I Use This App Instead of Airbnb for Vacation Rentals: Here's Why Quick Links Use Google Photos Magic Editor Tool Use This Website For One-Time Clean Ups

We've all taken the perfect shot, only to find it ruined by a photobomber or an unwanted object, like a trash can! While Apple's Clean Up tool is limited to iPhone 15 Pro and newer, there are apps you can use to remove distractions from images on older iPhones.

1 Use Google Photos Magic Editor Tool

Google initially introduced an AI-powered feature called Magic Eraser to remove unwanted objects as a feature exclusive to the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro series. However, it was eventually made available on other devices, including iOS.

While it may feel ironic to use a direct competitor to Apple's Photos app, Google Photos, on an iPhone, we have to give credit where it's due. The best part? It works just like Apple's Clean Up tool, one of the Apple Intelligence features introduced with iOS 18.1. Even better, all you need is an iPhone running iOS 16 or later.

If you're subscribed to a Premium Google One plan with 2 TB or more, you can edit as many images as you'd like using Magic Eraser.

Otherwise, you'll only get 10 Magic Editor saves each month. If you only need to edit your images occasionally, the free saves should be more than enough!

If you don't have the Google Photos app installed, begin by downloading it on your iPhone, logging into your Google account, and granting the necessary permissions to access your device's photo library.

Once you're all set up, here's what you need to do:

Switch to the Photos tab, and locate the image you'd like to remove an unwanted object from. Tap to open it. Choose Edit from the menu bar at the bottom of the screen, select Tool, and tap Magic eraser. You'll see two tabs: Erase and Camoflouge. Make sure to pick the former! Just like Apple's Clean Up feature, Google Photos will first attempt to identify the unwanted objects. If it finds what you're looking for, simply tap the highlighted suggestion, and the app will work its magic. If not, manually draw over the distraction you want to remove. It might take a few passes to get a perfect result, so just keep drawing until the object disappears. Once you're satisfied with the image, hit Done. To save it to your camera roll, tap Save and choose either Save or Save as Copy. Close

In the above screenshots, I wanted to remove the phone from the table and focus on the platter of tacos instead. Since Google didn't automatically recognize it, I manually drew over the phone with my finger, and it vanished within seconds as if it was never there in the first place!

2 Use This Website For One-Time Clean Ups

You might not want to go through the hassle of downloading and setting up Google Photos just to remove a trashcan from an image's background, especially if it's a one-time task.

In that case, the cleanup.pictures website is a great alternative. Here's how to use it:

Go to the website and select Tap here to load your picture. Then, choose where to import the image from: Photo Library, Take Photo, or Choose File. While you can upload an image of any size, the free version will downscale it and only allow exporting at 720px. For now, tap Continue with SD. Now, draw over the object you want to erase. For maximum precision, adjust the brush size by dragging the Brush slider left or right. Once you're ready, tap Clean. To compare the before and after versions, toggle the switch next to the eye icon. Wait a few seconds, and voilà! To save your image, tap the Save icon in the top-right corner of the screen and select Save Image. Close

It's as simple as that! As you can see in the screenshots above, I edited the same example, and the results are identical. While the website delivers great results for a quick fix, it's not the most convenient option if you plan to clean up images frequently.

Personally, I wouldn't subscribe to the website's premium version, either. Instead, I'd opt for a Google One subscription or a premium iPhone photo editing app that offers additional tools alongside a cleanup feature.

While it's unfortunate that Apple restricted the Clean Up feature to iPhone 15 Pro models and above, both of the alternatives mentioned above can help you achieve similar results within seconds.