With the release of iOS 18.1 beta 3, Apple has introduced a new Clean Up feature to the Photos app, enhancing its Apple Intelligence capabilities. Announced at WWDC, this feature allows users to identify and remove distracting elements from the background of photos. Accessible while editing a photo, the Clean Up feature is represented by a new eraser-style icon in the bottom toolbar.
The feature utilizes advanced machine learning models to smartly detect and remove unwanted objects, including their edges, shadows, and reflections. It also ensures that people in the photo are not inadvertently altered or removed. With a single tap, users can eliminate distractions, or they can manually zoom in and use their finger as a retouch brush for finer control.
Notably, the Clean Up feature works on any image in the Photos library, not just those taken with an iPhone. Upon first use, iOS 18.1 will download and prepare the necessary models for this tool. The feature is also included in the latest iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 betas.
In addition to Clean Up, iOS 18.1 beta 3 extends Apple Intelligence-powered notification summaries to apps beyond Messages and Mail. For more details, check out our full coverage.
