The latest iOS 18.1 developer beta introduces a new feature called “Clean Up” in the Photos app. This Apple Intelligence feature uses AI to remove unwanted items from your photos. Originally announced as a key feature, it’s now available for developer beta testers to try out.
In the iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18 developer betas, you can find the Clean Up option when editing a photo. The feature uses generative AI to erase selected objects and seamlessly fill in the empty space to match the rest of the image.
When you first use the Clean Up feature, you’ll need to tap, brush, or circle the item you want to remove from the image. The function will also need to be downloaded to your iPhone or iPad before it works.
Different techniques will give you different results with Clean Up.
If you brush over the image and its surrounding areas with your finger, the tool will fully remove the selected area. You can choose to go over the edges of the object to remove it completely, or brush over just a part of the object to partially hide it.
Using the looping technique helps the feature detect the object you’ve circled and removes it from the image.
AppleInsider’s early tests show that Clean Up can accurately find and remove unwanted elements, though it might struggle with things like shadows. The feature can also automatically highlight objects you might want to remove, and a simple tap will get rid of them.
Like all edits in the Photos app, you can undo any changes without affecting the original image.
Although the iPhone 16 will be introduced on September 9, you won’t be able to use Clean Up right away. You may need to join the developer beta or wait for the iOS 18.1 update to start removing photobombers and other unwanted elements from your photos.