Remove objects from your photos with Content-Aware Fill

Topics in the article:

The Content-Aware Fill workspace provides an interactive editing experience for ultimate image control. Use the live full-resolution preview as you refine the sampling area Content-Aware Fill uses and adjust the settings to achieve amazing results.

Watch the short video below to learn how to use Content-Aware Fill in Photoshop.

Read the full article to understand the step details. 

Learn how to remove objects with the Content-Aware Fill workspace in four simple steps

Check out Julieanne Kost discussing the many Photoshop innovations in selection creation and enhancements to Content-Aware Fill: AI Improvements to Photoshop

Use tools to fine-tune sampling and fill areas

Sampling Brush Tool

Paint with the Sampling Brush Tool in the document window to add or remove sampled image areas used to fill the selection.

Selection refinement tools

Use either the Lasso Tool or Polygonal Lasso Tool to change or modify your original selection (fill area) in the document window.

To learn more, see Select with the lasso tools

Navigation tools

Hand Tool: Pan over different parts of the image in the document window and the Preview panel. You can quickly toggle to the Hand Tool by holding the 'Spacebar' key while using any other tool.

Zoom Tool: Magnify or reduce the view of the image in the document window or the Preview panel. To learn more, see Zoom in or out

To change magnification level in the Preview panel, drag the zoom slider at the bottom of the panel or manually type a zoom percentage value in the text box.

Adjust Content-Aware Fill settings

You can adjust the following settings in the Content-Aware Fill panel.

Sampling Area Overlay

Select this option to show the sampling area or the excluded area as an overlay on the image in the document window.

• To reset to default sampling area, click the reset () icon next to the Show Sampling Area option.

Sets the opacity of the overlay displayed in the document window. To adjust the opacity, drag the slider or type a percentage value in the text box. 

Assigns color to the overlay displayed in the document window. Click the color selection box and then choose a color from Adobe Color Picker. 

Shows the overlay in the sampling or the excluded area. Choose an option from the drop-down list - Sampling Area or Excluded Area.

Sampling Area Options

Determine the sampling area in your image where you want Photoshop to look for source pixels to fill content.

Select this option to use content similar to surrounding fill area.

Select this option to use rectangular region around fill area. 

Select this option to manually define a sampling area. Use the Sampling Brush Tool to add to the sampling area.

Select this option to sample source pixels from all the visible layers in your document.

Fill Settings

Allows contrast and brightness to adapt for a better match. This setting is useful for filling content with gradual color or texture changes. Choose an appropriate option from the drop-down list - None, Default, High, or Very High.

Allows content rotation for a better match. This setting is useful for filling content with rotated or curved patterns. Choose an appropriate option from the drop-down list - None, Low, Medium, High, or Full.

Select this option to allow content resizing for a better match. It works well for filling content with repeating patterns of different sizes or under perspective.

Select this option to allow content to be flipped horizontally for a better match. This is useful for images with horizontal symmetry.

To reset to default fill settings, click the reset () icon in the Fill Settings menu.

Output settings

Apply Content-Aware Fill to Current Layer, New Layer, or Duplicate Layer.

View full-resolution preview in the Preview panel

As you fine-tune sampling and fill areas and adjust fill settings, the Preview panel renders a full-resolution preview of the changes. 

• To change the magnification of the preview image, you can drag the zoom slider or type a value in the text box at the bottom of the panel. You can also select Zoom Tool in the Tools panel.
• To pan over different parts of the preview image, you can switch to Hand Tool quickly by pressing 'H' while using any other tool.
  

Apply multiple fill changes

Introduced in Photoshop 21.1 (February 2020 release)

You can fill multiple portions of the image without leaving the Content-Aware Fill workspace. After you get the desired fill result for a selection in your image, do the following: 

1. Click Apply at the bottom of the Content-Aware Fill panel to commit fill and keep the workspace open.
2. Now, use Lasso Tool or Polygonal Lasso Tool within the Content-Aware Fill workspace to make a new selection to fill.
   

Commit or cancel fill changes

• To commit fill and close the Content-Aware Fill workspace, click OK at the bottom of the Content-Aware Fill panel or press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) when you get the desired fill result in the image.
  
• To cancel fill and close the Content-Aware Fill workspace, click Cancel at the bottom of the Content-Aware Fill panel or press Esc.   

Reset all fill settings

To reset all Content-Aware Fill settings, click the reset () icon in the lower-left corner of the Content-Aware Fill panel.