OMATOOLS/OmaRAW guide

Guide / Retouch and AI cleanup

AI object removal

Select a distraction, inspect generated pixels and save an editable repair.

Read the full reference ↓ · All tools

On this page · full reference

Film recorded with an earlier version; the written reference is current. AI models and runtimes are now included; any first-use download shown or mentioned in the recording no longer applies.

Where it is

Develop → Prepare → AI object removal

Quick overview

  • Select the distraction and include missed shadows or reflections with Brush. Preview and inspect generated pixels.
  • Apply removal saves an editable repair on the current photo. Object removals bypasses all repairs; Reset removals can be undone.
  • Save rendered DNG is an optional baked copy. A generated fill can fail visibly; the film shows a rejected trial as well as an applied small repair.

In this film

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  1. Removal generates replacement pixelsUse it for distractions, then inspect the result carefully.
  2. Open AI object removalThe current photo will retain editable repairs.
  3. Select the cup for this demonstrationClick the object or drag a close box.
  4. Review everything the selection includesShadows and reflections may need extra brush coverage.
  5. Switch to BrushThis paints the exact removal area; right-drag erases.
  6. Include the shadow under the cupLeaving a shadow can reveal the removed object.
  7. Edge coverage expands the selected marginThe blue overlay includes that margin.
  8. Preview removalProcessing is local on CPU. Waiting time is shortened in this film.
  9. Compare with the original areaLook for repeated texture, seams and leftover shadows.
  10. This preview leaves an obvious soft remnantReject a poor fill instead of assuming a completed preview is a good repair.
  11. Clear this trial without applying itTry a smaller distraction: the dark mark on the tabletop.
  12. Paint only the small markBrush can select a removal directly without an AI object prompt.
  13. Preview this smaller repairThe cup stays; only the small selected mark is replaced.
  14. Inspect the result before accepting itCheck texture and the boundary, then judge the whole photograph.
  15. Apply removal to this photographThe repair is saved; other adjustments stay editable.
  16. The next selection is readyYou can remove another object, including an overlapping area.
  17. Bypass all object removalsThis preserves the saved repairs for comparison.
  18. Restore the repairsReset removals clears them, with Undo available.
  19. Keep editing colour and geometryRepairs follow later changes. Save rendered DNG is an optional baked copy.

Watch the current tool demonstration for the complete workflow in the current interface.

What removal changes

For every panel control in one table, see Prepare → AI object removal.

AI object removal generates replacement pixels for a selected area. Use it for small distractions such as an unwanted object or mark. It estimates plausible surroundings; it cannot recover the original scene hidden behind an object. Large removals, text, faces and repeated structures can expose obvious generated patterns.

Apply removal keeps an editable repair on the same photo. It preserves the other adjustments, and later colour, crop and perspective edits also affect repaired areas. It does not require a new TIFF. Save rendered DNG… is an optional separate output with the displayed appearance baked in.

Select the complete distraction

  1. Open Develop → Prepare → AI object removal, or its shortcut from Retouch. The required models and runtime are included in current packages; no separate first-use download is needed.
  2. Choose Select object. Click to include, right-click to exclude, or drag a box around the object. Add points where necessary.
  3. Switch to Brush to include a cast shadow, reflection or missed edge. Right-drag erases. You can also begin directly with a brushed removal.
  4. Set Brush size to suit the area. Its radius is expressed as a percentage of the photo's long edge.
  5. Adjust Edge coverage if a thin fringe is left around the object. The blue overlay includes this expansion margin and scales with the full-size photo.

An object's shadow or reflection is not always included automatically. Leaving it behind can reveal the removal even when the object itself is gone. Avoid a needlessly large mask: more generated area means more scene content must be invented.

Preview before applying

Choose Preview removal. When it finishes, switch Show removal preview off and on to compare at the same position. Inspect the repaired area at 100% and Fit. Look for repeated textures, bent lines, colour seams, leftover shadows and a boundary that looks smoother than its surroundings.

If the result is poor, revise the selection and preview again. Undo selection restores a prior draft; Clear starts a fresh selection. A failed preview does not make a useful repair merely because the area is selected. Read the status message and check the source file is available.

Apply and continue

Apply removal adds the repair to the current photograph with its own Undo step and prepares a new selection. Select another distraction on the same photo; repairs can overlap. Use ordinary Ctrl+Z for an applied repair, rather than Undo selection, which operates on the current draft.

Object removals bypasses all repairs while keeping them. Reset removals clears them, with Undo available. Repair data is saved with the catalog and included in full catalog backups; it is not disposable preview cache. Back up the catalog and originals, and retain managed repair data when moving the catalog manually.

“Editable” here means the repairs participate in the photo's saved edit, can be undone or bypassed and follow later grading and geometry. It does not mean the model discovered the hidden original scene or that a generated repair is an ordinary heal source circle.

Save rendered DNG is a separate choice

Use Save rendered DNG… only when you want a separate version containing the current rendered appearance. Keep editing the original to revise its live grading and editable repairs. Photo versions lets you return to the original or open the rendered copy. Switching versions deletes neither file.

This differs from AI denoise: denoise creates a new linear DNG while copying colour and local adjustments as editable settings. When using both tools, denoise the original RAW first, then remove objects from the denoised version.

Quality, source and performance limits

Removal uses an 8-bit model with a 512-pixel working size. Inspect detailed and smooth regions carefully; a convincing fitted preview may hide texture mismatch. Edge coverage helps cover fringes and blend the boundary, but cannot make a poor generated structure accurate.

Removal runs on CPU on every GPU vendor. Photos stay local and no assistant login is needed. The GPU selection switch does not make removal use a GPU. Reconnect the original or a verified full offline copy if only a Smart Preview is available.

What the film records

The film first shows a cup removal whose soft remnant makes it unsuitable to keep. It clears that trial, brushes a smaller tabletop mark, performs a new model preview and Apply, then demonstrates bypassing the saved repair in the isolated demo catalog. Waits are shortened. Treat the visible result as a sample to inspect, not a promise that every subject can be removed cleanly.