Restore parts of an image to a previous state

Last updated on Oct 27, 2025

Learn how to restore previous states of your image in Adobe Photoshop, without undoing your recent edits.

Photoshop tools, such as the History Brush tool, Eraser tool, and Fill tool, let you restore specific areas of an image. These tools help you recover textures or details while preserving overall enhancements, streamlining your workflow, and maintaining editing flexibility.

Restore with the History Brush tool

Select Window > History to open the History panel.

Select the box labeled Sets the source for the History Brush next to the desired state or snapshot to set it as the source.

Select the History Brush tool.

Paint over the areas you want to restore. Learn more about how to paint with image states from the History panel.

Restore with the Eraser tool

Select the Eraser tool.

Select Erase To History from the Options bar.

You can restore an area by dragging over it. Learn more about using the Eraser tool to erase parts of an image.

Restore with the Fill tool

Select the area to restore.

Select Edit > Fill.

In the Contents dropdown menu, select History.

Select OK to restore the selected area.

Tip

Enable Automatically Create First Snapshot in History Options to preserve the initial state.