If you want to get to grips with the latest clever camera trick from the Google Pixel series, just follow our handy guide.
It’s always highly frustrating when one of your pictures is photo-bombed, with an unwanted guest or object in the background that you’d prefer not to be there. That’s why Google introduced Magic Eraser to its own-brand series of Pixel phones, starting with the Pixel 6 series, and we’ve been highly impressed with the results. If you’ve got a compatible phone, here’s how you can put this nifty feature to use.
What we used
- We used the Pixel 6a, but you can also use the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro (and in the near future, a Pixel 7)
The Short Version
- Open the Google Photos app
- Tap Edit on the photo you want to change
- Tap on tools, and select Magic Eraser
- Either approve the suggested edit, or circle an object manually
- Once complete, save the photo by tapping Done
Step
1Open the Google Photos app
First of all, open up the Google Photos app and select the photo you’d like to change. The Google Photos app resembles a paper windmill in colours of yellow, red, green, and blue.
Step
2Tap Edit on the photo you want to change
Tap Edit on the image in question, bringing up the editing menu.
Step
3Tap on tools, and select Magic Eraser
Scroll across the bottom of the display and you’ll see an option for Tools. Tap on this, and then on Magic Eraser.
Step
4Either approve the suggested edit, or circle an object manually
When you open the Magic Eraser, you may be given a pre-selected choice of objects to remove. If the object you want to get rid of is highlighted, then you can tap on the outline in order to get rid of it. However, if it’s not already highlighted then you’ll need to draw a circle around the bit you want to lose. This is best done with objects in the background or side of the frame, but we’ll use a large object as a visually clear example.
Step
5Once complete, save the photo by tapping Done
Now that the object has been successfully removed, tap Done and then Save Copy to save the new picture.
FAQs
No, currently it’s an exclusive feature to the latest generation of Google Pixel phones
By default, the edited picture will be saved as a copy, so it will not rewrite the original photo. However, if you delete the original picture then you cannot re-insert deleted aspects into the edited photo.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.