesque mountain landscape with a clear blue sky. But a thin power line cutting across the sky is disrupting the serenity.
For instance, the content-aware fill can be a handy tool for you to magically do your job and make a perfect contrast with a sky background.
It is an advanced and powerful feature in Photoshop that analyzes the surrounding image data and fills the selected area with content that seamlessly blends with the background.
To use this tool, here is the simple process to apply:
- With the image open in your Photoshop workspace, go to the Layers Panel and create a Duplicate layer for your image background.
- Now go to the toolbar and select the Lasso tool.
- With the lasso tool selection, drag your mouse around the object that you want to fill and make a selection.
- Now go to the “Edit” tab on the menu bar and select “Fill.”
- A dialog box will open on the screen. Select the Content-Aware option from the Contents.
- Click OK and boom! The selected object will disappear in a second!
Step -3: Finalize The Results
Well, congratulations! You have successfully removed the desired object or a part from your image. After removing an object, you don’t necessarily need to refine your picture.
But depending on the complexity of the removed object, you may need to give it a final touch-up to make the image fine-tuned and natural-looking.
For instance, I will recommend you Zoom in on the edited area to see if there are any leftover traces, rough edges, or inconsistencies. If you see anything that needs improvement, be sure the image needs to be retouched.
Have a short glimpse at our dedicated guide on retouching techniques in Photoshop and significantly enhance your final image.
Step -4: Save Your Image File
When you’re all done, don’t forget to save your file. Go to the File menu and select Save As. In the pop-up window, rename your edited photo file, select File Format, and save it on your device.
Using Layer Masks To Erase Parts Of An Image
While removing an object with the removal tool, the only problem you’ll encounter is that it will edit an image in a destructive way,
This means you essentially erased the object’s data from the image itself. There is no chance of getting back to your previous image. That’s where layer masks enter to get rid of you from this minor issue.
Layer masks are a powerful tool in Photoshop for hiding parts of an image in a non-destructive way. That means you can edit and remove objects without permanently modifying the original photo.
Step #1: Start by opening your image in the Photoshop workspace. Then create a duplicate Layer and add layar mask to it.
Step #2: Now go to the toolbar and select the Brush tool. Adjust the brush size and hardness according to the area you want to remove. A softer brush creates smoother transitions.
Step #3: Now, select a solid color from the layer panel to better comprehend what is happening while brushing on unwanted objects. Before you paint make sure your foreground color is black and layer mask is white. Now start painting over the unwanted areas of the image to hide them.
Zoom in for precise editing, especially around the edges. You can always adjust the mask later to bring back hidden areas.
Troubleshooting Common Issues While Removing Objects in Photoshop
Beyond any doubt, object removal is an art but achieving a flawless result takes practice. And that’s the point, you may get stuck in various complexities and need guidance to overcome the challenges.
Here is the most common one among them:
i) Dealing With Halo Effects And Artifacts
While photo editing, it’s not uncommon to encounter halo effects and artifacts in your image object. This mainly happens due to over-editing an image.
For example, when you have an over-sharpened image or an over-edited image with manipulated pixels, it will create a light fringe or distortions around objects. This is the halo effect and artifacts
But don’t get scared. It’s easy to handle this situation. Here is how:
- Start by creating a new layer for your image background. Lighten or darken the layer according to your halo effects.
- Go to the toolbar, select the Clone stamp tool, and adjust the brush size. It would be twice your halo size. Go to the top bar menu and set the sample field to Current & below.
- Now start brushing and cloning over the halo and use it.
Remove Objects From Photos Online Free
Generally saying, you don’t need to rely on online services for removing unwanted objects from photos if you have thoroughly read our complete guide.
But in case you have so many unwanted objects with intricate details, achieving a seamless removal with basic editing tools can be challenging. For instance, you can take advantage of online services to get your job done easily.
Here is a comprehensive list of the few top-rated object-removing online services you have to know about:
1. Path Foto
If you are looking for a professional object remover from a photo with a human touch, Path Foto would be worth considering for you. With 14 years of experience, we have a strong foundation in image editing.
Now we are known as one of the best outsourcing image editing companies that highly focus on manual editing rather than AI configuration.
This means we can pay close attention to detail and get things just right, especially if you need something tricky removed. Even, you can talk with our professional photo editor and tell them exactly what you want to be changed.
By doing so, you can be sure the final result looks exactly as you imagined.
Best Feature
- 24-hour support, including weekend
- Free trial
- Powerful photo editing features
- Unlimited revision
- Great customer support
- Dedicated project manager
- Focus on manual, high-quality work
2. Photoroom
If you’re in search of the best AI-powered object removal services online, I would recommend going with the Photoroom. No matter, how many unwanted objects you have with hard or intricate edges, this free tool will clean up your image in just a few seconds.
It works like a magic eraser. Simply upload your image, and paint over any unwanted object whether it is a small object, people, watermark, or text, Photoroom does it best.
The best part is that Photoroom offers its core object removal functionality for free. This makes it a great option for casual users or those new to photo editing.
Best Feature
- Simple but fast workflow.
- Effortless object removal.
- Offers retouching and background removal.
- User-friendly interface.
3. PicWish
Are you just tired of unwanted objects ruining your photos? Let PicWish complete your job which uses AI to easily remove them in a few clicks.
The best part of this AI-driven tool lies in its user-friendly approach. You simply select the unwanted element, and Picwich’s AI does the heavy lifting, removing it seamlessly from your photo.
This makes it ideal for quick edits without the hassle of complex editing tools. Plus beyond just photo retouching, you can enjoy a diverse range of photo editing services here. That includes background remover, ID photo maker, photo enhancer, image cropper, and so on.
Best Features:
- High-quality output.
- Remove distractions from photos using AI recognition.
- Ensure data security.
- Fewer errors in the output.
FAQs:
Will removing objects from a photo affect its quality?
No, even removing unwanted objects and distractions from a photo will improve the image quality up to 10 times better. All you need is to ensure that it has been done correctly. For instance, Content-Aware Fill often does a good job of filling the gap in Photoshop editing.
Can I remove watermarks or logos from photos using Photoshop?
Yes, you can remove watermarks or logos from photos using Photoshop. As a quick tip, choose any selection tool and make a selection of the removal object. Now go to Edit > Content-Aware Fill and Photoshop will fill in the selected logo or watermark area based on the surrounding pixels
How do I Delete multiple objects in Photoshop at the same time?
Use the object selection tool and select an object that you want to erase. Now hold the Shift key to select multiple objects. Right-click on the selection, go to Edit > Fill and choose Content-Aware Fill. For more control, you can tackle them one by one using separate layers and the Spot Healing Brush for touch-ups.
How To Remove Objects From Complex Textures in Photoshop?
When it is about removing objects from a busy background, use the Clone stamp tool to handle this job for you. It will manually copy and blend textures from similar areas to cover the unwanted object. It’s better if you use a content-aware fill or patch tool in this instance. When done, use a healing brush and clean up any textures, lines, or edges.
In Closing!
So there you have it all about how to remove objects in Photoshop! With these basic techniques and a few practical tips from our experience, now you can easily spot and deal with any complex objects or situations in your image even no matter if you have just entered the photo editing world as a beginner.
As an additional tip, always Zoom in while working on the area with the unwanted object. This will give you more precision and help you achieve a cleaner result.
Also, before heading over to the image, do proper concentration on the brush size as well. Keep the size smaller if you have an object with intricate details while making it larger to quickly remove any bigger objects. Experiment and find the perfect size for each situation.
Happy Editing!
