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Complete Guide to Removing Anything from Photos

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Quick Answer To remove anything from a photo, upload it to EditThisPic, tap to mark what you want gone (optional), and describe what should replace it. Instead of saying 'remove the person', say 'replace the person with the beach background'. Describing what to create gives dramatically better results than just saying what to remove.

The Key Technique: Describe What to Create

Here's the secret that makes EditThisPic different from other removal tools: instead of telling the AI what to remove, tell it what to create. When you say 'remove the person', the AI has to guess what was behind them. But when you say 'replace the person with sand and ocean waves', the AI knows exactly what to generate. This simple shift in how you write prompts produces dramatically better, more natural results.

How to Remove People from Photos

Whether it's a photobomber, an ex, or a stranger in your travel shot, removing people is one of the most common photo editing needs. The key is helping the AI understand what should appear where the person was.

1

Upload your photo

Drop your image into EditThisPic. Supported formats: JPG, PNG, WebP up to 7MB.

2

Mark the person (optional)

Tap on the person you want to remove. This helps the AI know exactly who you mean, especially in group photos.

3

Describe the replacement

Instead of 'remove the person', try 'remove the marked person and fill with the beach sand and ocean' or 'replace with the natural background'.

4

Review and refine

If shadows or edges remain, do a second pass: 'remove the remaining shadow and blend with the ground'.

Before: How to Remove People from Photos
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After: How to Remove People from Photos
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Prompt: "Remove the person on the right and fill with the tower background"

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How to Remove Objects from Photos

Power lines, trash cans, signs, parked cars - unwanted objects can ruin an otherwise perfect shot. The removal process is similar to people: mark, describe what replaces it, download.

1

Identify the object

Look at what you want to remove and what's behind/around it.

2

Mark if needed

For small objects, tap to place a marker. For obvious things, you can just describe them.

3

Describe the fill

'Remove the power lines and show clear sky' or 'remove the trash can and extend the grass'.

4

Check edges

Objects often leave subtle traces. Refine with 'clean up any remaining traces and blend smoothly'.

Before: How to Remove Objects from Photos
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After: How to Remove Objects from Photos
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Prompt: "Remove the object and fill with natural background"

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How to Remove Watermarks

Stock photo watermarks, date stamps, and logos can obscure important parts of images. Note: Only remove watermarks from images you own or have rights to use.

1

Upload the watermarked image

The AI can handle transparent, semi-transparent, and solid watermarks.

2

Describe the removal

'Remove the watermark and restore the image underneath' or 'remove the date stamp from the corner'.

3

Review quality

Complex watermarks over detailed areas may need multiple passes.

Before: How to Remove Watermarks
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After: How to Remove Watermarks
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Prompt: "Remove the watermark"

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How to Remove Backgrounds

Background removal is essential for product photos, profile pictures, and creative compositions. You can make backgrounds transparent, solid colored, or replace them entirely.

1

Upload your image

Works best with clear subjects that stand out from the background.

2

Choose your approach

'Remove the background and make it white' for products, 'remove background and make transparent' for overlays, or 'replace background with a sunset beach'.

3

Check edges

Hair and fine details are the trickiest. Refine with 'clean up the edges around the hair'.

Before: How to Remove Backgrounds
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After: How to Remove Backgrounds
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Prompt: "Remove the background and make it transparent"

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with AI, some removals are trickier than others. Here are solutions to the most common problems users encounter.

1

Shadows remaining

Always mention shadows in your prompt: 'remove the person AND their shadow, fill with ground texture'.

2

Unnatural fill

Be more specific about what should appear: instead of 'remove object', try 'remove object and continue the brick wall pattern'.

3

Partial removal

For complex subjects, do multiple passes. Remove the main part first, then clean up remaining elements.

4

Edge artifacts

Finish with a smoothing pass: 'blend the edited area seamlessly with surroundings'.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When you say 'remove the person', the AI has to guess what was behind them. It might fill with the wrong texture, color, or pattern. When you say 'fill with beach sand and waves', you're giving the AI a clear target. It knows exactly what to generate, resulting in more natural, accurate fills.
Marking is optional but helpful. For single, obvious objects ('remove the only person'), you don't need markers. For crowded scenes or when you want to remove one specific thing among many similar items, markers make your intent crystal clear.
Yes! You can remove multiple items in a single edit. Try 'remove all the people in the background' or 'remove both cars and the trash can'. For complex multi-item removals, sometimes doing them one at a time gives cleaner results.
For patterned or textured backgrounds (brick, fabric, grass), be specific: 'remove the object and continue the brick pattern naturally' or 'fill with matching grass texture'. The more specific you are, the better the AI can match.
Do a cleanup pass with prompts like 'smooth out the edited area', 'blend the edges naturally', or 'fix the unnatural patch in the center'. Sometimes regenerating with a slightly different prompt also helps.
Yes, AI removal works on photos of any quality. For very old or damaged photos, you might want to use the restoration tools first, then remove unwanted elements from the cleaner version.
Only remove watermarks from images you own or have proper licensing for. Removing watermarks from copyrighted images you don't have rights to use is illegal. Use this tool responsibly.
The AI handles occlusion well. Just describe what you want: 'remove the person standing behind the chair'. If parts remain, do a second pass targeting specific areas.
This usually happens when the surrounding area lacks enough detail for the AI to reference. Try being more specific about what should appear, or do the removal in smaller sections.
Yes! EditThisPic keeps your original image. You can always start over or try a different approach. The edit history also lets you go back to previous versions.

Related Guides

Photo Privacy Guide Background Editing Guide Photo Restoration Guide

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