How to Remove Objects with Content-Aware Fill in Photoshop

Tutorial Description

Today we break down the improvements made to the Content Aware Fill tool in Adobe Photoshop CC 2019. Aaron compares the new Content Aware Fill tool to the previous version from 2018 and provides some tips on what settings to use to get the best results. Then hear his take on why the Spot Healing Brush Tool is his go-to for detailed object removal.

What is Content-Aware?

When you don’t have the time to manually get rid of an object in a photo, the Content-Aware Fill tool in Photoshop is designed to make quick work of object removal. Simply make a selection around the object you need to remove, and the Content-Aware Fill tool will intelligently sample the background of your image to fill that area in!

The previous version of Content-Aware Fill was not very flexible. It was a destructive process that did not offer any settings for you to adjust. If a removal ended up looking obvious or unnatural, there wasn’t much you could do to help it along.

Photoshop CC 2019

In Photoshop CC 2019, Content-Aware has a number of settings and tools that can be used to fine-tune a removal while also being non-destructive—you can always go back and make changes to ensure you get a seamless transition.

Complete with a full resolution preview, you can now choose where Photoshop samples information from to fill in an area, you can change fill settings to better suit the object and environment you’re editing, and you can even select how you want Photoshop to output the change.

The new Content-Aware Fill tool is significantly more powerful than any previous version offered in Photoshop. While it can be a great option if you’re in a pinch for time, it is an automated process which can often yield unexpected or unwanted results. If you’re working on an image and need a professional finish, we recommend taking the extra time and using more robust tools like the Spot Healing Brush Tool to get the job done!