In This Article
AI object removal is no longer a magic trick reserved for Photoshop specialists. Google’s Magic Editor on Pixel devices removes objects on-device in seconds, Samsung’s Photo Assist on Galaxy S25 matches the quality, and a handful of dedicated apps deliver professional results without a subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud. The category quality leveled up sharply between 2024 and 2026, and the gap between free tools and paid ones is smaller than it used to be.
Below is the 2026 short list of object-removal tools actually worth using. We cover the built-in phone tools first, then the cross-platform paid options for trickier work. Each has been tested on real photos with people, distractions in the background, and complex lighting.
TL;DR
The pick: The pick: Google Magic Editor on Pixel or Samsung Photo Assist on Galaxy. Free, on-device, and surprisingly good at common photographer problems.
Runner-up: Runner-up: Pixelcut for cross-platform mobile removal with strong batch features, Photoroom for product-photography use cases, and Adobe’s Photoshop on the web for fine-tuned work.
Skip if: Skip free desktop AI tools that ask you to upload high-resolution photos to an anonymous server. The privacy implications are worse than the result; use on-device tools instead.
For a deeper reference, see Google’s official Android Help Center.
Google Magic Editor, the on-device pick
Magic Editor on Pixel 8a and newer (including the Pixel 9 series) runs the object removal entirely on-device. Open a photo in Google Photos, tap Edit, then Magic Editor, circle the object or person you want gone, and the AI fills in the background. The January 2026 update brought significantly improved sky and water inpainting, which were the previous weak points.
On older Pixels and other Android phones, Magic Editor is available through the Google One subscription tier. The non-Pixel version uses cloud processing, which means your photos do briefly leave the device. The Pixel version stays local, which is a real privacy upgrade.
Samsung Photo Assist for Galaxy
Samsung’s Photo Assist on Galaxy S24 and S25 runs object removal both on-device (for smaller jobs) and in the cloud (for complex work). Quality matches Magic Editor on typical photos. The interface lives inside the Gallery app under Edit, then Generative.
Photo Assist also handles a related task Google does not: moving subjects within a photo. Drag a person from one position to another and the AI fills in the original location while compositing them into the new position. Useful for group photos where spacing is off.
Pixelcut for cross-platform mobile editing
Pixelcut is the polished cross-platform option for users on phones without on-device AI editing or those who want consistent results across Android and iOS. The free tier covers single-photo edits; the paid tier (eight dollars a month) unlocks batch processing, higher resolution exports, and background-replacement features.
Pixelcut handles ecommerce and product photography particularly well, with a background-removal mode that gives clean cutouts and a brand-color background swap that saves time for online sellers.
Photoroom for product and listings work
Photoroom is the small-business pick for product photography. Object removal, background swap, and batch processing are tuned for ecommerce. The free tier covers occasional use; the paid tier at thirteen dollars a month adds bulk export and team features. The 2025 update added a ‘remove similar objects across multiple photos’ feature that saves hours for catalog work.
Use Photoroom for any work involving multiple photos with consistent product framing. For one-off personal photos, Magic Editor or Pixelcut is faster.
Adobe Photoshop on the web for the hardest jobs
Photoshop’s Generative Fill, available through Creative Cloud and now also through the Photoshop on the web tier (thirteen dollars a month), remains the reference standard for tricky removal jobs. Complex lighting, reflective surfaces, and intricate backgrounds are where Photoshop pulls ahead of the mobile-first tools.
Unless you have a recurring need for high-end retouching, the Creative Cloud subscription is hard to justify for object removal alone. Use it for one-off projects by signing up for a month, finishing the work, and cancelling.
At a glance
| Tool | Platform | On device or cloud | Free tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Magic Editor | Pixel | On device | Free on Pixel 8a+ |
| Samsung Photo Assist | Galaxy S24+ | Hybrid | Free on supported devices |
| Pixelcut | Android, iOS, web | Cloud | Single-photo free |
| Photoroom | Android, iOS, web | Cloud | Limited free |
| Photoshop Generative Fill | Mac, Windows, web | Cloud | Trial only |
Which tool fits your photo?
- Single phone photo, casual edit: Magic Editor or Photo Assist.
- Many product photos for an online store: Photoroom batch.
- Cross-platform, want consistency: Pixelcut.
- Complex retouching, professional output: Photoshop Generative Fill.
- Privacy-sensitive subjects: On-device Magic Editor on Pixel.
FAQ
Does object removal work on video?
Mostly not yet on consumer tools. CapCut and Adobe Premiere both have basic video object removal that handles simple cases. Complex video removal remains a specialized tool space.
How big a file can these tools handle?
Magic Editor and Photo Assist work on phone-camera images up to roughly 50 megapixels. Pixelcut and Photoroom cap free uploads at smaller resolutions. Photoshop has no realistic cap.
Can I undo a Magic Editor edit?
Google Photos saves the original separately and lets you revert at any time. Samsung Gallery does the same. Both keep the edit history within the photo metadata.
Is the output noticeable as AI?
On clean backgrounds, almost never. On complex backgrounds with patterned textures or human figures, sometimes. Inspect the result at full resolution before sharing important photos.
Bottom line
AI object removal is good enough for almost every casual need. Magic Editor or Photo Assist handles the everyday phone photo, Pixelcut covers cross-platform work, Photoroom serves ecommerce, and Photoshop remains the gold standard for hard jobs. Start with the tool that came with your phone; it is free and probably better than you expect.
