The world of digital art and image manipulation has been dramatically transformed by the advent of Generative AI, and Adobe Photoshop is at the forefront of this revolution. If you're eager to harness the power of AI to create, expand, remove, and modify elements within your images, you've come to the right place! This lengthy guide will walk you through everything you need to know about getting started with Generative AI in Photoshop.
Unleashing Creativity: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Generative AI in Photoshop
Are you ready to witness the magic of AI transforming your images? Let's dive in!
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| How To Start Generative Ai In Photoshop |
Step 1: Ensure You Have the Right Photoshop Version and Setup
Engage Your Creative Canvas! Before we begin, ask yourself: What amazing image do I want to transform today? Having a project in mind will make this journey even more exciting!
The first and most crucial step is to ensure your Photoshop is up-to-date. Generative AI features, primarily powered by Adobe Firefly, are constantly evolving and are typically found in the latest official release of Photoshop, or sometimes, even in the beta version for early access to cutting-edge tools.
Sub-heading: Update Your Photoshop:
Open your Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop app.
Navigate to the "Apps" tab.
Find Adobe Photoshop in your list of installed apps.
If an update is available, you'll see an "Update" button. Click it and let the magic happen!
Pro Tip: Sometimes, the latest Generative AI features are first rolled out in the Photoshop (Beta) app. You can find and install this beta version through the Creative Cloud Desktop app under the "Beta apps" section.
Sub-heading: System Requirements and Internet Connection:
Generative AI features in Photoshop rely on cloud processing via Adobe Firefly. This means you must have a stable internet connection for these features to work.
Ensure your computer meets the
minimum system requirements Important Note for Some Users: If you find Generative Fill options grayed out, it might be due to an age verification requirement related to Adobe's Behance platform. You may need to provide your birthdate on Behance (which is linked to your Adobe ID) and then restart Photoshop. This is a one-time process.
Step 2: Understanding the Core Generative AI Features
Photoshop's Generative AI primarily revolves around three powerful capabilities:
Generative Fill: This is the star of the show. It allows you to add or remove content from an image by simply making a selection and providing a text prompt (or leaving it blank). Photoshop's AI then intelligently generates new pixels that blend seamlessly with the surrounding image.
Generative Expand: This feature lets you extend the canvas of your image beyond its original boundaries, and Photoshop's AI will intelligently fill the newly expanded area, matching the existing content and style. This is fantastic for changing aspect ratios or creating wider scenes.
Generative Remove: While Generative Fill can be used to remove objects by leaving the prompt blank, a dedicated "Remove Tool" with AI capabilities also exists, which can be even more efficient for specific clean-up tasks like removing unwanted people, wires, or distractions.
Step 3: Diving into Generative Fill: Adding Elements
Now, let's get hands-on and add something new to your image!
Reminder: Short breaks can improve focus.
Sub-heading: Open Your Image:
Launch Adobe Photoshop.
Go to File > Open and select the image you want to work with. Alternatively, you can drag and drop your image directly into Photoshop.
Sub-heading: Make a Selection:
Choose a selection tool from the Photoshop toolbar. The Lasso Tool (L), Rectangular Marquee Tool (M), or Quick Selection Tool (W) are commonly used.
Draw a selection around the area where you want to add a new element. Think about the size and shape of the object you want to generate.
For precision: After making your initial selection, you can refine it using the "Select and Mask" workspace (found in the Options Bar after a selection is made) for smoother edges, especially if you're working with complex shapes.
Sub-heading: Access Generative Fill:
Once you've made a selection, a Contextual Task Bar will usually appear at the bottom of your canvas. This bar is a quick access point for relevant tools.
Click the "Generative Fill" button within this taskbar. If the taskbar isn't visible, go to Window > Contextual Task Bar to enable it.
Alternatively, you can go to Edit > Generative Fill from the top menu.
Sub-heading: Write Your Prompt:
A text-entry box will appear. This is where you describe what you want to generate.
Be specific and descriptive with your prompt. Instead of "flower," try "a vibrant red rose with dewdrops."
Think about:
Object: What exactly do you want to add?
Adjectives: What qualities should it have (e.g., sparkling, ancient, futuristic)?
Context: How should it interact with the existing image (e.g., "sitting on the table," "flying in the sky")?
Example Prompt: "a mischievous squirrel holding an acorn" or "a glowing futuristic cityscape in the background."
Sub-heading: Generate Variations:
After entering your prompt, click the "Generate" button.
Photoshop will send your image and prompt to Adobe's Firefly AI, and within moments (depending on your internet speed), you'll see three different variations of the generated content.
These variations will appear as thumbnails in the Properties panel or the Contextual Task Bar.
Explore and Choose: Click through the thumbnails to preview each variation on your image. Select the one that best fits your vision.
Sub-heading: Refine and Iterate:
The generated content is placed on a new "Generative Layer" in your Layers panel. This is fantastic because it's non-destructive, meaning your original image remains untouched.
If you don't like any of the initial variations, you can simply click "Generate" again to get three new options.
You can also modify your text prompt and click "Generate" again to refine the output. Experiment with different wording!
Further Adjustments: Since the generated content is on its own layer, you can use all of Photoshop's traditional tools to refine it further:
Use a mask on the Generative Layer to blend edges more smoothly.
Adjust opacity or blending modes.
Apply filters or adjustment layers to match the lighting and color of your original image.
Step 4: Utilizing Generative Fill: Removing Elements
One of the most impressive uses of Generative Fill is effortlessly removing unwanted objects or people from your images.
Sub-heading: Select the Unwanted Area:
Use any selection tool (e.g., Lasso Tool, Object Selection Tool) to draw a selection around the object you want to remove.
Crucial Tip for Removal: When selecting, try to include a small portion of the surrounding background in your selection. This gives the AI more context to seamlessly fill the area. For instance, if removing a person, select a bit of the ground they're standing on and the sky around them.
Sub-heading: Initiate Generative Fill (Blank Prompt):
With your selection active, click the "Generative Fill" button in the Contextual Task Bar.
This time, leave the text prompt box completely blank.
Click "Generate".
Sub-heading: Witness the Disappearance:
Photoshop's AI will analyze the surrounding pixels and generate content that seamlessly replaces the selected area, making the unwanted object disappear as if it were never there.
Again, you'll get three variations to choose from. Pick the one that looks the most natural.
Refinement: If the results aren't perfect, try adjusting your selection slightly, or generating more variations. You can also use the Healing Brush Tool or Clone Stamp Tool on a new layer to fine-tune any remaining imperfections.
Step 5: Expanding Your Canvas with Generative Expand
Need more space around your subject or want to change a portrait to a landscape? Generative Expand is your answer.
Sub-heading: Activate the Crop Tool:
Select the Crop Tool (C) from the Photoshop toolbar.
Sub-heading: Extend Your Canvas:
Click and drag the handles on the crop border outward beyond the original image boundaries to expand your canvas to the desired size and aspect ratio. The new, empty areas will typically be transparent.
Sub-heading: Apply Generative Expand:
Once you've resized your canvas, the Contextual Task Bar will likely show a "Generative Expand" button. Click it.
Similar to Generative Fill, you'll have a text prompt box. You can:
Leave it blank: Photoshop will intelligently fill the expanded area, matching the existing image's content and style (e.g., extending a sky, a field, or a wall). This is often the best approach for seamless expansion.
Add a prompt: Describe what you want in the expanded area (e.g., "dense forest," "cloudy sky with a rainbow"). This gives you more creative control over the newly generated content.
Sub-heading: Generate and Review:
Click "Generate".
Photoshop will fill the expanded areas with AI-generated content. Review the three variations and select the best one.
Iterate if needed: If the expansion isn't perfect, try different prompts (if you used one) or simply re-generate with a blank prompt to let the AI do its best blending.
Step 6: Leveraging the Dedicated Remove Tool
For quick and efficient object removal, especially for distractions like wires or small blemishes, the Remove Tool (powered by Generative AI) can be incredibly useful.
Sub-heading: Locate the Remove Tool:
In the Photoshop toolbar, select and hold down the Spot Healing Brush Tool to reveal a fly-out menu.
Choose the "Remove Tool".
Sub-heading: Brush Over Distractions:
Adjust your brush size using the
[and]keys.Simply paint over the object or distraction you want to remove.
As you brush, Photoshop's AI will intelligently analyze the surrounding pixels and automatically fill in the brushed area, making the object disappear.
Settings: In the options bar for the Remove Tool, you might find settings like "Distraction Removal" (for auto-detecting wires/cables or people) and "Mode" (to control when generative AI is used). Experiment with these for optimal results.
Step 7: Tips for Optimal Generative AI Results
QuickTip: Read again with fresh eyes.
To get the most out of Photoshop's Generative AI, keep these tips in mind:
Be Specific with Prompts: The more descriptive your prompt, the better Photoshop can understand your intent. Use nouns, adjectives, and contextual details.
Start with Good Quality Images: While Generative AI is powerful, it performs best when starting with a high-resolution, well-exposed image.
Experiment and Iterate: Don't be afraid to try different prompts, re-generate variations, and fine-tune your selections. It's an iterative process!
Understand Generative Layers: Always remember that generated content is on a new layer. This allows for non-destructive editing and easy adjustments.
Context is Key: When making selections for Generative Fill or Remove, providing a little bit of the surrounding context helps the AI generate more seamless and believable results.
Patience is a Virtue: Generating content can take a few seconds, as it relies on cloud processing. A stable internet connection is vital.
Copyright and Usage: Be aware that content generated by Adobe Firefly is designed to be commercially safe. However, always review Adobe's terms of service regarding commercial use of AI-generated content.
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to use Generative Fill to change an object's color?
You can select the object and then use a prompt like "change to red" or "a blue car" with Generative Fill to alter its color.
How to create a new background with Generative AI in Photoshop?
Select your subject using a selection tool, then invert the selection (Select > Inverse) to select the background. Use Generative Fill with a prompt describing your desired new background (e.g., "a vibrant tropical beach," "a snowy mountain landscape").
How to extend a sky in Photoshop using Generative Expand?
Tip: Pause whenever something stands out.
Use the Crop Tool to expand the canvas upwards, then apply Generative Expand with a blank prompt, or a prompt like "blue sky with fluffy clouds" to fill the new area seamlessly.
How to remove distractions like power lines with Generative AI?
Use the Remove Tool and simply brush over the power lines. The AI will automatically detect and remove them, blending with the surrounding environment.
How to get more variations from Generative Fill?
After the initial generation, if you're not satisfied, simply click the "Generate" button again in the Properties panel or Contextual Task Bar to get three new variations.
How to refine the edges of Generative Fill output?
Since Generative Fill creates a new layer with a mask, you can click on the layer mask thumbnail and use a soft brush to paint with black (to hide) or white (to reveal) to refine the edges of the generated content.
Tip: Don’t just scroll — pause and absorb.
How to troubleshoot if Generative Fill is grayed out?
Ensure your Photoshop is updated to the latest version, you are logged into your Creative Cloud account, and you have an active selection on a raster layer. Also, check if an age verification for Adobe Behance is required for your account.
How to use a reference image with Generative Fill?
In some beta versions or newer features, Generative Fill might offer a "Reference Image" option. This allows you to upload an image whose style or content you want the AI to emulate in its generation, providing more guided results.
How to make Generative AI blend better with my existing image?
Experiment with different prompts, generate more variations, and after generation, utilize Photoshop's traditional tools like layer masks, blending modes, adjustment layers (e.g., Curves, Levels, Hue/Saturation), and color balance to fine-tune the generated content to match the original image's lighting, color, and perspective.
How to use Generative AI for creative compositing?
You can generate different elements on separate layers (e.g., a "futuristic car," a "desert road," a "distant mountain range") and then combine them in Photoshop, using Generative Fill to seamlessly blend the edges and create a cohesive scene.
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