I’ve been using Photoshop’s generative AI features to remove unwanted objects and extend photos since Adobe introduced them in 2023. They’ve been hit or miss for me, but they’re certainly a lot faster than the old-fashioned approach. But with iOS 27, Apple has significantly improved its Clean Up tool and introduced the new Extend tool, and I was curious to see how Apple’s offerings compare with Adobe’s.

With the help of my friend Jürg, I put both to the test using photos from his travels throughout Switzerland and Europe. I narrowed the selection down to six photos: three to test object removal and three to test image extension. All photos were shot on an iPhone 17 Pro Max and edited on an iPhone 18 Pro Max running iOS 27.0. The Clean Up tool has three options: Auto, Fast, and High Quality. I left it on Auto. Photoshop tests were done on a MacBook Pro running Adobe Photoshop 27.10.0 using the “Firefly Fill & Expand” model.

First up was removing a red chair in front of a yellow door. iOS 27 Clean Up produced a very believable result, with only a minor mistake in a rivet. Photoshop left the chair’s shadow, misaligned rivets, and visual artifacts. In another test removing a plate with bread, Clean Up added a nice reflection of the mug and jars, and removed the plate’s shadow. Photoshop left an out-of-place shadow, making the napkin look dirty.

Overall, Apple’s Clean Up tool outperformed Photoshop in these tests, delivering more realistic and cleaner results.